Walk It Off

A lot of people think the best way to lose weight is sweating profusely at the gym. To be honest, they’re kind of right… at least in the sense that if you spend five hours a day exercising in the gym, it’s a really good way to lose weight. But is it the “best way” to lose weight? Well… let’s define “best.” To me, the best way to lose weight isn’t simply the exercise that burns the most calories, or the diet program that produces the most efficient calorie-intake level. The best weight loss program is going to be a program you can actually follow. It makes sense, right? We all know exercising five hours a day will help us lose weight. We all know eating only correct portions of healthy foods will shrink our waist size. But knowing those truths doesn’t necessarily make following a diet and exercise program easy. Instead, we should look for healthy lifestyle options that are reasonable and easy to incorporate into our daily lives. (Here’s where I’ve got to put a shameless plug in for Chris Powell and the Reshape the Nation program because that’s exactly what we try to do… but you already knew that, right?)

So this week, instead of encouraging you to trudge to gym every day, I’m going to suggest something different. Yes, I realize while I might be able to convince you to go to the gym every day this week, I’m going to have more trouble convincing you to go to the gym every day next week. And even more trouble the week after. And on and on until you’re burnt out from exercising, and then all the success you had from those few weeks of determined exercising will be gone, along with your motivation. Instead, take a walk around the block. Yup… right now, if you can. If you’re at work, on your lunch break, try to take a 30 minute stroll around the office. If you’re at home, step outside for some fresh air and a brisk foot-tour of the neighborhood. Bring the dog if you have one. Or your children. Or even your pet iguana if he’ll walk on a leash and won’t scare the neighbors.

As simple as it sounds, incorporating 30 minutes of walking into your daily routine is a simple, easy to follow way to lose weight and improve your overall health. Even Chris Powell, trainer guru and lean, mean, fat-burning machine, emphasizes walking as the best form of exercise for weight loss in his Reshape the Nation program. He emphasizes walking because it’s easy to do and it works. You don’t need any fancy equipment. You don’t need a lot of space. All you need is a comfortable pair of shoes.

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