Brisk walking to lose weight: under what conditions do you lose weight?

We often hear that walking is the first sport and that it is the most natural activity there is. But there is walking and walking: daily walking, which we practice unconsciously during our daily travels, and brisk walking, more demanding. To discover this discipline, and know if it allows you to lose weight, read on.

What is brisk walking?

Briskwalking, also known as sportwalkingoractive walking, is an endurance sport, just like running or cycling. It is walking at a steady pace, in full consciousness, unlike daily walking. It is practiced on flat ground, without elevation. The speed of brisk walking varies from 5 to 10 km/h, depending on the objectives and abilities of the walker.

Thepostureof sports walking is particular:

• The back should be straight, shoulders relaxed, gaze towards the horizon and head in alignment with the body.
• The weight of the body should be well distributed on the feet, hips forward and buttocks tucked in (and not arched).
• When walking, the arms accompany the movement, serving as a pendulum for each stride. When an arm is mounted, it is flexed at 90^o.
• The unwinding of the foot is essential. The body must always be in contact with the ground; There is no jump or bounce, as in the race. During each stride, the foot must unwind from the heel to the toes, and the movement must end with a forward propulsion by the thrust of the toes. Hence the importance of a good pair of walking shoes!

As for thebenefitsof sports walking, they are numerous.

• Sportboth soft and dynamic, ittones and muscles the body, without trauma.
• The moderate intensity of brisk walking is ideal forstrengthening the heart muscleandincreasing breathing capacity.
• Combined with food hygiene, active walkingnaturally lowers blood sugar levels,triglyceridesandbad cholesterol.
• Like any physical activity, brisk walking helpsmaintain bone health by increasing bone density.
• Brisk walkingrelieves stress, stimulating the secretion of endorphins.
• Finally, active walking helpsmaintain a healthy weight, or evenlose weight.

How to lose weight by practicing brisk walking?

To lose weight by practicing brisk walking, several factors come into play. Everything will depend on:

• The weight of the walker
• The speed of walking
• The duration of each walking session
• The frequency of walking sessions
• The walker’s diet

In general, it is accepted that a person weighing around 70 kg burns around 300 kcal after 1 hour of fitness walking at 6 km/h. This is less than running (which is a high intensity sport), but more than a daily walk at 4 km/h.

When do you reach the “endurance zone” needed to lose weight?

The Endurance Zone, or fundamental endurance, is a comfort zone, where exertion does not yet create intensive shortness of breath. From a certain duration of exercise in this zone, the body begins to draw on its fat reserves. The effort, moderate, thus allows the improvement of the endurance on long distances and the thinning soft.

As previously mentioned, active walking is a so-called “cardio” activity. But to reach the endurance zone, it is necessary tomaintain a steady pace for at least 30 to 50 minutestag. It is after this time that the body will begin to draw on its fat reserves to supply the muscles with energy. Ideally, each fitness walking session should last 1 hour.

Question speed, we have just spoken of sustained rhythm. Of course, this pace depends on the physical form and level of the walker. It is useless to force, because the walk must remain pleasant, at the risk of discouraging the “apprentice walker”. In principle, the speed of fitness walking oscillates between 5 and 10 km/h; it must allow you to be able to speak normally – but not to sing. Rely on physical sensations: if yourbreathing is heavier , you are sweating slightly and you feel the muscle contractions , you are in your endurance zone.

In terms of Maximum Heart Rate (FCM), classic walking corresponds to 50-60% of its FCM, brisk walking 60-70% and

For information, the FCM corresponds to the maximum number of heartbeats per minute, in a context of efforttag. It is calculated using the Astrand method, which consists of applying the following formula:

• For a woman: 226 – her age (ex: for a 30-year-old woman: 226 – 30 = 196 beats/min)
• For a man : 220 – his age (ex: for a 30 year old man: 220 – 30 = 190 beats/min)

To control your FCM during a brisk walking session, you will therefore need a heart rate monitor… or a laptop equipped with a “sport” application and a digital sensor.

How often to practice brisk walking to lose weight?

Regular Power walking sessions are keyto getting results on the scale. It is important to start gradually, but to practice regularly. We can therefore start with 2 “short” sessions of 30-45 minutes per week, then increase the duration of the sessions to 1 hour and finally, the number of walking sessions to 3 or 4 per week.

To help you keep up the pace, it may be worth setting up A training diary, either on paper or via a mobile app or GPS. You will report every detail of the active walking session: date, distance, duration, average speed and evolution of your weight. Seeing quantified “results” is sometimes a good way to motivate yourself!

What are the lifestyle and dietary measures to adopt to optimize the effects of brisk walking?

Any weight loss involves two parameters: on the one hand, Energy Intake , on the other calorie expendituretag. Also, to lose weight, the practice of brisk walking must be accompanied by lifestyle and dietary measures.

The diet accompanying sports practice must be balanced and varied . It must include:

• Low glycemic index complex carbohydrates : wholemeal pasta and rice, sweet potatoes, wholemeal bread
• LeanProtein: white and blue fish, white meats, vegetable proteins (tofu, seitan, vegetables
• fruits and vegetables
• Products : fresh cheese,Yogurt , semi-skimmed milk
• quality lipids : first cold-pressed vegetable oils, nuts, avocado

Quick sugars, refined and industrial products, salt and alcohol are obviously to be avoided.

Hydration is essential before, during and after exercise , including when walking briskly. remains the first source of hydration, but nothing prevents you from varying the pleasures with fresh homemade juices (beware of commercial fruit juices, which are often too sweet) or iced tea.

Finally, weight loss will be favored by good sleep , the absence of excess and the avoidance of stressful situations .

If you regularly practice brisk walking, at a good pace, and you make sure to adopt satisfactory hygiene-dietary measures, you should quickly notice a thinning, but also a gain in tone: legs, thighs and buttocks, of course, but also abdominal strap and back (thanks to the pendulum movement of the arms).