By Gill Stewart at
It’s the season of silly (but delicious) eating
As you will see from the fun our groups are having out there as we move towards the festivities, food seems to be involved an awful lot.
The good news is that they are combining the calorie intake with some exercise but as things get more hectic, it’s not always easy to swerve the invitations and fit in the exercise.
Here are some facts which might persuade you to schedule a few more sessions into that festive calendar though………………………………………
A good Christmas meal can notch up a whopping 3,600 calories – here are some of the key offenders!
Christmas Drinks – a naughty 880 plus calories! ( 2 x large glasses of red wine: 450 calories 1 glass of bubbly champers: 180 calories A warming glass of mulled wine: 250 calories)
So you can see how easy it is to literally cram the calories in when socialising – by enjoying the typical festive food and drink outlined above you’ll have consumed a total of 4,480 calories! That will take quite a walk to burn off so you need to make every step work in the coming weeks!
Of courses, we have not even mentioned the sneaky chocolates, nuts and crisps which are set out to tempt you in between meals!
Here are our tips for walking that WORKS!
It’s not rocket science to work out that if more fuel goes in, we need to do a bit extra to burn it off but that does not mean that you have to go FASTER or FURTHER. There are ways to boost your calorie consumption, immune system and even strength by incorporating some simple drills into a walk
MIX it UP – try some fast bursts of speed with a slower recovery walk in between – much more effective than simply powering along
USE POLES – Poles will increase the amount of Muscles you use which in turns burns more calories. They also make you feel lighter on your feet so you can walk further with comfort. Win Win!
JOIN A GROUP – You are far more likely to get out for that walk and stick to a good pace if you are enjoying it with others. You will be surprised what the encouragement of a good motivating leader can inspire you to achieve too
FORM a HABIT – try to build at least 20 minutes of activity into every day – if you can’t fit in a short brisk walk why not hop on line
ADD SOME OOMPH – Don’t avoid the hills or steps! Even if you take them slowly or stop for a breather, a hill will provide that extra workout factor. The good news is that going down a hill is as effective as climbing up it! It tones different muscles and studies show it can improve metabolism and insulin resistance too.
STAY STRONG – incorporate some resistance or strength exercises like lunges or squats into your walk. These help maintain lean tissue which means you are more effective at burning those calories off..
BREATHE & RELAX – Practising, deep breathing whilst walking in nature to help boost mood and reduce stress will have a significant effect on weight loss – it helps you make healthier food choices, affects hormonal balance and metabolism.
CHOOSE PREMIUM FUEL ! – Never walk when hungry or straight after a meal. Try to fuel up healthily with a mix of protein and slow release carbohydrates at least 90 minutes before setting off. Take healthy snacks with you and prepare something healthy to re fuel you quickly when you get back in too.
Walking is one of the most effective ways to maintain a healthy weight with less risk of injury than running and more opportunities to add some whole body exercises too.
WALX groups now offer TOTAL BODY WALKING sessions where you can enjoy making every step count using the principles above but with the support of a motivating qualified Instructor. It’s a great GIFT for somebody and comes with a pair of WALX poles ( see VOUCHER in the store HERE )
Or why not sign up for the 6 week WALX plan and try Total body walking for yourself ? For only £29 you will benefit from…..
CLICK HERE TO BOOK
We will be in touch to assign you to your dedicated WALX Master who will start you on your Total Body walking journey WHEN YOU ARE READY!