Walkingis an easy way toadd more movementto your life andhelp you shed pounds. In general, walking at a brisk pace burns around 260 calories (for someone who weighs 150 pounds or 68 kilograms).
However,some days can be harder than otherstoget outdoorsorhit the treadmillfor an hour-long workout. Just because you have a hard time setting aside an hour for a walk, doesn’t mean you can’t still get in aworkout indoors. When you’re strapped for time and space, get a little creative and consider walking in place.
Here, a look at how walking in place could be a viable alternative:
IS WALKING IN PLACE EFFECTIVE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
IS WALKING IN PLACE EFFECTIVE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?
The key tolosing weight and gaining fitnessisraising your heart rate. Whether you’rewalking outside or in place, if you can raise your heart rate to zone 2 or 3you’ll burn more calories.
In a studypublished by the Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise journal, participants who walked in place for an hour burned an average of 258 calories, compared to roughly 304 calories for people who walked on a treadmill. The study also found walking in place during commercial breaks burned about 148 calories in 25 minutes whileracking up 2,111 steps.
HOW TO GET STARTED
HOW TO GET STARTED
If walking in place seems boring, remember youdon’t need to do it for long periodsof time to get results. Start by walking in place for 5 minutes several times a day. This could be a simple break you take every hour at the office tooffset the harmful effects of too much sitting. Or, if you watch TV at night, stand up and walk in place during commercials. These effortsmay seem small, but they willadd up over timeand make an important contribution to achieving your health goals.
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF WALKING IN PLACE
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF WALKING IN PLACE
Here, seven tips for maximizing the benefits:
- Use amarching technique.This means lifting your heels toward your butt and placing them back on the floor at a quick pace.
- Swing your arms.Try to move your arms as you would normally when walking outdoors.
- Use a heart rate monitor.This will make you aware if you’re raising your heart rate enough to get into zone 2 or 3 of your maximum heart rate.
- Dress for it.If you’re going to march for an extended period of time, treat it as normal exercise. Wearwalking shoes,warm upbefore you increase your pace andstretch afterward.
- Up your calorie burn by adding instrength exercises.Holding lighthand weightswhile you performbicep curls and arm circlesis a great way to tone your upper body.
- Addhigher-intensity intervals.When walking in place at a moderate speed, up the intensity for 20 seconds periodically. This helps you mix things up and keeps you from getting bored while also burning more calories.
- Add burpees.After a couple minutes of walking in place, perform a burpee or two. It’s a great total-body move that helpsbuild strength.
Originally published June 2019
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About the Author
Marc Lindsay Marcis a freelance writer based in Scottsdale, Arizona. He holds a master’s degree in writing from Portland State University and is a certified physical therapy assistant. An avid cyclist and runner of over 20 years, Marc contributes to LAVA, Competitor and Phoenix Outdoor magazines. He is the former cycling editor for Active.com.
