Walking to lose weight is a lifestyle choice because the exercise must be for the rest of your life if you have a chronic overweight issue.

I have been living this lifestyle and experienced many of the implementation challenges and concerns that you also have. Simultaneously with monitoring food intake and walking to lose weight I have taken the feel good approach to making exercise, activity and vitality a fundamental asset in my life.

Feeling good about what you do is a basic of law of attraction technique.

As I read through some of my previous posts there was so much I liked that it became a bit difficult to choose. I will return to some more of my older posts again-these are from 2010 and 2009.

Walking to Lose Weight Breakthrough:

Each time you  make the decision to feel good about what you are doing when walking for weight loss you have made a breakthrough. And just like when working, the option to feel good is always available.

Making Walking to Lose Weight a Lifesytyle

Take the focus off weight loss. Put it on life! This is not a weight loss program but a lifestyle.

Yes overweight people have a life. Look at Oprah. Overweight isn’t a code word for loser but for lifestyle habits which don’t encourage bodily well being. What is needed is a life style which supports our continued healthy active well being.

Lifestyle change is the answer because hanging onto the lifestyle which caused the problem in the first instance isn’t.

If you are prepared to make weight loss a lifetime activity then lose weight and then go back to exactly what you were doing in your life before which resulted in the weight gain.

Lifestyle modification is the key. That means activity or walking or other exercise for several hours a week.

Somehow most of us seem to believe that keeping weight off should be easier than losing weight but is it?

Aging and Walking to Lose Weight:

The story of this 78 year old nun who leads an extremely active lifestyle, makes me aware of the standard of well being which is acceptable for most people at 78. And it ‘s not a high level of activity. Often health is an issue, particularly aggravated by over weight and “aging” body dysfunctions. Walking to lose weight is ideal for the older person needing to lose weight, although it may require starting very slowly, and with assistance.

Over a life many of us consider the older we get the better off we will be if we decrease activity. It’s easier to get others to do the running about, and each neglected body part becomes more achy.

Generally speaking, as we age, we don’t feel older, until our bodies start feeling that way. If then we connect the two and decide that we are old because our body doesn’t work like it used to, or vice versa, we are accepting a convenient myth. It’s convenient because it saves looking for another answer but it is not an answer that I like.

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One way this reveals itself as a disadvantage is when you have actually been successful. The relaxing of your desire i.e. goals around weight loss and the tasks or focus required to achieve the original goal, often means a return to the exact behavior which caused the problem in the first place, such as lack of exercise or  poor diet and food consumption habits.

It is likely that you have lost weight successfully before. Often times it is a lack of ability to continue the behavior which caused the weight loss which triggers the return of excess weight. To use a trivial example, say your house is generally comfortable but messy. Your mother-in-law is coming and you want to make a good impression so a spring clean is underway. You could even say to yourself as you appreciate how nice it feels to be in a cleaned house with the sunshine and flowers creating a cozy effect: ‘This is the way I want it to be always.’  Yet with the mother-in-law gone (and she lives far away) and the kids come home and don’t understand your new desire for order and cleanliness, soon you’ve forgotten you had any other goal then to tidy up for a particular occasion.The same applies to diet and exercise aimed at one goal-weight loss- without embedding the desire into your lifestyle.

Walking for weight  loss and activity for its own sake adds value to your life in many ways. Eating in filling yet healthy ways also adds to a sense of caring and looking after ourselves and our bodies which also feels good.

Counting calories or pedometer steps are ways to systematize a balanced diet and regular exercise into your lifestyle. Walking to lose weight is a lifestyle choice which lends itself to activity as a matter of course. While other  exercise options are still necessary because variety is important, the advantage of walking is its ability to fit into most lifestyles with ease, and making it easy is instrumental to weight loss success.

Walking to lose weight becomes an attitude pervasive enough that once established it has its own  momentum and replaces the need to consciously choose to diet or exercise.

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That’s when pedometer steps helps! By wearing a pedometer daily it is easy to get started. In fact the busier the day the better. Make a game out of fitting in extra steps especially when it seems difficult. Walk while waiting, fill in time with picking up toys or clothes (bend and take each item back to its spot individually), walk from the back of the house or the office instead of shouting or phoning.

Walk to the shops. Walk to the other side of the car park. Walk down the stairs instead of using the lift.

Walking for weight loss can be taken too seriously. Walking or exercise can be taken too seriously.

Make it easy on yourself.

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The number one complaint of those who are willing but unable to exercise is because it is hard to fit into the busy day.

Walking for weight loss can be done in a  number of ways:

take a 10 to 20 minute walk once or twice each day;

take a longer walk of at least one hour, once, twice or three times a week;

count pedometer steps.

Each will appeal or be successful because of the circumstances and preferences of your life.

The ritual of a regular, preferably daily walking schedule can contribute to its’ success but the two or three times a week ritual can also work.

Walking for weight loss becomes  familiar and benefits many people who can fit a walk to work or walk after school, into their lifestyle. It is less easy for those with more stressful routines which generally means a lack of regular commitments which allow planning. For these people the flexibility of counting pedometer steps becomes a real advantage.

Couple this with the established incentive of having a target against which to challenge yourself.

Many programs aimed at increasing exercise or walking for weight loss include a pedometer as the main weight loss tool.

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At the beginning it can be a question of finding your feet. Some trial and error may be necessary when walking to lose weight or making any other health and well being changes. Avoid continued major revisions in the process, if possible, as a routine is better to develop before changing or adding to it too much. Over time of course it may change significantly but it tends to be less disruptive to the overall balance if done on a gradual basis. This can also be personality influenced as some of us are more excited by change than others.

Walking for weight loss can be the easiest way to combine exercise and calorie control as well as the best chance of losing weight. If you can keep your focus clear, and your confidence loaded for success than the gradual increases also result in weight loss.

One of the ways to continue if you have reached an interest plateau is to add in weight training. Walking to lose weight is terrific weight bearing exercise for the lower body and is great aerobic exercise if done briskly, adding in hills or using the gradient feature on a treadmill.

Counting pedometer steps even at the gym is highly recommended while walking to lose weight. These methods can work together to improve your overall results but always build up over time.

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And while I know people who swear Pilates is the only thing which keeps them functioning, the same is claimed for walking from those with back problems.

It is  more likely to be that both have major benefits and are not direct substitutes for each other. Walking has weight loss and strengthening effects on the muscles of the lower body but does not do much for the shape of your bottom.

Pilates is dedicated to strengthening the core muscle groups and this is obviously a very effective when tightening and toning rather than trying to lose weight.

Each is of benefit however walking for weight loss is an every day and life time commitment. Counting pedometer steps is a very easy way to include activity of all sorts in your lifestyle!

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Well it is…but there is a difficulty in measuring techniques and self measuring especially. How accurate are your measurements?

A good policy is to get someone else preferably a professional who has been trained but a girl friend (or wife) would do, to take the measurements. As this can be embarrassing this may not be your preferred option. If so do it yourself but be sure that you know exactly where you are measuring and repeat it at least one time to check the result. I do the bust or nipple line, under the bust (bra line), the waist at its smallest, hips (largest point), upper thigh and lower thigh (just above the knee) and the arm between the shoulder and elbow.

Obviously give yourself some time walking for weight loss before checking to see how many inches (!) you have lost. How long to leave depends on the frequency and type of exercise. My old routine was to leave it for 10 days of 10,000 steps before checking. Counting pedometer steps is one of the easiest ways to lose weight.

The type of exercise will also affect where you see the results.

Even though we are told that spot reduction doesn’t work and loss depends upon overall body fat reduction, if you measure you will find definite differences in the rates of loss. Weight training is great at sculpting the more difficult body parts. Walking to lose weight particularly walking up hills, naturally tightens thighs and bottom. The top half of the body can be neglected when walking for weight loss so it helps to add arm movements perhaps using hand weights during your walking routine.

We all know about buying jeans or some other item of clothing “hoping” that they will be an incentive for weight loss. How often does that work?

But I do recommend purchasing or finding a piece of clothing which is just too tight. It needn’t be expensive and may not even be something you want to wear but it can act as a demonstration of weight loss. It needs to not do up or strain across buttons etc. then take a photo. Over time check on the fit and notice where your measurements have changed. If necessary look at the photo to reassure yourself that it does now fit better. If certain parts are not reducing at the required rate then take specific action for that area.

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Walking to lose weight can be a group activity or a social bonding opportunity but that does restrict your options when busy. Of course it is not an either/or situation and one of the beauties of walking as a weight loss lifestyle option is its versatility. It can be social or competitive, intense or leisurely.

Generally it can be undertaken spontaneously so it lends itself very well to an ongoing campaign for health and weight loss. It has been found that men respond well to the use of pedometers which can add an element of challenge to walking to lose weight. The daily step total becomes a target to beat. Even young boys given pedometers have been found to respond positively to this aspect.

An active commute program where participants walked or cycled to work had a positive response from men and the average  five miles distance to their employer’s premises was effective exercise. But not so for the women involved.

Women use the pedometer and daily 10,000 steps often, from what I have seen on the many walking to lose weight forums etc., but respond differently to the use of these tools. It is another task to be done but does not have as much incentive. Initially walking as a social opportunity often appeals to women and this can be very attractive and effective as an incentive to walk more often particularly daily.

Busy lives require organisation and a social obligation can be a significant influence in performance. Frequently on a weekend walk I am delighted to see many walkers taking a scenic route which I do myself if I can. Lots of people are fitness walkers which can be determined by the demeanor and pace.

This is one of the reasons walking for weight loss alone can be the best way to go. You are in control of the intended duration, speed and location. The lifestyle change needs to be under your control. Doing it alone enables that more easily. It can’t be postponed or canceled as with a social commitment. Over time, walking for weight loss becomes a vehicle for other opportunities such as group walks and family entertainment. As you become more involved in doing it, find the best routes, fun alternatives, get results and look good, others may want to join in.

Build a list of favourite walks. Don’t be afraid to try new ideas and if in the end, they’re not for you, so what?

Often in a busy day the time to go for a walk can be flexible when you only have yourself to consider.

Even though ongoing walking for weight loss success is probably better as an independent activity there are many ways walking with others is a great way to keep a fitness or weight loss program fun and motivating. Family walks, walking to the restaurant, golf, etc.

A pedometer is a great personal tool which enables self responsibility for effective weight loss through walking. It has been the biggest asset on my weight loss journey since I started using it routinely in September 2008.

An advantage of counting steps is the ability to see how the day is going. Although I like to use a weekly count, on a given day if I have been at my desk without moving for several hours, it is quite possible to do only 3,000 steps. This rarely happens any more now that I wear a pedometer and know how to bring up the steps. On those occasions though, doing a little bit more around the house is not likely to have much effect on the exercise level for the day, so a long walk is mandatory.

This is something I can do with pleasure because I know that the time is not wasted. Listening to work related podcasts or inspirational information. Planning. Take the quiet time for reflection. Consciously review with a broader perspective not possible during the detail of day to day. Think out an issue.

A one hour walk is about 6,000 steps. On the other hand an easier option when working from home is to do a Walk Away the Pounds DVD. The 3 miles session takes 48 minutes and is 5,500 steps. Of course it is a lot harder than taking a walk because of the arm and leg movements and use of the weights, however ignore these and it is good brisk walk.

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Normally I would have written something for this blog but I probably won’t be posting again until next week.

I’m away for a 4 day business seminar and have been generally busy for the last few days. Sometimes working can seem to get in the way of my committed walking for weight loss lifestyle, but also, sometimes it is normal for priorities to be reordered for a little while. This is one of the reasons for making walking to lose weight a lifestyle.

As preparation I have been making walking and weight loss through dieting a priority for a limited time. Not as a one off diet but at an increased intensity, returning to the previous sedate program afterwards. By allowing for the normal flow of priorities, by anticipating that changes are coming, give thought to new ways of keeping weight loss a primary commitment.

Eat less when uncertain as to exercise options.

Be discreet about cutting down if food and drink are important with this organisation’s culture. You can still do it but leave the table often, or be going somewhere after, preventing over indulgence.

Planning for business trips or seminars, budget and review times, can be stressful. Walking is a great de-stressor; walk and meet with associates at the same time. Others may be tired of sitting. They do not have to know this is a part of your walking to lose weight program.

Less eating more talking. Network, make friends by concentrating on this aspect rather than the food.

Fill up your time with relaxing small talk not high pressure interviews. Think of this as a game where you are carefully assessing these other people.

Wear a pedometer and count steps to get a better idea of how much walking you have managed that day. It is easy to run up and down stairs a few times to get papers or other things and add effectively to the day’s steps.

If you are staying at a hotel use the facilities such as a treadmill or you may find taking your Walk Away the Pounds DVD the easiest way to walk.

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Others are puzzled by the popularity of walking as a weight loss strategy. Some do it and question its success. Also starting a walking to lose weight program, if you do it around others, can attract lots of attention. There are many options for walking whether inside or outside, or doing it alone or with friends or a group. Look at Walk Away the Pounds as a less public alternative to walking in a gym.

It’s simple with this basic understanding:

What is required of you when walking to lose weight is relative to the activity already existing in your life.

1. If you are already active and then start following recommended walking times you will find little response. This is natural because you may not be adding much, if anything, into your active life -perhaps even doing less than normal. Or you might be adding to your eating allowing the exercise to stimulate your appetite and then rewarding yourself with food or drink. The purpose of additional exercise is to create a calorie deficit, stimulate your metabolism, divert the mind, increase well being, and improve sleep. All these things and others combine synergistically to enhance weight loss.

2. If you haven’t been particularly active before but focus on the specific time requirements or distance recommended, and then stop for the rest of the day, you may not be adding to your exercise at all; if you stop other exercise when adopting a weight loss routine it has to be because the amount of exercise you’ve added more than substitutes for your normal activity.

However if you are frail, underweight or under-exercised to extreme weakness, the only way forward is to build up your muscle strength before taking on extensive walking.

A couch potato who adds in a 10 minute walk morning and evening will respond well to wearing a pedometer all day, finding out what is their normal daily step count and being motivated in bringing them up to the 10,000 recommended daily steps for weight loss. Any significant increase in walking for this person is likely to lose weight.

However, an active person may not find adding walking has an effect on weight loss. Normally though, an additional one hour daily walking will cause weight loss.

Generally diet modification is also necessary for weight loss. Think about what you are eating. Instead of mindlessly looking for what appeals right now, consider the impact on you real goal, to lose weight. Being a little bit hungry is all right. Eat wisely if still hungry and always drink water before you are thirsty. I.e. consciously drink water or diet drinks, after you have exercised, increasing the amount depending upon the temperature of your body, and the weather.

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