This is the time of year, following the festive feasting, when many people make their New Year's resolutions to shed a few pounds, live a healthier life and get into better shape. Some of these resolutions will be continued in the long term - but the vast majority of us will fall back into old habits by the middle of February.
It happens time and again. Most people fail to realise exactly how difficult it is to lose weight. However, there are ways of making it easier for yourself to keep your resolutions – and they won’t cost you anything to try.
Firstly, don't set yourself targets which you simply can't achieve. It doesn't matter what the level of determination is, nobody is going to become a professional athlete overnight. You need to set yourself exercise goals which, whilst challenging, are realistic and achievable. There’s no point embarking on some high energy workout if you’re just going to abandon it in a few weeks. You might, if you're not careful, even wind up doing more harm than good.
The key thing is to do just a little more than you normally do - and to do it consistently. Something as simple as walking a little further and a little more often can really pay major dividends.
Walking is a low injury risk, low impact method of exercise which requires no specialised equipment or training (apart from a comfy pair of walking shoes that is). It has a long list of health benefits in addition to weight loss – although it is definitely one of the most effective exercises to lose weight that you can do. Walking on a regular basis will even help to raise your metabolic rate - with the result that you will burn calories faster at all times throughout the day - not just when you're actually exercising.
Another obstacle which can hamper people’s ability to continue with a healthier lifestyle is cost. A walking exercise routine, as mentioned previously, requires no specialised training or equipment and has a very low cost associated with it. And there are no costly gym membership fees to pay month after month.
The third most common problem in continuing an exercise program is, for many busy individuals, time. Walking offers a good solution to this problem as well. There’s no need to get dressed up in Lycra and head off to the gym for an hour. Walking can be fitted into your day whenever it's most convenient for you.
If you can manage to fit a thirty minute walk into your daily routine then that's perfect. However, even if that isn't a practical proposition for you, there are numerous other ways that you can walk more often.
Leave your car at home and walk into work from time to time. If the distance is too great then just park the car in a far away corner of the parking lot so that you have further to walk to reach the entrance. If you travel by bus or by subway then get off one or two stops before your final destination and finish your journey on foot. Climb the stairs instead of using the elevator. Instead of sitting slumped at your computer, go for a short walk around the block during your lunch break. It soon adds up.
So, if you’re looking to shed a little weight this year then why not consider a walking exercise routine. You will be surprised at the results and how quickly you can achieve them.