The majority of Americans need to lose weight because they have high health risks due to being overweight or obese. Permanent weight loss requires new habits. Developing the habit of walking every day can be a key step in an effective weight loss program. Walking is easy, effective and virtually injury-free. Research shows that increased physical activity is both effective for weight loss and reduces the risk of getting chronic diseases and serious medical conditions.
Lose Weight to Reduce Health Risks
According to the National Heart Blood and Lung Institute, health risks that are higher for people who are overweight or obese include the risks of developing:
- hypertension
- heart disease
- stroke
- metabolic syndrome
- type 2 diabetes
- colon, breast, endometrial, and gall bladder cancers
- sleep apnea
- osteoarthritis
- gallstones
- reproductive problems
Although genes can be involved in obesity, the larger influences on becoming overweight or obese are the choices that a person makes about diet and physical activity. The risk of developing the very serious conditions above can be significantly reduced by permanent weight loss.
Walk to Gain Many Health Benefits Including Weight Loss
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states there is strong scientific evidence that regular physical activity of sufficient duration and intensity has the following benefits:
- overall lower risk of premature death
- lower risk of hypertension
- lower risk of high cholesterol
- lower risk of heart disease and stroke
- lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- lower risk of metabolic syndrome
- lower risk of some cancers including breast and colon cancer
- weight loss, particularly when combined with reduction of calories consumed
- reduced incidence of depression
- prevention of falls
- improved cognitive function in older adults
Most of these benefits are obtained through two and a half hours (150 minutes) of moderately intense physical activity, like brisk walking, per week. Greater amounts of physical activity confer even more benefits.
A brisk walk of 30 minutes or more every day is good, but working up to 60 to 90 minutes of brisk walking each day will not only make people much fitter but will contribute significantly to weight loss as well. These amounts of brisk walking can be attained through multiple walks each day, as long as each session includes at least 10 minutes at a brisk (aerobic) pace. Most people are in their aerobic fat-burning zone when walking between three and four miles per hour.
Be sure to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program or diet.
Permanent Weight Loss Requires New Habits
Walking every day is an effective way to lose weight and can be accomplished by making it a habit to walk at the same time(s) each day. According to the Mayo Clinic weight loss requires new habits so that there can be permanent changes in lifestyle. Walking every day for three months should be enough for most people to make it an ingrained habit.
Other new habits recommended by the Mayo Clinic to lose weight include:
- Eat a healthy breakfast every day, but not too much.
- Eat at least four vegetable servings and three fruit servings every day.
- Eat whole grains every day.
- Eat healthy fats (olive oil, vegetable oils and nuts).
It is very important to make wise food choices when deciding to lose weight. Wise food choices include more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat or fat-free dairy products, and more fish.
Lose Weight and Improve Fitness Simultaneously
Every good weight loss program has to address both sides of the energy equation: calories consumed (diet) and calories burned (physical activity). The great thing about aerobic physical activity like brisk walking is that a person can get fit while losing weight at the same time. Fitness cannot be attained just by diet; in fact if much weight is lost by dieting alone, significant amounts of muscle will be lost as well as fat. That is a bad outcome for a person's metabolism.
Establishing the habit of walking every day and gradually working up to 60 to 90 minutes of daily brisk walking should produce both weight loss and a high level of fitness for adults. (Getting advance medical clearance for this activity is important for older adults and for anyone with a chronic medical condition.)
Sources:
nhlbi.nih.gov, "Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity" (accessed February 12, 2010) National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
health.gov, "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" Chapter Two, (accessed February 12, 2010)
The Mayo Clinic Diet, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2010
Robert McKelvie - My experience in business and pursuit of learning over the years enables me to share some of my knowledge via the web.
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