Now we have the power of transport, a lot of us have taken walking for granted…
When it comes to losing weight, we instantly believe we have to be spending endless hours, jumping from cardio to cardio machine, to then go back and stay sedentary for the rest of the day… However there is one small thing you can simply do which will up that cardio, and that is simply walking.
By adding a daily walk into your routine and adding in sedentary breaks into your working day, will not only prevent you having to spend endless hours in the gym, but could be the light at the end of the tunnel for you to achieving your weight loss goals.
Now because you are currently reading this, have you read my ‘Kick start your fitness journey’ guide? If not? go and do so now! and turn to page 21 where I talk about #neatup24/7 or in other words your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)
Your NEAT is part of your total daily energy expenditure. Through increasing your NEAT you can help achieve your weight loss goals. Just simply adding in a walk, or taking the stairs instead of the lift can actually do you more good then harm. As said before, your NEAT is part of your total daily energy expenditure and equates to around 15% of your TDEE. That’s 5-10% more than if you was to spend an hour or two exercising in the gym. This is also the reason why the goal of 10,000 steps is still so hot!
Now with that being said, I’m not saying shake off the gym all together because the combination of increased walking and sedentary breaks, as well as lifting weights in the gym will see you drop those pounds quicker!
In order to get in those extra steps try…
- Getting up a little earlier to either walk the kids to school/ walk to work
- Take the stairs instead of the lift
- When you are sat at the desk and start to lose concentration, get up and move around
- Walk around the bathroom whilst brushing your teeth
- Walk to the shops for those small items you may need
- Instead of endlessly flicking through Netflix, get up and go for a walk
You might just then see the power that walking can provide and prove to you that you don’t need to spend hours in the gym to lose weight
Lucy x