Walking And Weight Loss

Three universal goals most of us share are:  to live longer, to

live free of illness and to control our weight.  Interesting

enough, normal walking lets us achieve all three.

In fact, walking may be man's best medicine for slowing the

aging process.  First, it works almost every muscle in the body,

improving circulation to the joints and massaging the blood

vessels (keeping them more elastic).  Walking also helps us

maintain both our muscle mass and metabolism as we age.  It also

keeps us young in spirit.  For anyone out of shape or

unathletically inclined, walking is the no-stress, no-sweat

answer to lifelong conditioning.

All it takes is a little time, common sense and a few

guidelines.  Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation

floating around regarding fitness walking, weight-loss and

dieting.

Walking is one of the best exercise for strengthening bones,

controlling weight, toning the leg muscles, maintaining good

posture and improving positive self-concept.

People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. 

Although your weight may initially drop while dieting, such

weight loss consists mostly of water and muscle.  When the

weight returns, it comes back as fat.  To avoid getting fatter

over time, increase your metabolism by exercising daily.

To lose weight, it's more important to walk for time than speed. 

Walking at a moderate pace yields longer workouts with less

soreness - - leading to more miles and more calories spent on a

regular basis.

High-intensity walks on alternate days help condition one's system. 

But in a waking, weight-loss program, it's better to be active

every day.  This doesn't require walking an hour every day.  The

key is leading an active life-style 365 days a year.

When it comes to good health and weight loss, exercise and diet

are interrelated.  Exercising without maintaining a balanced diet

is no more beneficial than dieting while remaining inactive.

The national research council recommends eating five or more

servings of fruits and vegetables a day.  Fruits and vegetables

are the ideal diet foods for several reasons.  They're relatively

low in fat and calories, yet are often high in fiber and rich in

essential vitamins and minerals.

Remember that rapid weight-loss consists mostly of water and

muscle - - the wrong kind of weight to lose.  To avoid this, set

more reasonable goals, such as one pound per week.

Carbohydrates are high-octane fuel.  They provide energy for

movement and help raise internal body metabolism.  They're also

satisfying.  The key is not adding high-fat toppings to your

carbohydrates.

It's everyday habits which define our weight and body composition. 

A three-minute walk after each meal is worth four pounds less body

fat annually.  Two flights of stairs a day burns off half a pound

of body fat in a year.  On the other hand, one candy bar eaten

daily will cost you 20 pounds annually.require walking an hour

every day.