This used to be me. Many times over my life I have lost weight. Those times I was able to do it required a mental attitude that supported my continued weight loss behavior. That is, my goals were motivating enough in themselves to bring about the desired changes. Having a reason for losing weight that to you is important enough to change long term habits is the main reason a weight loss program works (any program!).

At some point if you want to maintain your weight and body shape your ‘goal’ needs to move up a notch.

The new goal requires a long term result and this is different from achieving a one-off short term goal. I’ve written before about the cramming for an exam weight loss process- putting all your effort into a short period with no intention of continuing (or ability for your body to sustain) the behavior, hoping to pass the exam.

My favorite “exercise” for someone who dislikes exercise is the one where you pretend or feel as though you’re not exercising. As a former non-exerciser I didn’t get exercise. No concept of how my body’s movements could contribute more to my lifestyle by being normally used. So much seems to be a given. The normal use of my body was something I assumed did not tie in to my ability to monitor and control the use of muscles.

I have always enjoyed walking. I walked to and from school high school for instance. Walking was not exercise to me, it was the means of getting around. For instance my husband and I liked to look at houses, choosing the one we wanted or design ideas by walking around a neighborhood.

My body is made for using. I really really benefit when I use it.

Walking to lose weight became a way to turn walking into long term weight control. Walking is the simplest exercise and the easiest to get started on. Walking to lose weight doesn’t feel like exercise until the real weight loss and fitness starts.

Starting to exercise is like learning a foreign language in some ways such as starting from basics, practicing a lot, adding more sophistication as you go along to finally get to a point where you can use it successfully.

Normally weight loss will start straight away if you do 20 to 30 minutes walking daily.

However over time walking to lose weight requires an increasing intensity to continue weight loss as your body’s muscles get used to and fit for, the exercise they now do. Variety works wonders as well. Using different muscle groups shapes you up quickly. Muscles lose fat as they are exercised, contract and lengthen (unless you’re exercising for bulk).

Walking to lose weight changed my mind about weight loss exercise.

As a former non-exerciser my fave daily exercise is activity (the 10000 steps weight loss process fits into many lifestyles easily) mainly walking because it doesn’t feel like exercise yet it is.

I make lots of small decisions everyday that contribute to my exercise and weight loss. At other times I feel the need to modify my daily walking to lose weight. This is usually due to the weather (for me this is summer but equally it could be winter for you) or special occasions such as work commitments.

Non-exercisers who adjust to doing their exercise daily or weekly have the perfect fit.

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You have a pedometer, you follow a plan, you’re counting steps, you think about what you eat and weight loss results. These would be normal behaviors for some when walking to lose weight in 2010. However what you believe is also important. Think about the typical drug evaluation process that requires the new drug to be tested against a placebo: An inert substance represented to the patient as an effective drug yet with no known medical value.

The placebo usually has an excellent result. It  can have a startlingly good result in fact. A drug needs to rate better than a placebo for it to become a prescription drug. The placebo effect is attributed to the powerful effect the mind has in contributing to someone’s health. Believe that what you are doing is going to work and it has a good chance it will, and this is a recognized part of therapeutic treatment where at least some of the resulting success is from the psychological effects of believing a treatment will help.

In our walking to lose weight process you have to find a way to believe in (i.e. have confidence in) what you are doing. This is either provided from others such as fellow walkers or successful weight losers; or from yourself. You are your own best resource, but with the addition of other’s belief in you, this is a powerful source of confidence.

The continuing process of weight loss (everyone gains and loses weight continually as your body does its job of  balancing the various processes of energy use and storage) requires that belief  be maintained for a long time even after the success i.e. weight loss, begins. Confidence around walking for weight loss and other tools of weight control once established creates results without your conscious effort.

Just as learning to sing or dance is an ongoing commitment so is getting your body attuned to living long and well. To do this, just as with any other skill, requires your best asset, self belief.

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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 become a part of participant’s lifestyle however to do it successfully your lifestyle must adapt. The type of walking must be what suits you and over time this will probably alter as you move through a series of life changes.

Setting up your own business can also require a major lifestyle change.  It may happen gradually, but eventually it changes your life. Keeping in balance during this process is a major benefit.

This is why I am a fan of one hour walking. If I am feeling anxious or annoyed about a work-related issue, have been stymied in some way from direct action, awaiting resolution of a problem, etc. then a walk often lifts me totally-creates an inspired solution, calms me or creates new ideas, enough to re-focus and bring renewed creative energy and success-thinking to what I am doing. In a new home-based business some activities are less diverting than others and often the support of colleagues is not there in the same way as within an organisation, where it can be taken for granted. Or some aspects of your business through confidentiality or technicality, are best left unshared.

Even with weight loss there is division over whether walking alone or with others is best. Much research supports both arguments but successful long term losers tend to do it alone. The focus and commitment is theirs. Supplement it with others but remember where the responsibility lies. See the benefits of walking for weight loss as also benefiting your business in direct ways: That solution that came during your walking for weight loss; The even tone you can maintain as stress levels decrease.

Focus on your business but walk for one hour and you are soon weighing less and working better. One hour of dedicated walking is 6,000 steps extra added to that day. Anyone targeting 10,000 steps daily, can appreciate how much this contributes towards that goal. Yesterday was my regular shopping, bank, pay bills, day and combined with the one hour walk I did over 17,000 steps. The day before was less active although I prudently put in a few extra steps when I could, and with the one hour walk, did 11,000.

I have gradually built up walking to lose weight to one hour on most days. Occasionally there may be reasons why this slips, either deliberately or not, such as sickness, but this one hour is bringing a lot into my lifestyle and I miss it if I’m not doing it. However just adding in a one hour daily walk is not an overnight accomplishment for most people. It requires changes in discipline.  It requires ensuring that it adds value to your day.

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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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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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Your imagination is not always an accurate measure of how much walking you are doing. If you have to borrow a pedometer, do, but get one. The advantage of building activity into your day is that it is easier to keep up into the future because it already feels so good and it’s a fun part of your day. However compared to walking on a treadmill which gives you a time and distance measure, walking and being generally active can be deceptive unless it is measured. One of the easiest and most reliable statistics you can use to ensure weight loss is to use a pedometer daily. Become an active person- which means a minimum of 8,000 steps daily. Weight loss starts at about 10,000 steps but if you’re serious try to be up around 12,000 to 15,000 steps daily.

Just using a pedometer has been shown to increase distance walked by one mile and the average user’s step count by about 2,000 daily, or around 100 calories.

Use whatever tools and accessories enhance your enjoyment of walking to lose weight time.

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We have an idea of what someone as cool as we’d like to be, would do and look when exercising. Walking may not cut it for them, we think. In reality we don’t ever know what someone else is really doing about their exercise or weight loss, even Oprah, so hampering your weight loss efforts by imagining it uncool gives an advantage to those who are doing it, just not advertising it. Except for weight loss advocates this is generally something we all lie about. Keep the details to yourself except when speaking to someone online who you feel comfortable with and who has similar goals.

Getting back to walking to lose weight, it is the easiest way to start losing weight and feeling better generally. That very fact makes it unattractive to some. If you would rather be running marathons but are so far from that it seems impossible remember everyone starts somewhere-it’s where you end up that is important. The same with weight loss from walking- after having yo-yo’d many times from losing weight and then putting it back on, I knew that I needed to structure my life for ongoing weight maintenance after the weight loss. Weight loss is not the hard part! That’s keeping going in a way that doesn’t just put it back on.

This is a life adjustment. After many years of personal experience of having been a gym member, had personal training, dieting, done various classes, I know that activity is the key for me. Daily action which means my body is “naturally” trim.

I’m on my way but the difference from the past is that I am fully supported in what I am doing. I have a platform upon which I stand.

It is amazing how strongly influenced we can be by what others are doing and this is the first thing that needs to go. Build something that is going to work in the short and long term. Walking does this by increasing well being straight away. Weight loss also starts as soon as you add an additional 20 minutes walking  into your day every day. For the average person this needs to be done at the pace of 3,000 steps in 30 minutes (1,000 steps in 10 minutes). This may be more than you are able at this stage, if so, do it at your own pace, but get started. Then increase until you can at least meet this goal.

Weight loss is dependent upon the walker controlling calorie intake at the same time as adding in this calorie burning exercise. Don’t reward yourself by consuming more. If you can restrict your calories this will lead to quicker weight loss. Step 1 is starting walking every day.

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By now you will have found the best way to monitor the amount of higher intensity activity you are doing while walking to lose weight.

Using a pedometer which measures this you will also get a reading on the calories this activity has used. The calorie burn is satisfyingly high for this fast paced exertion.

Alternatively you are timing various exercises or activities and checking the appropriate chart to calculate the calories burned.

In summary from the 31 Ways to Lose Weight Walking:

1. Day 1- Start from where you are, working up over time to 10,000 steps per day average and a minimum daily level of 6,000.

2. Day 25 – earlier if possible, add in higher intensity walking/exercise to increase the regular calorie burn.

3. If higher intensity activity is not an option increase the daily steps up to 15,000. To do this use every opportunity to walk.

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Walking to lose weight is a daily exercise designed to do what comes naturally. Our bodies respond well to activity but need to adjust to working with unused muscles so avoiding pain or strain; and then to increase that same activity to lose weight! So it’s a balancing act but one which develops quickly to success.

You’ve recorded your initial walking time (see 31 Ways to Lose Weight Walking) with some details as to the pace you used, the terrain and weather. If you have a pedometer or some other way of measurement, record this information as well.

If you were able to do the full 20-30 minutes, congratulations! You now need to consider today’s walking. Are you feeling normal or have you found that the walking has made you sore or tired?

For those who found it easy, move up your time another 10 minutes today. If you did 20 than do 30 minutes; if 30 do 40 minutes. If you want to limit any one walk time to 20 minutes then 1) consider breaking up the time into smaller, even several, 10 minute walks; 2) choose a hilly path or walk quicker. Brisk walking is better for fat burning although the distance covered is most important for weight loss which is why the ’10,000 steps’ concept is popular.

If you did your 20 minutes but felt it is an effort to do it again today, don’t worry you’re right on track. Do another 20 minute walk today,as soon as you can. Try and improve on some aspect today: Walk a friendlier route; Buy better shoes to walk in if this will leave you feeling better the next day; Drive somewhere to walk and talk (you should be able to talk but just); Get a mp3 player-music enhances both the experience and it’s effectiveness. You get the idea. Simultaneously with walking you are making an improvement in your enjoyment level.

If you did less than 5 minutes think about this. Where you go from here is depending upon your reasons for this result. Those who’ve lost interest already won’t be reading this. So here you are, and you’re still interested. If the reason is physical then you’re right to go on. This is working for you. Add 1 minute to your walking time today. You’re doing well.

If you’ve found an excuse not to walk then decide if you have the desire to get over the excuses. That is your goal today. Catching up on the walking is easy. Acknowledge the 2 biggest excuses and find a way around them. Suggestions which may help can be found on this walking to lose weight lens.

Let’s say one excuse is lack of time. You can break walking up into smaller or more intense chunks. Combine walking with other tasks. Talk with someone on the phone or in person while walking. If you are going this way consider a pedometer to keep track of your actual activity time for you. Guessing particularly as a newbie is not a good idea. See my previous article on Walking with a Pedometer.

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