Weight-loss Experts Share Their Tips on How to Lose up to 6 kg Before Summer Starts
Starting a weight-loss journey can be challenging, but incorporating daily, consistent exercise is one of the best ways to build momentum and stay motivated. Spring is the best season to get started, with mild temperatures and, hopefully, beautiful flowers to look at while you walk or heading for a run in the nature. It also gives you enough time before summer to shift some winter weight.
If you start before the end of March, you could lose between 3.88 kg and 5.81 kg before summer, by walking around 10,000 steps a day. According to studies, to lose one kilogram, you have to walk about 160,000 to 240,000 steps. If you achieved the recommended amount of daily steps, 10,000, it is possible to shift significant weight before summer starts. However, 10,000 steps a day may not be realistic for many, so even increasing your step count may help you achieve your weight-loss goals.
Here, weight loss experts at Voy have provided five tips and tricks to help you achieve your daily step count and reach your full potential.
1. How many steps should I take to lose weight?
Most healthy adults walk between 4,000 and 18,000 steps per day, which is a wide range. The ideal step count depends on factors like weight, activity level, and age, but a widely accepted target is 10,000 steps. This equates to roughly eight kilometres or about an hour and 40 minutes of walking.
It is important to set realistic targets for yourself when you are first starting out, so you could start at the lower end, around 4,000-5,000 steps, and slowly increase when it becomes manageable to ensure you are consistently challenging yourself.
While this may seem like a lot, you don’t have to complete it in one go! You can reach your step goal by incorporating movement into your day, on top of a short walk – you’d be surprised how fast your count goes up while moving around the house.
2. What are the best ways to increase my step count?
Small changes can make a big difference! Try getting off the bus one stop early, taking the stairs instead of the lift, offering to walk your friend or family’s dog, finding a walking buddy, taking a stroll during lunch, joining a walking group, or if you can’t avoid your car altogether – park it further away from your destination. Adding variety keeps things interesting, and turning everyday activities into opportunities for movement will help you stay active.
Another way to boost motivation is by getting your steps up in the morning, so the goal is lower throughout the day and seems more achievable. If you’re walking solo, a distraction can help. Try an upbeat album, a podcast, or an audiobook. Music with a fast beat can help increase your pace, as a brisk walk expends more calories per minute than a leisurely stroll by increasing movement, making it a more effective tool for weight control.
3. What is the best way to track my steps?
While health apps with step counters are convenient, they may underestimate your steps since they require you to always carry your phone. The accuracy can also vary depending on where you keep your phone. For example, it might get a better reading from your pocket than your backpack, as it is physically being moved more.
To achieve a more reliable count, consider a fitness tracker like a Fitbit or Garmin, which can also monitor heart rate and calories burned. For added motivation, some smartwatches, like the Apple Watch, allow you to compete with friends on step counts.
You can calibrate your Apple Watch for improved workout and activity monitoring, like distance, pace, and calorie accuracy. It also helps the watch learn your stride and fitness level for better tracking when GPS is limited. Alternatively, a simple pedometer, available for under £5 on Amazon, can do the trick. For an accurate step count, your pedometer must be positioned correctly. To ensure you’re truly walking 10,000 steps a day, double-check its placement.
Pedometers work best when clipped vertically to your waist, aligned over your knee. Attaching it to the small pocket below your waistband can help. If you have a larger stomach be mindful, as it may tilt the device and affect accuracy.
4. How does terrain impact my workout?
Choosing a route with inclines and declines is not only more engaging but also more effective for weight loss. Walking uphill activates your leg muscles more than walking on flat terrain, making your workout more intense by targeting your glutes, hamstrings, and quads while increasing your heart rate. Any activity that increases your breathing rate will contribute to your weight-loss journey, as using more oxygen boosts metabolism, burns more calories and promotes greater fat loss.
5. How does walking benefit me?
Like any aerobic exercise, walking supports heart health, helps regulate blood sugar, and can help your mental health. It gets your heart pumping, which makes it stronger and helps your blood move better. That’s good for keeping your blood sugar in check, because your muscles use that sugar for fuel.
Walking strengthens your bones and muscles, keeps you steady on your feet, and even lowers your chances of developing conditions like diabetes and some cancers. It also aids weight loss by increasing calorie burn, and walking consistently means that you can burn off daily calorie intake easily.
Going for a walk can also take the edge off stress and anxiety. It releases endorphins, natural chemicals that contribute to happiness, while providing opportunities for social interaction.
Dr Earim Chaudry, Chief Medical Officer at Voy, has added, “When looking for ways to lose weight, many people turn to the gym.
“While the gym works well for some, its intense, high-impact approach can be challenging or unrealistic for others, like people just starting their fitness journey, those recovering from injuries and those with hectic work schedules.
“Walking is one tool in the weight-loss toolbelt; it needs to be combined with healthy lifestyle choices, like eating mindfully and incorporating movement into the rest of your day.
“Walking is a great first step, and by adding in other healthy habits, you’ll be well on your way to reaching your goals.”