Walk It Off! Walking Program
Home | Diet Plan | Nutrition Tips | Heart Rate Calculation | Treadmill Walking Routine | Outdoor Walking Routine | Cool Down | Contact Me | Tracking Reports

Walk the weight off easily!

To get started, check out the 14-day menu included with this program.  Eating the right amount of healthy calories will make all the difference in reaching your goals faster.  Calorie intake is what causes you to gain or lose pounds.  Eating and exercise go hand in hand when you're serious about losing weight and shaping up. 

Eating Tips:

  • Keep a food diary to track your daily calorie intake
  • Eat Slowly; is takes about 20 minutes to feel the "full" effects of foods.
  • Don't buy temptation foods in the first place, but be sure to fit in a small treat now and then to avoid feeling deprived.
  • Begin to use meat in smaller portions and use only lean cuts. 
  • Include fruits and vegetables with every meal.
  • Drink alot of water, it will keep you feeling full.
  • So will protein; eat a little protein with each meal to keep you full until the next one.

Walking Tips:

  • Do a warm up before starting any exercise to avoid injury.
  • Walking for exercise is different from a leisurely stroll. 
  • Keep your shoulders back and your head up while walking.  Lengthen your stride gradually and move your arms vigorously; bend at elbow.
  • Land your foot on the heel an then the sole and push off the toes.  This will help distribute the impact over the entire foot.
  • Use your favorite music.  Walking to different beats will give you a varied work-out.
  • Check your pulse to see if it is within your target heart rate zone.

Staying within your target heart zone (70-80%) will ensure your body is burning the most calories possible.

Doing intervals, back and forth between your target zone then at a moderate pace and back to a higher end zone (80%), will keep your body guessing, burning calories fast and efficiently.


treadmill2.jpg

To lose inches, you need to dedicate yourself to 4 days per week, walking at a heartrate-raising pace of about 3.5 miles per hour average.  Map out your favorite part of town or visit the local high school track or nature trail and get moving!  Use uphill and backward walks to stimulate your body and mind along the way.  Change will keep the walks exciting! 

If your walks don't feel challenging enough.....use Hand Weights...Weights of 1-3 pounds canhelp you burn calories if you work your arms vigorously.  Be sure to avoid shoulder injury by limiting these weights to every other day and keep elbows bent with controlled movement, don't swing arms.  This will give you a varied work-out, which keeps the body and metabolism challenged, which in turn burns more calories.

Add tougher terrain.  Walking up hill, down hill, backwards or over rocky terrain will increase your heart rate.  Cross railroad tracks?  Walk over the rocky parts.  Go through the woods?  Cross up and over some fallen logs.  On a boring straight?  Fast walk (fast as you can) for 30 seconds then slow down for 1 to 1.5 minutes to keep your heart rate burning high, then medium for added calorie burn.  Even skip (like a kid) for a heartrate raising activity.  Hop/skip sideways to work the inner and outer thighs for a chance of pace, and to challenge new muscles.

Be Consistent.  with your eating plan.  Walking regularly will add up to weight loss as long as it is done with a smart eating plan.  Brisk walks done sporatically may increase your appetite on that particular day, so keep helpings regular.   If you walk regularly, your body will become better conditioned to burn more fat and calories, especially when paired with a great eating plan.