Walk Your Belly Off

It is no secret that walking weight off is made possible by regular physical exercise. Besides helping you shed those unwanted pounds, walking boasts numerous health benefits that run the gamut from reducing your risk of getting cancer to increasing the strength of your bones. As such, walking is oftentimes recommended as part of weight-loss regimens. As a form of pure, physical exercise, walking is very easy to do since you need nothing except a good pair of athletic shoes to give you cushion and support. You don't need any fancy equipment or additional training before you can start. Walking is the natural way to lose weight. Take it from me. At the age of 53, I finally said enough was enough and set out placing one foot in front of the other, and within a little over a month after making a commitment  I lost over 35 pounds.

Walking as a Calorie Burner

One way that walking helps you shed those unwanted pounds in an effective manner is by helping you burn those equally unwanted calories. The whole concept of weight and, furthermore, weight gain is based on calorie intake. That means that you have to balance your calories if you at least want to maintain your weight, because weight is determined by how many calories you take in versus how many you burn off.

To lose weight, all you have to do is burn off more than you eat, or just reduce your calorie intake in the first place. To help manage my calorie intake, I utilized meal replacement protein powders The basic formula for walking off pounds is this: your weight multiplied by the distance you walk equals the energy used when walking, which is the energy used to burn off calories.

Speed of Walking

When you walk to lose weight, you are advised to begin your daily walk with a warm-up session of about 5 to 10 minutes that features an easy gait. This will inform your muscles that they need to use their fat reserves to provide the energy for the upcoming walk. During a weight-loss walk, the speed you should walk at is one called a "determined" pace. This pace is characterized by noticeable breathing, but in such a way that it does not interfere with carrying on a conversation. Also, at this pace, your heart rate should be beating at in between 60 percent to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. You should keep this pace--the "determined" pace--for a total of 30 minutes per daily walking workout, especially if you have conditioned yourself to make it to that duration.

Length of Walking

You are recommended to walk at the "determined" pace rate for anywhere between 30 minutes to 60 minutes at 50 percent to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. If your hectic work life or schedule n general does not permit this investment each day, then simply divide your walking workout into two or even three, daily sessions that are much shorter than the 30-minute to 60-minute recommendation. If you can really invest the time, you should slow down your 30- to 60-minute walking workout towards the end so that you can stretch it into a 90- to 120-minute workout.

Written by,

Dwight Obey, Independent AdvoCare Distributor

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All About Water

Dwight Obey, MBA,MSAJS

Most people have no idea how much water they should be drinking, and most people live from day to day in a dehydrated state.  Even mild dehydration has shown to slow your metabolism!

Do you drink enough water?  Most adults should be drinking at least 8-10 glasses of water per day.

Most adult bodies are made up of 50% – 70% of water.  If you don’t drink enough water, it will draw on sources from within the body and this can cause serious problems.

Is there is a difference between pure water and other beverages that contain water?   Obviously you get water by consuming fruit juice, soft drinks, coffee or tea. However, while such drinks contain water, they also may contain substances that are not healthy and actually contradict some of the positive effects of the added water.  Another problem with these beverages is that you lose your taste for water.

Why is drinking water important for weight loss?  One, it curbs hunger by making you feel full.  Additionally, it replaces sugary drinks helping you to consume less calories.  And even some studies show that water can boost your metabolism.

Set a goal to drink one extra glass of water today.  Or, get a water bottle to keep at your desk at work and make an effort to fill it a couple of times each day.  You may need to slowly increase the amount of water you drink by making small and manageable changes in your daily habits.

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The Dreaded Weight Loss Plateau

Dwight Obey, MBA, MSAJS

Weight-loss plateaus happen to even the most dedicated person. A plateau occurs when your metabolism changes as it grows accustomed to the new lower weight and lifestyle changes you have made. After a few months of continuous weight loss, you may find your progress stalled despite still dieting and working out. This can be incredibly frustrating.

To break through, you’ll need to decrease caloric intake even further and increase activity to start shedding pounds again. Try cutting 200 calories from your daily meal plan. But don’t put yourself below a 1,200 calories total.

Better yet, bump up your workout time by 15 or 30 minutes, or ramp up the intensity. Incorporate some more walking throughout the day by getting off public transportation one stop early. Walk instead of driving to the grocery store for a few odds and ends. Plateaus happen to everyone. You can and will move past them to reach your goals.

Losing weight and attaining better health is a learning process. It’s one that also doesn’t come overnight. Steadfast commitment is required. But this change will allow you to adopt the healthy habits needed in order to achieve your goals and maintain a healthy weight for life.

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