10 Effective Strategies to Boost Your Weight Loss Through Brisk Walking
If you’re working hard to lose weight, we have some advice: Pick up the pace and go for a brisk walk! We’ve rounded up some of the best expert tips to walk faster and help you lose more weight.
Walking every day is an excellent, healthy way to burn calories. The faster you go in a certain period of time will definitely help you reach your goal much faster. But how much faster should you go? Well, a 155 pound person can burn about 133 calories walking 3.5 miles per hour (mph), while bumping it up to four mph can burn 175 calories for the same person.
“Brisk walking (or power walking) is an excellent form of moderate to high intensity cardio that is less vigorous and less fatiguing than running,” explains Kate Meier, NASM-CPT from Garage Gym Reviews. “Keeping your overall fatigue lower when eating at a calorie deficit to lose weight is ideal if you want sustainable, long-term success.”
That said, we’ve got the best expert tips for supercharging your weight loss efforts with brisk walking. So, lace up your sneakers and let’s get started!
First of all, establish your baseline.
Meier suggests learning your baseline. To do that, warm up by walking for five to 10 minutes, then time yourself walking a mile a few times to find your average walking speed and heart rate.
“Check your heart rate at the end of the mile by taking your heart rate,” she explains. “You can also use an app and fitness tracker for this.”
Practice proper form.
Be mindful of using proper posture during your brisk walks. This will help increase speed by as much as 0.5 to 1 mph, according to Meier. It can also shave about two to four minutes off your mile time!
Do not exceed.
Keep your step in check. Meier suggests, “Use a good stride, rolling through each step from heel to toe and pushing off from the back foot. Avoid the mistake of overstepping, which is common among people who try to walk faster.”
Incorporate speed building techniques.
After a solid 10-minute warm-up, switch off between walking briskly for 30 seconds or a distance of 200 meters, followed by walking comfortably for two minutes. Repeat this eight to 12 times and cool down by taking a 10-minute walk at an easy pace.
Include strength training.
Meier points out, “Stronger legs and a more robust core will help you walk faster to burn more calories. Plus, you’ll burn calories and increase your metabolism through your strength training. You’ll also increase your joint stability and prevent pain from walking and help you to go faster and further without risk.”
Go with a friend.
Walking with one or more people can naturally increase your fast walking game and your overall calorie burn. “You might even want to go further at your faster pace because you’ll enjoy your walk more with a social aspect,” says Meier. “Group hikes can even increase consistency and motivation to stick with it because of accountability and motivational aspects.”
Turn up the tunes.
Listening to fast-paced music can help you recharge your brisk walk. “Load up your playlist with some upbeat music,” suggests Meier. “The tempo and character of music can affect walking speedwith fast, motivating music that increases walking pace.”
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Get your arms moving.
If you want to upgrade your brisk walking routine, Meier recommends, “Move your arms, swing them in time with your steps to help you go faster.”
To get a solid strength workout and burn even more calories, you might even want to consider wearing arm weights! After all, muscle burns more calories than fat.
Wear good walking shoes.
Your shoes are important for practicing good form, achieving desired speed and ensuring your feet remain comfortable. “Be sure to wear well-fitting [shoes] that helps you push forward, Meier tells us.
Progress over time.
Walking for exercise should not be a race; it is important that you work up to a high tempo slowly, over time. “Let your body get used to the faster pace,” explains Meier. “This will help prevent injury and burnout while allowing your metabolism to adjust without overcompensating with a slowdown.”
Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa