This activity will melt away the pounds, tone your flabby bits and leave you on an emotional high. There is much evidence of the benefits of walking. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh recently revealed that overweight people who walked briskly for 45 to 60 minutes a day lost weight even if they didn't change any other lifestyle habits.

 

A new study, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, which will be published in the June issue of Stroke, found that:  

- walked at a pace of three miles per hour or faster had a 37% lower risk of having any type of stroke 

- walked two or more hours per week had a 30% reduced risk of stroke 

 

“Stroke is one of the major causes of death and disability in Canada,” says Melissa Turzanski, Nurse Clinician in the Stroke Clinic at Baycrest. “One modifiable behaviour that can help decrease stroke risk, as well as cardiovascular disease, is physical activity and exercise. Walking is a wonderful way of getting physical activity into your life and it is often a forgotten form.” “Many people think they need to go to the gym and exert all their energy on a fancy machine when all the while they could have put on their running shoes and headed outdoors for a good brisk walk. In the winter, try walking on a treadmill or mall walking to get your exercise.”

 

To burn fat quickly and effectively, you should master power-walking. "Without it you will struggle to increase your pace and your weight loss will plateau," says Knight. Stand tall with your arms by your sides and pull your navel towards your spine so that your core muscles are working. Focus your eyes five to six meters ahead and keep your shoulders relaxed. Bend your elbows at a 90 degree angle and cup your hands lightly, rather than clenching your fists. Leading with the heel, take a step forward with your right foot and move your arms in opposition (i.e. as your left arm moves forward, your right moves back). Transfer your weight through the heel of your right foot. "It is very easy, once you start concentrating on the movement, to forget about breathing," says Knight. "Try to get into a pattern, counting the number of steps to each in-and-out breath, making it the same each time."

 

 

 

Source from Active.com