Consistency Is Key When Working Out To Lose Weight
Losing weight – despite what some people may try to tell you – is an extremely difficult thing to do. If it was, then the weight loss industry wouldn’t be the multi-billion dollar behemoth that it is. Dieting is no fun at all – you deny yourself all the things that you enjoy and it seems to take an eternity to see any results.
If you would like to see results more quickly – and who wouldn’t – then the addition of exercise to your weight loss program makes a lot of sense. The good thing about exercise is that, not only will you burn off additional calories due to the fact that you are taking exercise, but since you are exercising regularly you will increase your metabolism. That is to say, you will burn calories faster, even when you aren’t exercising but just carrying out your normal day to day activities. Whether you’re sitting watching the television, reading a book, typing on your computer – or even sleeping – you will burn calories more rapidly than before you took exercise.
If you haven’t exercised for a while, or if you have any medical conditions, then be sure to have a chat with your doctor before you start any new exercise program. When it comes to what the best type of exercise is, you will hear a huge variety of suggestions. At the end of the day, the best exercise for you is whatever you are able to do and will be able to motivate yourself to do on a regular basis. Whilst it may be perfectly true that riding a bicycle around a track at an average speed of twelve miles per hour will use up more calories in an hour than walking at 3.5 miles per hour or jogging at a speed of 5 miles per hour. However, it’s a pointless distinction if you really dislike cycling and won’t be able to motivate yourself to get in the saddle on a consistent and regular basis.
One of the very best starter exercises is walking. It’s an activity that everyone knows how to do and which doesn’t need any special equipment. It’s also a low injury risk, low impact way to exercise which can be undertaken by a wide range of age groups and which has a very low dropout rate. You can fit it into your daily routine whenever it’s most convenient for you – you can even ramp up your daily step count in two, three or four discreet sessions over the course of the day if that suits you better.
Don’t let the fact that walking is, relatively speaking, a low intensity workout make you think that it can’t deliver major health benefits for you. Health and fitness professionals seem to be in general agreement that if you can walk for 10,000 steps on a daily basis, you will unlock a number of different significant health benefits – including, but certainly not limited to, weight loss. That’s a total of 10,000 steps a day by the way – it includes all your normal walking activity. Get yourself an Omron pedometer and keep track of precisely the number of steps that you take daily. It will also show you distance covered and calories burned if that helps to keep you motivated.
You don’t need to suddenly increase your daily step count to 10,000 instantly. Look for ways to incorporate walking in your daily routine and then slowly build up to the target value over time. You’ll be surprised at how achievable it is. When you’re talking on your mobile or cordless phone walk around – you can fit in an extra 1,000 steps during a fifteen minute telephone call. Get off the bus a stop or two before you reach your destination and walk the last leg of the journey. Use the stairs instead of taking the lift. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly small changes like this add to your step count. You’ll also be delighted at how much faster you are able to see, and fell, the benefits.
About the only other piece of equipment you need for a walking exercise program is a good comfortable pair of shoes. Be certain that your shoes don’t cause you any discomfort or give you blisters when walking. Otherwise, it will be difficult to motivate yourself to walk further. Should you wish, you can use the latest design of exercise footwear. Shoes like Skechers Shape Ups, Reebok Easy Tones and Fit flops sandals are all designed to boost the amount of work carried out by your lower body muscles. They raise the effectiveness of your walking workout routine and help you to trim and tone your lower body even quicker.
Whatever exercise you opt for, and however you choose to accommodate it in your daily schedule, the critical thing is consistency. A small amount of extra effort, if undertaken on a consistent and regular basis, will help you to burn calories faster – both due to the exercise itself and the increase in your metabolic rate. You’ll see results much faster than simply by dieting alone and – most importantly – you will feel good.