Some Ways To Make More Of Your Walking Workout
Because walking is considered to be the easiest, least expensive, and safest way to work out many people begin with this type of exercise but later decide that they want to continue with walking but they need to make it more challenging. There are many ways to do this:
Change Your Pace:
This is a simple way to challenge yourself while walking and it can be done at any time. If you typically walk a mile in 15 minutes then try walking it in less time. You will find that even this little change can increase your heart rate and challenge your body.
Change Your Terrain:
If you typically walk on a track or on sidewalks consider taking a walk in areas that include hills or even try a simple hike. Changing the motion of your body and the way your muscles work can add quite a bit your walking workout.
Add Weights:
Adding weights to your walk is as simple as wearing ankle or wrist weights. These are light-weight, cloth bands that are filled with sand and easily and safely worn around the wrists or ankles. You may be surprised when you first try walking with weights what a difference a few pounds can make to your workout.
Use All of Your Muscles:
You will find that you expend more energy if you swing your arms while walking and swinging your arms naturally increases your speed. Keep the movement natural and don’t clench your fists. Your body should not have to think about what it’s doing.
Walk Further:
Don’t be afraid to add distance to your walking routine but make sure that you do it gradually. If you currently walk a mile try adding a quarter of mile to your walk until you feel comfortable with the distance and then continue to add a quarter of mile until you have reached your distance goal.
Walk More Than Once a Day:
If you are currently walking 30 minutes a day but feel that you might not be able to handle a 60 minute walk you can try doing two 30 minute walks during your day. If you walk 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening you have accomplished your 60 minute goal and your body doesn’t care that it was spread out.
These are simple and inexpensive ways to get more out of your walking workout without adding extra stress to your body. Many of these changes will bring about results on their own but you can also combine these ideas in order to have a greater impact on your outcome.
Remember to always have the correct footwear for the type of walk you are doing. HERE is a good place to start if you need good walking shoes.
Choosing Good Walking Shoes
When buying walking shoes it’s important to make sure that they are the right ones for your feet. Not only does everyone wear a different size many people have wide feet or walk on the insides or outsides of their soles. Some ways to make sure that you are choosing the right walking shoe includes:
• Choose walking shoes that have supportive, rounded heels
• A flexible sole is important in order to allow the toe area to bend properly
• A breathable, light weight shoe can make walking easier than if wearing a heavy shoe
• Make sure to maintain a half an inch from the tip of the shoe to the tip of your toe
• The heel of your foot should stay steady and not slip up or down
• Try walking shoes on with the socks that you will use while walking
• Take the shoes for a trial walk around the store or mall
When you find a shoe that you really like it can sometimes be hard to let them go once they are worn out but it’s important not to use them for walking shoes after they have reached that point. Most shoe stores suggest that you replace them after 300 miles if you are overweight or have very light weight shoes and to replace them after 600 miles if you have a higher end shoe that can take more mileage before breaking down.
When purchasing walking shoes make sure to consider the type of arch you have. Arches have three basic categories:
High arches are when the arch of your foot curves high and this can put strain on the muscles of your feet because you are taking almost all of the stress of walking on the balls of your feet and your heels. If you have high arches you should look for shoes that have extra padding in the arch area.
Low arches are also commonly known as flat feet and there is typically not enough arching in the foot. Walking shoes for flat feet will have some built up within the arch area but not as much as other types of shoes.
Neutral arches are considered normal and have just the right amount of curvature in the arch area. These shoes will not be built up or lowered; they
will be a standard walking shoe.
Buying some shoes may be all about the look but when purchasing walking shoes you need to make sure that you are buying the correct ones for your body and feet. Don’t forget that most sales associates are trained to help you find the best shoe available for you.
Drink To Your Health
When we create a weight loss plan, we always account for the food that we eat. What about what you drink? Choices here are just as important as eating.
If you look on the back of a soda can or a bottle you’d be astounded at the amount of calories in one glass of soda. And, when buying those value size 20-ounce bottles, you probably didn’t notice that each one contains two and a half servings. So when you drink the entire bottle, you are taking in almost triple the amount of calories.
Here are some alternatives that won’t be adding hundreds of extra calories to your healthy eating plan each day. You are probably familiar with all of them. Maybe it’s time to get reacquainted.
Water is the healthiest drink you can have. It contains no calories. Most people say that it has no flavor, but depending on your region or what type of water you have, some people like the taste of some water over others. Bottle, tap, well or carbonated, water is still good for you.
If you can’t drink it straight, spruce it up with a flavor packet. Just about every juice company has created drink crystals that can be added to water bottles for the same great taste as soda or juice but without the added calories.
Milk contains calcium and vitamins A and D. Calcium is needed for strong bones and teeth. Milk is also filling to the body, especially when you drink it warm. You can buy low-fat chocolate milk if you prefer that taste better. All milk contains these healthy vitamins and minerals but low-fat or skim is better as far as fat and calories go. For those who are lactose intolerant, try soy varieties.
Tea, especially green tea, has been praised for its antioxidant properties. Antioxidants fight the free radical damage inside the body. Herbal teas contain ingredients that work to ease stomach pain, cramps, headaches, nausea and help calm you after a hard day. As long as you use a sugar substitute or very little sugar, the caloric damage is next to nil. Choose hot or iced teas depending on what takes your fancy.
Juice has both good and bad points. Vegetable juices like V-8 usually have no artificial ingredients. It can lack sweetness but you can overcome that by juicing your own vegetables to capture more of the natural sugars.
With fruit juices, the calorie count can be high. If you choose 100 percent juice and limit your intake to one cup, you will reap the vitamin benefits of the fruit.
What you drink is just as important as what you eat. Choose healthier drinks so that the majority of your calories are coming from food.
The Problem With Food Is…….
The problem with the food that most of us eat on a regular basis is the fact that it wasn’t the kind of food that nature intended for us to eat. Huge advertising campaigns are constantly trying to convince us to eat a myriad of different foods and they are all fueled by the same desire to make bigger profits for the food manufacturers. The human body was designed to eat specific foods to maintain a healthy balance and that balance included a body weight that ensured good health.
Obesity is becoming a bigger problem each year (please excuse the pun!) and it is down to the fact that more and more people are eating the wrong food. Because of this they start to feel hungry due to the lack of nutrition in that food, and then feel that they have to eat more to get the dietary needs they require.
There is also a lot of conflicting information about what we should and shouldn’t eat, confusing people as to what is good for them. One minute chocolate is good for you and the next minute it is bad. This wasn’t really a problem for our ancestors who had a simpler diet, where only basic foods were readily available. And one thing they didn’t need to contend with on the scale that we see today is obesity.
As obesity has now become an epidemic it was a rare occurrence in days gone by. That says something for the foods that we are eating today. And you couldn’t just blame a lack of money or a lack of food, because those who could afford to buy what they required didn’t have the widespread weight problems that face modern society.
If we look back in time and the onset of obesity in different races and nationalities, it can generally be linked to the introduction of changes in the type of foods that they began to eat. It is difficult to fight the urge to eat when the body is feeling hungry even for those people with considerable will power. And that is why most people tend to fail when they go on a diet. Unless all their nutritional needs are being met in some way.
10 Healthy Ways To Fast Weight Loss
Before starting out on any weight loss plan you should calculate your ideal weight. This ideal weight will become your guideline as you attempt to lose weight. “Fast” weight loss doesn’t mean that you lose 50 pounds in just one night. If you are looking to lose an amount like this, it may take several months to lose the weight. For people who are severely overweight, the process may take quite a while longer. Among other things, the speed of any weight loss depends on how well focused you are on your diet.
The following tips may help you to lose weight.
1.Before starting, try and get to know the calorie count in any food you will be eating. Knowing this information helps you to keep track on how many calories you are consuming on a daily basis.
2. Do not forget to eat fruit and vegetables. Studies have shown that your body needs a minimum of five portions of fruit and veg a day. This is a great starting point in maintaining a healthy body. Fruit and veg have beneficial vitamins, fibers and antioxidants, and they are also filling, which helps prevent snacking between meals.
3.Always eat the best quality food you can afford. Try to avoid calorie dense foods. Remember to keep those portions small. All food should be chewed slowly as this makes digestion more effective, and lowers the tendency to overeat.
4. Do not skip meals. The temptation to starve yourself will not do you any good. Small frequent meals help to keep the levels of your blood sugar balanced and energy high. Try dividing your normal three meals into five or six smaller ones.
5. Fresh veggies and fruits are ideal foods that do not contain the high fat and sodium of packaged foods. Eating these natural foods that are also fresh increase the likelihood of weight loss.
6. Do not be afraid to indulge on occasion. Just be sure to use moderation when eating your favorite foods.
7. Do not believe everything printed on the front of a label on processed food. Always turn the package over and read the nutritional content.
8. Instead of drinking all those sugary beverages and juices drink water. Remember the suggested amount of water is 8 glasses a day. Water is really effective for removing waste and toxins from your body.
9. Keep a journal where you record each piece of food and drink that you take. This will increase your awareness of calories consumed.
10. Exercise. You should do some physical activity on a daily basis. A half hour to an hour of physical activity every day will help your health and fitness. It will also help you in losing weight and strengthening those muscles. Workouts that are weight bearing are great for burning those calories.
