Looking to lose weight and feel better about yourself?
One simple way to do so is by taking 10-minute walks after meals. This is literally the ONLY form of cardio that I do. These walks can help to improve your health and boost your weight loss efforts in a number of ways.
First, let’s talk about shedding pounds. When you eat, your body uses energy (calories) to digest and absorb the food you’ve eaten. Taking a walk after a meal can help your body burn off some of these extra calories, which can lead to weight loss over time through an increase in activity level and better overall digestion.
Let’s get into some detail:
- For one, walking can help to lower your blood sugar levels. When you eat, your body’s blood sugar levels rise. If these levels stay high for too long, it can lead to health problems like diabetes. Taking a walk after a meal can help to lower your blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of developing these problems.
- In addition, walking can improve your digestion. When you walk, your body’s muscles contract and relax, which helps to move food through your digestive system more effectively, increasing nutrient partitioning while helping to prevent digestive issues.
- Lastly, walking can also help to reduce your stress levels, improve your mood, and even boost cognitive ability. When you walk, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which can help to improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. And, walking can also help to improve your memory and concentration by increasing blood flow to your brain.
Now, lets FAST-FORWARD to a place where your already lean and mean, and get into how walking can help you to maintain lower body fat percentages and a preferred body composition:
- Boosts metabolism: Regular physical activity, such as walking, can help to increase your metabolism, which is the rate at which your body burns calories. By boosting your metabolism, you’ll be able to more effectively burn off any excess calories that you consume, making it easier to maintain your weight loss.
- Reduces cravings: Walking can also help to reduce cravings for garbage food filled with empty calories. When you walk, your body releases endorphins, which can help to improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. These positive effects can in turn help to reduce cravings for unhealthy comfort foods. Not to mention, liking the way you look in the mirror is incredibly motivating and will help to keep you disciplined!
- Enhances self-control: Finally, to elaborate on the discipline on spoke on above, walking can also help to improve your self-control and focus when it comes to healthy eating habits. By making a commitment to regular walks, you’ll be strengthening your willpower which will be paramount in maintaining your weight loss in the long term.
So, now that you know some of the benefits of taking 10-minute walks after meals, you might be wondering how to fit them into your daily routine. Here are my suggestions:
1- Set a reminder on your phone to go out for a walk after each meal.
2- Choose a route that is easy to access and has good walking conditions, such as a park or a flat, paved path.
3- Wear comfortable shoes and clothes that don’t restrict you when moving.
Bring someone along with you at first while developing the habit of walking; doing it with a friend or family member can help to hold you accountable and make the walks more enjoyable.
Now, get out there and do your thing! Walk your way to a better and healthier body!
-Rob
#InLifeAndFitness