Walk with Walgreens

dave Mcgovern By Dave McGovern

powerwalkers

Imagine you have only one hour to squeeze in a walk. You’ll burn about 100 calories per mile, so that’s 300 calories if you walk at three miles per hour. Bump that up to four mph and that’s 400 calories, and at five mph you’ll burn 500 calories during your one-hour walk. Think about it: Burn 500 calories per day x seven days per week = 3,500 calories, or one pound of fat per week! The problem is, due to technique limitations, even very fit people may have a difficult time walking faster than four miles per hour.

Luckily, there are ways to make your walking technique more efficient and much faster. Olympic race walkers can walk an incredible nine to ten miles per hour. The good news is that you don’t need Olympic walking technique—or Olympic fitness—to walk faster; you just need to adopt a few elements of the technique. Here are three:

  1. Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle, and drive them vigorously behind you with each step.
  2. Think about taking shorter, faster steps rather than trying to take long strides.
  3. Actively use your feet, rolling from heel to toe, to help provide a powerful push-off behind the body.

That’s it! Give it a try and see if that doesn’t help you get the most out of your walks! On days when you have more time, slow the pace down and walk longer to burn more calories, but when time is limited, pick up the pace!
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  • Patty Rodriguez
  • Jun 7, 2011
  • 1

  • Thanks for the advice!  Basically, I need to walk faster...yikes.

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  • April Scarl
  • Jun 7, 2011
  • 3

  • I keep thinking how much better I feel when I do more of an aerobic walk. 

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  • Vally Rohde
  • Jun 9, 2011
  • 4

  • I'm having such a horrible time getting motivated to walk. Last year I lost 35 pounds I walked everyday.. for several months.. then summer came and gone and slowly but surely 20 pounds is on.. What do I do to get started again. I can't seem to get myself wrapped around it.. I'm so sad.. really I'm sad. So how do I get motivated.. I  need inspiration.. or a quick swift kick in the pants.. Whats wrong with me that I can't just get up and do it?

    Vally

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  • Virginia BjerkeOhman
  • Jun 13, 2011
  • 5

  • Vally,  What can anyone say?  It's such a long and hard road.  I wonder if you want a 'walking buddy' over the net?  I will take up a challenge with you if you are interested.  It is often very hard to get the time, but I often just make a committment to myself that I will do whatever time I can squeeze out.  Sometimes it's 15 minutes, sometimes it's more.  Once I make a committment to some time at least 5 times a week, it works pretty well.  What do you say?   Ginny

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  • LAURIE SKINNER
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • 6

  • Well , I guess I am doing ok then! I am up to 3.75 miles in an hour. It is pretty hilly where I walk and I was hoping that the uphill helped as well. I know it feels better. When I started I wan't able to tackle as many hills. I also quit smoking and I feel better for that as well! 

    smiley-laughing.gif

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  • Angela Smith
  • Sep 28, 2011
  • 7

  • Do you get the same affect if you walk in 4 - 15 minute increments throughout the day?

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