Burn More Calories During Your
Walking Workout
If you are short on time you want to get the most
out of your walking workout. How can you accomplish this? By burning
more calories during your walking workout. Here are some ideas to
help you accomplish just that.
Walk Faster
The easiest way to burn more calories walking is
to simply walk faster. If you are just walking around for now, pick
up the pace and get your heart pumping. Start by walking faster for
a few minutes, then giving yourself a break while walking at
your regular pace. Keep going back and forth between the two speeds.
Before you know it you will get used to the new pace and will
be able to keep it up during your entire walking workout.
Walk Uphill
Here's another great way to burn more calories -
pick a hilly terrain for your walks and spend more time walking
uphill. Adding even just a short little incline to your walk, can
make quite a difference in both the amount of calories you burn and
also how challenging your walk will be. I like to plan my route so I
walk up the hill toward the beginning of my workout, making it all
downhill from there - all the way back home. :)
Carry Some Weights
How would you like to burn more calories and tone
your upper body while you walk? Easy, just carry some weights with
you while you walk. You can purchase all kinds of fancy hand weights
and some that are designed to wear on your ankles and writs, but to
be honest with you, I prefer a much simpler approach. Fill two small
bottles with water and carry them while you walk. You'll have plenty
of water with you to re-hydrate yourself during the walk, and when
you do, your weights get lighter.
Use Walking Poles
Using walking poles, or even just two simple
walking sticks will also help you burn more calories walking.
Obviously you'll be adding a little more weight by simply carrying
these poles around. You will also engage your upper body muscles by
using the poles, forcing your body to burn more calories. This is
also a great way to tone your upper torso, shoulders and arms while
walking.
That's it - just alternate and combine any of
these three ideas to burn more calories during your walking workout.
If you are walking on a treadmill, you can turn up the speed, or -
if your model allows - increase the incline to simulate walking up a
hill.
|
