Tips for walking off those extra pounds

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By Marjie Gilliam, Contributing Writer 3:41 PM Monday, January 18, 2010

Walking is the most popular weight loss activity, and for good reason. It requires no expense or equipment, can be done anywhere and is one of the safest and easiest ways to burn extra calories. Walking is also an ideal way to relieve stress and one of the best ways to get into the habit of exercising if you aren’t already doing so. A 150-pound person walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes burns an average of 150 calories, and if performed daily, can expect to lose 12 pounds in a year. Tips:

• Pump your arms, bent to about 90 degrees, to burn an additional 5 to 10 percent more calories with each step.

• To avoid hitting a plateau, take a different route periodically, add hills or up your minutes, speed or frequency.

• Using ankle or wrist weights to boost weight loss when walking isn’t advised as this can alter normal movement patterns and gait, increasing risk of injury. Any added weight should be evenly distributed and positioned close to the body. This can be accomplished by wearing a weighted vest designed specifically for this purpose or by simply placing small weights in each jacket pocket. Better ways to use wrist and ankle weights include exercises such as leg and arm lifts and to increase dumbbell or machine weight loads when performing certain exercises.

The elliptical trainer is easier on the joints than many other types of cardio equipment because it is a non-impact activity. Both walking and the elliptical are examples of weight-bearing activities, which help to build bone density and fight osteoporosis. Elliptical trainers allow for movement of both legs and arms in a motion similar to cross country skiing. A 150-pound person can expect to burn about 300 calories per half hour if exercising at a moderately winded pace. One advantage of using an elliptical trainer is that it can be pedaled both forward and backward, allowing you to use different muscles.

Tip: Avoid slouching when pedaling. Instead, keep an upright posture with shoulders back and head up.

Stair climbing: If your goal is to firm, strengthen and tone the hips, buns and thighs, stair climbing is a great exercise. For nearly twice the calorie burn, when ascending, take steps two at a time instead of single steps. Your current state of health and level of fitness should dictate speed of movement when using stair climbing as a cardio workout. If this is a new activity for you, pace yourself initially to avoid overtraining, and if you have joint problems, check with your doctor beforehand. If you are accustomed to exercise, you can try running up and down at an almost huffing and puffing pace. A moderately winded, somewhat out-of-breath pace can provide excellent cardiovascular benefits, calorie burning and strengthening too, however.

Tip: When ascending, focus on pushing body weight through the heel of the front foot with each step. This will help lessen stress on the knees along with working the glutes to a greater degree.

Treadmill: One of the best ways to make your treadmill workout more challenging is to increase the level of incline. The greater the degree of gravity your body must work against, the greater the calorie burn and the stronger and more toned the legs will become. Don’t make the mistake of upping the incline drastically as this can bring about shin splints and other problems. Instead, take it up gradually.

Marjie Gilliam is an International Sports Sciences Master certified personal trainer and fitness consultant. She owns Custom Fitness Personal Training Services. Write to her in care of the Dayton Daily News, call her at (937) 878-9018 or send e-mail to marjie@ohtrainer.com. Her Web site is www.ohtrainer.com.

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