The Simplest Exercise You have the ability to Do and Still Lose Weight

What’s the Simplest Exercise You have the ability to Do and Still Lose Weight and what is the easiest way to do that regularly?

If you’re thinking of adding exercise to your fat-lossplan, you might consider starting with the easiest option: “Arguably, the easiest kind of exercise to lose fat is brisk walking,” says Shelley Keating, PhD, a researcher at the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences at The University of Queensland, Australia. A 15-year study published in the 2009 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found walking was connected with less weight gained over time. In other words, walking regularly may help you maintain — or even lose — weight over the long-term.

Regular cardio exercise like walking can also lower levels of abdominal and organ fat, which play a key role in the development of chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, “even though you may not see a change on the scale,” Keating says. A 2015 study in the Journal of Hepatology, for example, found regular aerobic exercise enhanced liver fat by 18–29% in overweight and obese people — regardless of exercise intensity

staying at home more and social distancing don’t have to derail your weight-loss efforts. In fact, walking is one of the easiest and most effective exercises you can do anywhere to lose weight and improve physical and mental health. If you are searching for methods to add 2,000 steps (roughly 1 mile) to your regular routine, regard these 11 easy strategies:

• TAKE 5-MINUTE WALKING BREAKS EVERY HOUR

Sitting for an extended period of time negatively impacts blood flow. However, the good news is you can counteract the effects of sitting with a simple trick: Get up every hour to take a brief 5-minute walking break. Walk around your house or go for a lap around the block. This helps boost your step count and improves your mobility.

• TAKE THE STAIRS

Stairs offer an easy way to get your heart rate up quickly, burn a few more calories and get more steps in during your day. If you’re sheltering in place and people are still using the elevators in your apartment building, there might be fewer people utilizing the stairs, so it can be a good way to get in steps while social distancing.

• GO THE LONG WAY

Rather than splitting cornersor leaving your house daily, be careful to take the long road to your destination whenever possible. This only takes a few extra minutes, but it increases your step count. What’s more, the long way may be the route with the least amount of people, allowing you to practice social distancing.

• MARCH IN PLACE

It’s easy to default to the couch when watching your favorite show. Instead, try marching in place when you watch TV or during commercial breaks — or when you’re brushing your teeth or waiting for your coffee or tea to brew. You have also the ability to use a dedicated walking workout DVD to increase your step count and do a fineexercise in leaving the house.

• WALK WHILE YOU TALK

A quick chat with a colleague, a phone meeting or a long conversation with friends and family are all good times to add more steps to your day. The whole thing that is necessary to do is pace around the home office or living room during your call or even head outdoors to enjoy some sunshine during talking.

• EXPLORE WALKING-ADJACENT ACTIVITIES

Rather than opting for activities that lead you to sit down (like watching a movie) include more activities during your day that require walking. For example, kick the soccer ball around in your backyard, organize and clean around the house or try a new recipe (meal prep can help you get extra steps in the kitchen).

• DRIVE LESS

As long as you live near to the grocery store, regard walking instead of driving. This saves you gas money and can help you get in those extra 2,000 steps in one trip. Plus, carrying heavy groceries builds strength, too.

• USE A SMALL WATER BOTTLE

Staying hydrated is important for weight loss. Instead of drinking out of a large water bottle or glass, consider using a smaller one. This requires you to get up more frequently to refill it, and those steps add up over time.

• MAKE IT A DOUBLE

You don’t have to get all of your daily steps at one time. Dividing your walking exercise into a morning and evening session is a great way to build a walking routine. Even just 10 minutes of walking multiple times a day can make a big impact on your step count and also help you prevent injuries if you’re just starting out.

• GET THE FAMILY INVOLVED

Hide and seek, tag, treasure hunts or even tossing around a ball are all activities most kids enjoy. Getting the whole family involved in a fun, active games not only increases your step count but also serves as bonding time.

• ACCOMPANYING A FURRY FRIEND WITH YOU DURING WALKING

There’s no doubt a pet makes you get outside and walk more frequently, which can help with weight loss. Dogs also provide company, help you de-stress and keep you accountable to up your step count. Now is the perfect time to consider adopting, fostering or seeing if your local shelter needs help walking dogs.

Fat-loss is only one reason to add walking to your routine. “Exercise is one of the most important things you can do for good health,” Keating says.

For one thing, regular exercise like brisk walking can improve your cardiorespiratory fitness. “Cardiorespiratory fitness is so important for health and longevity that leading physicians in the U.S. have called for it to be measured in routine check-ups as a vital sign,” Keating says. According to a statement from the American Heart Association, having low cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with a high risk of heart disease, death from any cause and death from various cancers. What’s more, even small improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness can lead to considerably lower rates (10–30%) of heart attacks, strokes and other adverse cardiovascular events.

The Simplest Exercise You have the ability to Do and Still Lose Weight