Walking is a great way to lose 20 pounds for many reasons, and knowing how to do it effectively will help you reach your goal weight in no time. Walking is enjoyable for most people, easy on your joints, and one of the safest forms of exercise. Many people find they can stick to a walking program long term which is essential for weight maintenance. The key to losing 20 pounds by walking is to set appropriate goals and understand the fundamentals of weight loss.
How Long Will it Take Me to Lose 20 Pounds?
At a weight loss rate of ½ -1 pound per week, it will likely take you at least 20 weeks to lose 20 pounds. Losing weight at this pace is safe and will help you keep the weight off long term. To accomplish a weight loss of ½ - 1 pound per week, try to burn an extra 250-500 calories per day by walking. If you find you're not burning this many calories by walking alone, simply reduce your calorie intake through diet in addition to walking.
How Often Should I Walk?
If you're a beginner, start by walking 3 days per week for at least 15-20 minutes. Gradually increase the frequency and duration of your walks until you are walking 30-60 minutes per day, most days of the week. To help keep your walks enjoyable try alternate walking indoors with walking outdoors, watching television during your walks (using a treadmill), or listening to music or a book on tape with headphones. For most people it's not walking they dislike, but becoming bored during the walk. Work walking into your regular routine and make it a priority.
How Many Calories Can I Burn By Walking?
The number of calories per minute you can burn by walking is determined by your body weight and walking pace. If you walk at a pace of 4 miles per hour (a common pace) you can burn the following amount of calories per minute: 120 lb. person = 4.7 calories; 140 lb. person = 5.5 calories; 160 lb. person = 6.3 calories; 180 lb. person = 7.1 calories; 200 lb. person = 7.8 calories; and 220 lb. person = 8.6 calories. If you plan to lose 20 pounds by walking alone, try to burn at least 250 extra calories during your walk per day. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds you'd have to walk at least 40 minutes per day at a pace of 4 miles per hour to lose ½ pound per week. If you're unsure of your pace, try walking on a treadmill to give you a better idea.
How Can I Lose Weight and Stay Toned?
Walking alone will definitely help you lose weight, however adding resistance exercise to your routine will help keep you tight and toned during your weight loss. Try walking with arm or ankle weights some days or interval train a few days per week. On the days you don't walk, try lifting weights, Pilates or strength band training to stay toned while losing 20 pounds.
Your Lifestyle Has to Support Any Changes You Make:
"People get so enthusiastic about losing weight, but if their plan is going to work long-term, they need to have a real understanding of their lifestyle and what it can accommodate," if your eating plan requires a lot of cooking, can you see yourself keeping with it six months from now? A meal-delivery system would save you time, but can you really afford it?
You Don't Have to Be Perfect:
Give yourself credit for making positive changes, no matter how small they are, or how far you are from so-called "perfect,". The point isn't perfection, it's improvement. So ask yourself, "What can I do today that’s better than yesterday?"
You Can't Stop Once You Lose the Weight:
"There's no such thing as maintenance.What I mean is there's no finish line when losing weight, no graduation day, etc. Sure, the plan may change slightly when you are trying to keep your weight stable versus drop pounds, but whatever you did to lose, you need to keep doing to some degree." Otherwise, if you return to your old habits, you'll just see the weight come back.
Comparing Yourself to Others is Dangerous:
It's easy to fall into the comparison trap and say, "Well, I'm not eating as poorly as everyone else at the table" or "Why is she losing weight faster than me?" Instead, Beller recommends gauging your progress with one simple question: "How am I following my agenda?" In the end, this will be much more productive than constantly seeing how you stack up against others.
Your Weight-Loss Will Taper And That's OK:
If you're making big changes, you may start off your weight-loss plan dropping pounds fast, like three to four pounds each week, says Beller. But after your body settles into it and you don't have any more water weight to lose (so long, salt!), you are going to lose less weight per week. That's good. It's sustainable.
Just Because a Food is Healthy Doesn't Mean You Can Eat All You Want:
Weight-loss newbies frequently suffer from what Beller calls "but it's healthy" syndrome, thinking that they can eat unlimited amounts of certain foods just because they're nutritious. While it's great to incorporate calorie- and fat-rich superfoods such as olive oil, nuts, and avocado into your diet, remember that a calorie is still a calorie so you'll need to watch your portions.
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