14 DAY TRIAL // Now that the weather is warm enough to allow us to take our workouts from the gym to the park, FitSugar has come up with a few tips we should keep in mind in order to make the most of our outdoor workout. To those of us for whom running is not exactly our cup of tea, the fitness e-zine offers an alternative that is certain to return similar results: an “upgraded” walking routine.
It’s a known fact that walking helps burn extra calories and lead to weight loss, so this means we can actually be doing something to stay in shape without as much as feeling like it. That is to say, a simple walk in the park with a friend or the family dog can help us stay in shape – and we don’t even have to feel like it’s a chore. However, if we do decide to make walking more of a fitness regular routine, there are some things we should keep in mind to get the most of it.
“Swing those arms. Keep your elbows at 90-degree angles and pump your arms with each step. You’ll end up burning 15 percent more calories,” FitSugar says. “Pick up your pace. Walking at a speed of three miles per hour (20 minutes per mile) will burn 103 calories in 30 minutes, but if you pick up the pace a little and walk at a more brisk speed of four miles per hour (15 minutes per mile), you’ll end up burning 118 calories. It’s not a huge difference per workout, but over the course of five workouts, you’ll end up burning an extra 75 calories. It’ll really start to add up over time,” the e-zine further says.
Aside from these two tips, whose results will only become visible after a longer while, another thing we should keep in mind is that walking up and down steps is highly recommended. We should take the stairs instead of the elevator and make sure we include stairs in our daily walk because that is definitely the best way of toning up the legs and the backside. Walking up and down stairs strengthens the quads, calves, hamstrings, and glutes, but puts less pressure on the joints, as compared to running.
The last tip is as fun as it’s efficient. “Vary your steps. Changing up your feet will not only prevent you from getting bored, but it’ll also allow you to work muscles differently, making you stronger and burning more calories. Walk on your heels, walk on the balls of your feet, take wide steps, walk sideways, take steps diagonally, do knee lifts, do soldier kicks with your legs straight, hop, or do walking lunges. I agree that you may look a little silly, but it’s sure to get your heart rate up,” FitSugar says.