Swimsuit weather is right around the corner, and you would like to lose some of the inches you put on over the winter — specifically around your belly. You don’t need a gym membership to shrink your waist; just walk it off. Walking has always been a good overall exercise for the whole family, but it is also helps trimming fat off your belly. You can use one of three different methods or mix them up for a change.
Walking Shoes
Invest in a good pair of walking shoes. Using the wrong type of shoe can cause injury. If you cannot find a store that will fit you in shoes designed for walkers, look for a lightweight shoe with a rounded, low heel and a flexible sole.
Warm Up
Begin every exercise session with five to ten minutes warm up. These exercises should include some stretching — not just your legs, but your whole body. Rotate your head, circle your arms, stretch towards the ceiling, and bend your leg behind you, grabbing your foot with the opposite hand. Gentle lunges can also be beneficial for warming up.
Why Walking Whittles the Waist
MSN Health has three waist-whittling interval walks that starts off easy and-over a few weeks-increases in intensity. It also explains why walking reduces belly fat. “It appears to help reduce deep belly fat (called visceral fat) first, explains Tim Church, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University. “If you exercise enough to lose 10 percent of your body fat, you may actually reduce visceral fat by 30 percent,” says Church.
Plyometrics, hilly and interval
Health.com recommends three different walking styles, including hills, intervals and plyometrics, which refers to bounding, jumping and skipping moves. Plyometrics boosts the calorie burning in a walk, while walking on hills and inclines increases the intensity of your workout; both methods flatten your tummy faster. The third method is interval walking, alternating between walking that is alternately moderate and speed-walking.
Indoor Walking
If something prohibits you from getting outside, you can still lose belly fat by walking. Many people use a treadmill-with or without the incline feature-and walk while watching television. If you don’t have access to a treadmill, walk throughout your house. It also done all at once; walk for ten minutes, three times a day. If you have stairs, walk up and down them for five minutes, three times a day, and gradually increase to ten minutes, three times a day.
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