We have all heard the saying “Getting in shape is 80% diet and 20% exercise." While that is accurate, you need to combine cardio with strength training in order to be successful in maintaining weight loss.
Did you know that after the age of 20 our metabolism drops 3% every decade? And at some point in our 30s we start to lose muscle mass. We all know muscle burns more calories than fat. Therefore adding weight bearing exercises to your workouts is a great way to help combat both a slowing metabolism and muscle loss.
Think about this: The average glazed doughnut is 255 calories. A 155-pound person will need to walk (average speed 3½ miles per hour) for one hour or do one hour of vigorous weightlifting to burn off that doughnut. If you weigh less than that, unfortunately you will have to work harder or longer to burn off that glazed doughnut.
But it takes only about 2,921 steps (just over a mile) to burn off a 3 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast. That is fairly easy to do!
Walking helps lower the risk of...
coronary heart disease by 9.3%,
diabetes by more than 12%,
cholesterol by 7%,
and high blood pressure by more than 7%.
This alone should motivate everyone to walk more often!
How many steps do you walk per day? I always hear, "I don’t have time to walk 30 minutes every day." Well, can you find ten minutes a day, three times a day? That’s all it takes to begin to see your health improve!
My favorite advice to someone beginning a diet and exercise program is this: baby steps. Making small changes to your diet and exercise routine is more sustainable than making big changes that you have a hard time maintaining.