How to walk to lose weight and get in shape?

The health benefits of walking

The Health & Life newspaper quoted Dr. Nguyen Huy Hoang, a specialist at the Vietnam-Russia Hyperbaric Oxygen Center under the Ministry of National Defense, as saying that walking is both a form of recreation and a way to improve health, with several benefits including:

- Improves cardiovascular and lung health.

- Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.

- Helps to better control conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, joint and muscle pain or stiffness, and diabetes.

- Helps strengthen bones and improve balance.

- Increases muscle strength and endurance.

- Reduce body fat.

Walking as part of your exercise routine can also reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and some types of cancer.

Walking is also a great form of physical activity for overweight people, the elderly, or those who haven't exercised in a long time.

According to a special report by Harvard Health, Dr. Nguyen Huy Hoang stated that 30 minutes of walking each day can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 30%. This has been shown to reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar.

Walking helps burn fat and efficiently consume sugar, while continuous, high-intensity movement over short periods helps stabilize heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increase vascular elasticity.

How to walk to lose weight and get in shape?

According to Thanh Nien newspaper, citing the Eat This, Not That! website, fitness coach James Rodgers, currently working in the US, says that walking is a great activity for weight loss and will be even more helpful if you make it a natural habit, done regularly and with a plan.

However, this coach does not recommend plans that are difficult to consistently achieve and "unrealistic" for many people, such as walking 10,000 steps a day, as this can become a burden.

To walk effectively, first focus on building endurance through regular exercise. Walking sessions should have specific goals, perhaps starting with just 15 minutes, then increasing by 10 minutes every 2-3 weeks until reaching an hour.

In addition, this coach also advises people to focus not only on the number of steps but also on speed and pace (steps per minute), paying attention to swinging their arms faster. Especially, walking on new terrains that challenge the muscles (trails, undulating paths, parks) will make the workout more enjoyable.

Another misconception about walking is that it's not "difficult enough" or not strong enough to support weight loss. According to James Rodgers, there are many ways to increase walking intensity through terrain, speed, incline, and carrying weights.

James Rodgers also emphasized that walking on inclines increases heart rate, boosts fat burning, and helps exercise muscles, including the glutes, quadriceps, and calves.

Additionally, walking with a companion can help us discover new routes and share useful tips, making exercise less boring and more effective.