Whether you’re testing out a great urban trail or walking in your own neighborhood, you can boost your calorie burn, walk faster, and stay injury-free by having good form. Here’s what to do, courtesy of Contributing Editor Mark Fenton, co-author of Pedometer Walking: Stepping Your Way to Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness.
Tips for Increased Calorie Burning
You’ll burn 170 calories per hour walking at a leisurely pace (2 mph), 238 calories per hour at a moderate pace (3 mph), and 272 calories per hour at a brisk pace (4 mph). All counts are based on a 150-pound person.
If you like listening to music, choose fast-paced songs and step to the rhythm; it’ll help quicken your pace and burn more calories. For safety, wear earphones only when walking in a familiar area.
Pointers on Body Positioning
Your head: Look straight ahead, not down at the ground.
Your arms: Relax your arms by your sides and swing them front to back, not out to the sides; your hands shouldn’t come up higher than your breastbone. On hills, bend your arms to 90 degrees for more pumping power.
Your hips and waist: Stand tall and keep your hips positioned directly above your feet. Don’t lean forward or back from the waist, even when going up hills (although it’s OK to sit back slightly when heading downhill, as long as you keep your weight over your feet).
Your legs: Stick with your natural stride length to help avoid shin pain, the most common complaint among walkers. To increase your speed, focus on taking quicker steps, not longer ones.
Your feet: Land on your heel first, then roll through to the ball of your foot.
Your shoes: Choose a walking shoe with a rugged tread and rounded heel. It should bend easily at the ball (not the arch) of your foot.
Comments (26)
I also recommend a food and exercise blog. The blog guilts you into watching what you eat and guilts you into not skipping your workout! I wish I had started blogging sooner.
I recommend investing in the “bodybugg” program. It’s like a pedometer on steriods. It counts calories burned, steps taken and with the computer program, you maintain a food log. It’s absolutely wonderful and has been my weight loss salvation. Being able to see how many steps I’ve taken lets me know whether or not I need to go for a walk to hit the recommended 10000 daily steps. Seeing how many calories I’ve burned does the same thing. I walk and/or work out every day and I love it.
I Swing on a back yard swing with my legs doing all the pushing and pulling and it does great things for my legs and heart i feel it all over my body.
Could Lara please explain the “bodybugg” program. Or give us a link for more information? thanks!
What is the “bodybugg” program?
I walk 4 miles a day since the end of June and I have lost 30 pounds.A lot of inches and a lot of belly fat.I also have gotten very close to my Heavenly Father as I use this time for prayer. Try it,its great.I’m down to a small size 10 going for a small 8 or 6. I’m 62 I feel better and look better most people guess me to be about 56.
Regarding the BodyBugg information – Google is your friend.
http://www.bodybugg.com/
THE BEST ADVICE FOR HEALTH AND FITNESSIS WATCH YOUR
INTAKE OF ANYTHING WHITE LIKED PASTA WHITE RICE EXT.
WALK EBRYOTHER DAY,AFOOD LOGOF EBRYDAY FOOD INTAKE
i PLAY GOLF TWICE A WEEK,IAM A SIXE10 PEOPLEGUESS ME
50 YEARS OLD ,GOOD LUCK ,iAM 68YEARSOLD
Hi. I have been walking about 1-2 miles everyday I have been taking to find a good pedometer I get one form academy sportline is the name. I am looking for one that will do the miles and calories to the one that I have does just the miles. I would like to find a pedometer that is good but not to costly. thank you Donna Coon
Omron is a pedometer I purchased. It was a Consumer Report best buy & I got it at Wal-mart for $13. So worth the investment!
I have been walking forever–mostly 3 miles a day. However, if the “spirit” moves me I can do 6 to 10 miles. And the walk is up and down hills at a fast pace. I have an army tape-hup 2 3 4 etc. makes you move! I am 79 yrs. old and 92 pds. Keep on walking!
We recently went into a new office building complete with a gym. I read this article and shared the workout with the girls who normally do just the treadmill every day. It is really giving them a fun and more intense workout! They love it! I have a treadmill at home also and I am going to start doing this in the mornings. Thanks!
I live in the Bronx, I don’t know how to count miles I’ve walked.
I walk from Woodlawn Station to Fordham University on Fordham Road near the DMV in the morning (along the Grand Concourse.
Then I walk back at about 5:00 in the evening.
How can i figure out how many miles I walk
Sousa marches are terrific. I like “Stars & Stripes Forever”. Who can resist marching?
Walking has changed my life. For the past year, I have walked every day, from 20 minutes to three hours. Now that I have a GPS, I take myself on all kinds of interesting day-trips, where I scout out trails, to keep this walking-program fresh. My GPS has given me the freedom and fun to find new walking routines. (I like new experiences, so this is a joy.) I was interested to learn that a faster pace is better than a longer stride. Thanks!
HI MY NAME IDEBBY
I WALK ABOUT 1HOUR AT A FAST PACE HOW MUCH AM I WALKING?
i love walking, and it’s good to know it has such a great affect too. :)
I have a ? maybe someone can help me out, i am 22 have a 5 year old baby and weigh 202 lbs i want to get back to what i was befor i got pregnant but i am honestly just to lazy to do anything, does anyone know of any motivations that will help me?
Having a child is the ultimate motivator. You want the child to be healthy, and he will be, if you live the life you want him to live: ie, being active, eating well, and valuing yourself. Baby steps: take him out every day to the park and walk while he rides a bike, or while you pull him in a wagon. Start out going around the park 2-3 times, increase it by 2 laps per week until you are comfortable going for 1/2 hour. Then, increase your laps and buy a pedometer so you can track your distances. Go online and find a program to help you eat in a healthy manner, note that I did not say to go on a diet. Eat an apple before lunch/dinner, eat all your veggies (raw or steamed) first, eat only whole grains, etc. You will succeed because you want your child to grow up healthy and you want to live long enough to see your grandkids get married!! Good luck!!
I walk for thirty minutes fast every day even in the rain. On days off, I go body boarding. I feel young, weigh what I did from out of college, and am 55. People think I am in my young 40’s. If it was not for the white hair, I could pull it off.
I have a ruptured lower lumbar disc and have been in and out of physical therapy for years. I have finally started a walking session of about 3-4 days a week of 2 1/2 miles around a track they made in an old warehouse. My back never felt better!! Walking has given me a new lease on life.
Norma- you can use MapMyRun.com or also map the distance using Google Maps
Does going up & down hills count as interval training?
I’ve been walking for (4) weeks and I’m still experiencing a lot of pain in my thighs. What can I do to alleviate the pain before I start walking to be able to continue with my routine number of tracks per day (up to (2) miles)?
I have recently began a walking routine. I walk for at least a hour depending on my time maybe 90 minutes after I drop the kids off at school. I feel very proud of myself for being consistant, although its only been this week (4 days). I’ve begun, and everyone has their beginning right?
I have a double bench swing that is a sort of glidder. THe kind you move with pushing the bottom floor with feet. I sit so my legs are up on opposite bench and my knees bend with each push of the swing. It is a very heavy swing.. How many calories can you burn doing this.???