Lose Weight Walking

Walking For Weight Loss

Let's keep things simple shall we? A lot of people get all bent out of shape when it comes try trying to find the best way to lose weight.

Should I eat less? Exercise more? Do more cardio? Do resistance training?

When it comes to body transformation- that is losing fat and adding some muscle- proper nutrition is by far the most important part of the equation.

Resistance training is second and cardio is third. What do most people do? Ignore their nutrition choices, not do any resistance training and do tons of cardio. Something doesn't add up. And these these people wonder why they are not losing weight.

Sure the calorie equation may be in their favor, but because calories have been cut, the metabolism slows to a crawl. End result, no weight loss.

Physiques you admire, the lean muscular men and women, are built with dialed in nutrition, resistance training and some cardio.

Too much cardio eats away precious muscle, which is what you need more of to lose fat. Muscle loss due to excessive aerobics drastically lowers the resting metabolic rate and inhibits natural hormone production. When this type of person goes back to even just normal, healthy calorie and exercise levels, they gain all of the weight back plus a few extra.

Aerobic sessions elevate cortisol levels. Long sessions can lead to excessively high levels, and too frequent sessions can lead to chronically elevated levels, neither of which is good for body composition enhancement. Cortisol can force the body to break down its own muscle tissue, convert it to glucose (gluconeogenesis), and use it as fuel. It also leads to increased fat accumulation, especially around the midsection.

Okay some cardio has to be done. And the cardio of choice to preserve muscle and burn fat should be walking. Sounds too easy doesn't it. That's what the seniors in my neighborhood do! Walking for fat loss is the way to go.

Walking for weight loss gives us many of the same benefits as traditional aerobic activity (calorie burning, lowered blood pressure, lowered resting heart rate, lowered cholesterol, increased cardiac output, increased capillary density, increased nutrient/oxygen delivery, etc.) without all of the drawbacks (musculoskeletal injury, joint wear and tear, elevated cortisol, muscle loss, lowered metabolic rate, etc.). Simply put, walking is the aerobic activity we were meant to do.

I'll post a detailed plan in a couple days. Now go for a walk!