When it comes to weight loss, walking is often an overlooked tool.
Spending hours in the gym each day isn't the only way to burn those extra calories. (I'm not saying that you shouldn't bother with the gym, but you shouldn't see it solely as a way to burn calories as it has way more benefits than just that).
Walking contributes to your NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). This essentially includes everything that isn't sleeping, eating or exercise, even things like standing and fidgeting.
Out of your total daily calories burned, your NEAT contributes to 15%. Exercise contributes to 5%.
You can see that exercise is a good tool for fat loss, but it's not the only one you should be using.
Start trying to incorporate more movement throughout your day. Walking is likely going to be the easiest way, and it doesn't have to all be at once.
Try these tips to help get some extra steps in the day:
When going to the shops, always park in the furthest possible space.
When you're on calls or scrolling through your phone, pace around the house rather than staying sat down.
Wake up 20 minutes earlier and start your day with a short walk before work. Do the same at the end of the day to help you wind down. You'll feel so much better for it.
ALWAYS take the stairs over the escalator!
You can also make other changes such as investing in an adjustable desk so that you can stand at points throughout the day. It'll burn more calories than staying sat down all day.
By making these small, almost effortless changes, you'll notice your step count greatly increase. You'll start burning more calories throughout the day without having to spend any more time in the gym.
To summarise, walking is a useful tool to aid weight loss. It contributes to more to your daily calorie expenditure than planned exercise. Keep moving as much as possible throughout the day to burn extra calories!
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