As more Australians opt for brisk walks over strenuous gym sessions, top personal trainers have revealed the amazing health and fat-burning benefits of walking.
This year, this underrated exercise and its long list of benefits got so much buzz that Google searches for “walking workout” surged 1,500%.
Rachel AttardA sports nutritionist and personal trainer from Gold Coast, Queensland, she is a vocal proponent of her love of walking and recommends it to her clients as her fat-burning secret weapon.
“Walking has all the health benefits you’ve heard about, including improving cardiovascular fitness and endurance, lowering blood pressure, and preventing heart disease,” Rachel, 34, told FEMAIL. .
“But one of the things I love about walking is that it’s a great exercise for slim legs, and despite being a relatively easy exercise, it burns a surprising number of calories. That’s it.”
Rachel Attard, a sports nutritionist and personal trainer from the Gold Coast, is a vocal proponent of her love of walking, and regularly recommends it to her clients as her fat-burning secret weapon.
An average person can burn about 300 calories in an hour’s walk. In many cases, this is all it takes to put your body in a calorie deficit to lose weight.
“It doesn’t have to be young or very healthy. A mother can put her child in a stroller and do it with her, and there’s a low chance of injury, she can do it when she doesn’t feel motivated, and she can still do it.” It works wonders for your health, ‘body,’ added Rachel.
The science behind walking is simple. According to the “Fat Burning Zone Theory,” you shouldn’t push your body to 100. Instead, you burn the most fat when you exercise at 60-70% of your effort. maximum.
Fat burning occurs when carbohydrates and fats are converted into energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
The body needs oxygen to convert fat to ATP. During low- to moderate-intensity exercise, your breathing becomes easier, allowing your body to take in more oxygen than during high-intensity training.
“In my program, I always encourage my clients to start their day with a walk and aim for 10,000 steps a day,” said Rachel, pictured before and after the Lean Legs program.
“The most efficient thing your body can do during low-to-moderate exercise is to convert stored fat into energy,” says Rachel.
“So, according to fat burning theory, you need to do low-intensity exercise for long periods of time to deplete your fat stores and burn enough calories to see weight loss.”
During high-intensity training, your body is more likely to burn carbohydrates (glycogen) rather than fat due to the lack of energy.
According to Rachel, one of the biggest changes clients will notice in their bodies as they continue to walk is in their legs, which appear to be significantly slimmer.
“This happens to me too. Nothing makes my legs slimmer than walking.” This is by far the best exercise to lose leg fat…but you choose where you lose this fat from your legs. No, you’re going to drop it all over your lower body,” she said.
Rachel’s Lean Legs program includes a lot of walking, and our client (pictured) sees amazing results with brisk walks and low-intensity home workouts
“Usually, the area with the most fat will lose the fastest weight. For example, if the inner thighs have the most fat in your legs, the inner thighs will usually lose the fastest weight.
“In my program, I always encourage my clients to start their day with a walk and aim for 10,000 steps a day if possible.”
Rachel recommends a combination of cardio and resistance/strength training for best results, as walking can help you lose fat and improve fitness while building muscle. Boost metabolism, overall tone, bone health and mobility.
Before her baby was born, Rachel used to walk every night, but now she makes it a point to walk three to four times a week while her kids are at daycare.
“I typically take about 6,000 to 7,000 steps in an hour of walking, and then make a conscious effort to take even more steps throughout the day. It can be difficult, so being able to wake up in the morning really helps,” she said.
Afterwards, she does her lean leg program resistance training at home. This is usually low impact as it keeps her toned and slim.
When it comes to eating, she follows an 80:20 approach, eating healthy 80 percent of the time and eating whatever she wants the other 20 percent of the time.
“I don’t drink tea or coffee, and I prefer three large meals rather than small meals or snacks,” she said. “This gives my digestive system a chance to rest, and I’ve also found that I’m less likely to overeat this way.
When it comes to eating, Rachel follows an 80:20 approach, where 80 percent eats healthy and the other 20 percent eats what she wants.
“I don’t count calories or macros, I eat intuitively (listen to your body, eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, and eat foods that make you feel good). 100 percent healthy. When my clients try to do this, they are already set to fail, because no one can have a perfect diet.”
In the past, Rachel found herself obsessed with extreme healthy eating and calorie counting. She is passionate about helping women avoid the mistakes they make.
“I see a lot of women doing the same thing as me. So it wasn’t a very healthy way of thinking for me.I was looking for a quick fix, but it always backfired,” she said.
“It took me a long time to learn to eat intuitively, but now I don’t feel restricted or guilty about eating anything. I don’t think about food as much as I used to. The number one benefit of food is its long-term sustainability.”
In the past, Rachel found herself obsessed with extreme healthy eating and calorie counting.She’s passionate about helping women avoid making mistakes
Rachel is also an avid proponent of fitness training.
“Many women (myself included) train not only to feel good, but to look good. I think it’s important to love how you look because that’s what motivates you to keep going,” she said.
“Some women are naturally very slim (ectomorphic) and find it difficult to gain muscle, so they will need a higher weight program and a higher calorie diet.” Some are naturally muscular (endomorphs), so they need a workout program or a specially tailored diet, usually low in carbs and high in fat and protein, to keep them lean and slim. Masu. ”
However, there is no exercise that I would never recommend. The only thing I would recommend to my clients is if you have hormonal issues, sleep issues, fatigue issues, super high intensity as it can add more stress to your adrenal glands and make the problem worse. Training is best avoided. ”
read more: Dr. Michael Mosley on how you can change your life by doing just one thing
