Secret to losing weight is to walk, then walk some more
Jodi Davis
| 3 min read
It’s no surprise to anyone that I love to walk, especially since walking created an enormous weight loss for me. But I will tell you something that slightly surprised me about this physical activity that most people will find interesting, and even more so … extremely appealing!
My daughter, Kirstin, decided to visit Denver during spring break this year. Now she is fitness-focused, always making sure to eat healthy along with engaging in daily physical activity. Because of these healthy life choices being high on her priority list, she discovered that she absolutely loves the city of Denver! Kirstin found that not only do they have healthier options as far as markets and dining establishments go, but that a vast amount of individuals who live there use a method of transportation that she absolutely adores: they WALK … everywhere! It’s no wonder that Denver is listed in the top ten “HEALTHIEST CITIES” in the United States.
While in Denver for the week, she and her best friend walked everywhere. They walked to shopping centers, tourists’ attractions, movie theaters, restaurants and several additional destinations that they wanted to visit during their stay. Now please note that my daughter has walked with me since I began my daily walking routine over eleven years ago. She is definitely a “walker” – no doubt about it. Also understand that she does not have any excess weight to lose since she is a picture of good health, but (this is what I found surprising) she WALKED OFF 3 POUNDS just during the week she was in Denver! Of course, she didn’t plan on it happening but I will say that she wasn’t upset by the three pound loss at all.
Her extra time spent walking each day led to an unexpected weight loss, and a substantial one at that – especially knowing she wasn’t overweight at all. For instance, we’ve all watched NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” and we’ve witnessed that the percentage of weight lost per week seems to go down significantly as the participants come nearer to approaching their desired weight. A two to three pound loss per week is quite common when the competition reaches the end. These participants work out intensely in the gym for several hours per day along with certified trainers to keep them on track, and they will lose approximately 2-3 pounds per week. How awesome is it that walking can create the same weight loss?
It’s not totally surprising to me since walking was the key to my weight loss success and has allowed me to maintain my weight for ten years. But … I was recently surprised by another recent result.
My other daughter, Rachael, is now home every morning since she has completed high school and is graduating soon. We’ve been taking early morning walks instead of evening walks and we thought it would be fun to increase the mileage. Instead of the 1.5 miles we’ve walked for years, we walked 2.75 miles for seven straight days. We’ve both noticed that our pants are extremely loose, her’s are to the point of needing a smaller size! Remember, this happened only in one week’s duration … is that crazy or what?
It’s pretty awesome since bikini and swimsuit season is upon us. For those of you who are hoping to shed some weight FAST and in a HEALTHY manner, here’s my advice: Walk … and then walk some more! It really does work wonders for weight loss, whether it’s GRADUAL – QUICK – or MAINTAINING.
Try it for a week, notice how great you feel, and please let me know how walking works for you!
Photo Credit: shapecharge
