Walking To Lose Weight

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Pedometers.

Previous 31 Ways to Lose Weight Walking posts start here.

Today if possible put on the pedometer first thing in the morning and take it off just before you go to bed. This may require some clothing adjustments, but it is worth it. Commit to this as much as possible. When you go for a walk you can find other ways of measuring the distance although the pedometer does provide some interesting information which you can use later. The steps counted for the day though is very helpful information which you cannot get any other way.
Until now we have been recording daily walking to lose weight information on the time or distance walked: Take this daily data from the 5 days and add it together, then divide by 5. This is your average daily walking so far and the basis for setting your goal for the next 5 days. Although we will add steps counting keep using your original measuring method. e.g. minutes or mileage, for your goals. Unless you are above 1 hour of dedicated walking a day, increase your daily average by 25% to make your new quota.

For those taking walks of at least 1 hour a day, think about how you want to increase your walking. Certainly you can increase this daily time but for many this is not a convenient option. Going from not walking to an average 1 hour per day would mean definite weight loss. However for ongoing success and enjoyment add in some other ways of getting extra walking or activity.

Some options include:

Have 1 day where you go for an extended walk, perhaps making it an outing with friends.

Count steps with the pedometer and note how many steps come from daily activity and aim to increase that part of your walking.

Increase the difficulty of the walking you are already doing by walking hilly areas, add in running or use the treadmill speed and incline options.

If you have found it difficult to reach a daily walking time of 20 minutes, concentrate on getting your exercise up to this level. If you didn’t like walking outside get a walking for weight loss DVD or find/start a group for company.
The preliminaries are over, today get really serious about walking. You’ve started and have been increasing the amount of walking on a daily basis. At some point during the last 5 days walking you’ve had a problem of some sort- sore muscles, really tired, rough terrain, weather is discouraging etc. You’ve solved it and have continued with the program. If that’s not you, if you haven’t looked for a solution which allows your continued walking, then you’re not really trying. The people who successfully walk to lose weight, walk through the problem.

Walking through the problem may mean that you actually ‘step back’ for a short while. If you need more preparation, for instance strengthening your ankles to avoid twists etc., take time out of some aspects of the program. Still do what you can such as set up a pedometer, and keep walking, but concentrate on strengthening as you do this. In a short time you will be able to do more than you did before, and can continue the daily walking increases which is the weight loss process.

If you haven’t experienced any of these issues, you need to walk more. The idea is to add in a training factor which requires your body to adjust by getting fitter and leaner. So if you haven’t felt very tired at some point, I mean body tired, then this is an indication that you can increase the daily walking by a lot- this is fantastic! The more you walk the more weight comes off.

You’ve read the information that comes with the pedometer including how to set it up and my previous posts on walking to lose weight with a pedometer. If you’re just joining in make sure you’ve read the pedometer’s instructions and do what is required for getting started- batteries,  height and weight input, step measurement , safety strap attached.

Go, go ,go!

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