If you’re walking to meet friends after you’ve gotten off the bus, or you’re walking down the canal on a lovely crisp sunny but chilly autumn day, it doesn’t really feel like exercise.
And it certainly doesn’t feel as horrendously tiring as running, cycling, or HIIT – exercises we’ve been told are far better for us, especially if fat loss is the goal. But turns out, it might be the most effective thing you can do to shed extra pounds.
Health expert @emilyhackettfitness is here to set the record straight, and the fat loss coach knows what’s best for you. It’s an accessible exercise that won’t leave you scared at the gym, sweating because you don’t know what to do.
“What exercise burns more calories for fat loss?”, she asked, saying: “It’s not running, it’s not cycling, it’s not HIIT cardio, and it’s not ab workouts”.
So what is the exercise you should be participating in if you’re looking to hit those fat loss goals? “It’s actually walking,” Emily shared.
She continued: “Now if you think that sounds far too easy because you’ve been told that you have to do an exhausting workout that keeps you in the gym for hours maybe you should drop me a follow.”
She then explained that her account was all about “keeping this fitness thing realistic and enjoyable.”
Emily then said that walking can help you burn up to 15% to 20% of calories, compared with other exercises that can burn as little as 5%.
“Plus, it’s low impact, doesn’t exhaust your body, and it can be done for longer periods, meaning it burns more calories over time without exhausting your body,” she shared.
However, she said that if you already have a training routine you shouldn’t necessarily pack it in, as you can use both to your advantage.
“Use training to build strength, flexibility, and confidence,” she added. “But if you are using exercise just to burn calories, you’re missing the point”.
In the comments, someone said they “lost so much weight” by “eating in a calorie deficit” and going walking.
Another asked: “How many steps do you need to do per day to lose weight?”
Emily replied: “It’s not about time it’s about how many steps you do. There’s no magic number just aim to increase them by 20% to start until you get up to around 10k”.