Like many of you, I thought running was the ultimatefat-burning exercise, but I was wrong.
I would run miles and miles but couldn’t lose fatin fact, I was gaining weight.
Now, at 57, I maintain 16% body fat without running a single mile.
Photo: Shutterstock. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Read on to discover howwalkingcan transform your body more effectively than running ever could.
But I stuck to running for 212 years even though I was failing to get in shape.
Now I know different.
Shutterstock
Are Your Workouts Making You Store More Fat?
But there are loads of cheaper alternatives out there.
Get 7,000 steps+ per day.
Shutterstock
But if you are already doing that, you will want to increase it.
you’re free to do this by adding in 1,000 steps every 2-3 weeks, for example.
Keep Your Body Guessing
If you are currently walking 3 miles, increase it.
Shutterstock
Or measure your steps and increase by 1,000 steps every 2-3 weeks.
Another way you might keep your body guessing is to make your walking tougher.
I love walking with a weighted vest or rucking.
Shutterstock
Look for a weighted vest that is around 10%-15% of your body weight.
This gets your heart rate up more than walking without a vest, so you will burn more calories.
It’s a great form of steady-state cardio.
Shutterstock
you could start by walking for 20 minutes.
This makes the walk really tough.
You don’t need to do it for a long time20 mins.
Invest in a Walking Pad
I bought a walking pad for my office recently.
This is a serious game changer.
Mix Up Your Routine
Your body thrives on variety.
If you’re always walking on a flat surface or the same route, mix it up!
Try trail walking, add hills, or even walk barefoot on the beach for a different experience.
Changing your scenery and routine keeps things interesting and helps your body burn more calories.
I recommend that most people walk every day.
How long you do it depends on what you are currently doing and your fitness level.
you gotta keep your body guessing.
Not Tracking
Count your steps or miles so you know how much you are doing.
You should be getting in at least 7,000 steps per day.
Ignoring Nutrition
you might’t eat a poor diet and expect to see results from walking.
That’s the mistake I made when I was running.
I thought, “Well, I can eat what I like as I’ll burn it off.”
You really need to pay attention to nutrition to see real results.
The more you dial in on nutrition, the better results you will see.
Lifting weights together with a nutrition protocol of high-protein eating will see a transformation.
And you will need to watch your calorie intake.
you better be in what’s called a calorie deficitburning more calories than you are consuming.
Think about what will fit into your routine.
You might live in an area not suitable for walking or have extreme weather conditions.
Take the stairs, not the elevator, and park farther away at the shopping mall.
All these small things will add up.
You just need to get creative with it.
Nowadays, I’ll think rather than getting in my car, “Can I walk there?”
The other day I was meeting my family for lunch, and it was about 4 miles away.
It was a nice Sunday afternoon, so I thought, “I may as well walk.”
I stuck my headphones on and got my Wellington boots on and headed out.
When I got there, my family were a bit taken aback because they couldn’t see my car!
But as it was a nice day and in the countryside, it was really enjoyable.
How you eat is a major influence on whether you will see any benefit from walking.
Simply including walking does not always work without great nutrition.
I get my sedentary clients starting with 10 minutes of walking a day and gradually building up from there.
It makes it easy to fit walking in if you have a desk job.
you could just hop on while you are making calls or on Zoom meetings.
Melissa Neill is the founder ofBody By Bikini, helping menopausal women transform their bodies.
