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Walk Off Belly Fat - & More!
Our fun workout torches calories & shrinks your middle.
By Michele Bender, Prevention magazine
You know walking is great for your heart, legs, butt & energy
level. Here's a happy but little-known fact:
It's also a great way to flatten your belly.
Women who walked briskly for about an hour a day for 14 weeks
shrunk their belly fat by 20% - without changing their eating habits, reports a Canadian study.
To firm up even faster, don't do just any old walk. This workout
teaches you techniques that trim abdominal fat while you move:
- ab toners, done during short breaks, will give you added definition
The result: a flatter, stronger middle in just 6 weeks - no sit-ups required.
The Expert: Scott Cole, author of the Best Abs on Earth DVD, designed this workout
 6 Weeks to Slim
Ultimate Belly-Flattening Workout
Your Workout at a Glance: The 3 plans below offer intervals of:
- fast-paced Power Walks
- moderate-paced Tempo Walks
to burn calories & shed fat.
During each, you'll do Walk 'n' Tone moves (below) to work your abs harder & Stop 'n' Tone
exercises (below) to really sculpt.
Do each full routine 3 times a week. On alternate days, take
the walks but skip the toning moves.
Pace Yourself
Based on a 1-to-10 intensity scale:
- Warm-up, cool-down (3-4
intensity level) Easy enough that you can sing
- Tempo Walk (5-6
level) Moderate enough that you can talk freely
- Power Walk (7-8
level) Brisk enough that you can talk but you'd rather not
Weeks 1 & 2: Firm up fast
The basics: As
you walk, engage your abs by lifting the crown of your head & lengthening your spine.
Start: Warm-up, easy pace
(3-4 intensity level)
4:00: Power Walk, brisk pace
(7-8 intensity level) with arms bent
5:00: Tempo Walk, moderate
pace (5-6 intensity level)
7:00: Power Walk
8:00: Stop 'n' Tone
- Side Pull-down
Stop 'n' Tone: Ab Exercises
Do each move for 30 seconds. If it works only one arm or leg, do 15 seconds
on each side. Double the time in weeks 5 & 6.Side Pull-down
Targets the obliques on your sides to give you a more defined waistline.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended overhead.
Shift weight to right foot & contract left side of torso, lifting left knee out to side.
At the same time, bend left arm & pull elbow to left thigh.
Extend arm & leg back to start, but tap toe on ground & repeat. Switch sides.
Cross Punch
Firms your lower belly by targeting the transverse abdominal muscle. The twisting also slims your waistline.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent
& abs pulled in. Bend arms so fists are at about chin level, like a boxer. Keeping feet planted, twist to right &
punch with left arm, then return to start.
Contract lower abs with each punch. Repeat, alternating arms.
12:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Cross Punch
13:00: Power Walk
14:00: Tempo Walk
16:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Reach
17:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Knee Twist
17:30: Power Walk
18:30: Tempo Walk
20:30: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Press
21:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Lunge Run
22:00: Power Walk
23:00: Tempo Walk
25:00: Power Walk
26:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Slip a Punch
26:30: Power Walk
27:30: Tempo Walk
29:30: Power Walk
30:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Standing Crunch
31:00: Cool-down, easy pace
35:00: Finished
Weeks 3 & 4: Burn off fat
What's new: Tempo Walks are longer to burn
extra calories and uncover the firmer abs that you've been working on.
Start: Warm-up, easy pace (3-4 intensity level)
4:00: Power Walk, brisk pace (7-8 intensity level) with arms
bent
5:00: Tempo Walk, moderate pace (5-6 intensity level)
9:00: Power Walk
10:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Side Pull-down
10:30: Power Walk
11:30: Tempo Walk
15:30: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Curl
16:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Cross Punch
17:00: Power Walk
18:00: Tempo Walk
22:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Reach
23:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Knee Twist
23:30: Power Walk
24:30: Tempo Walk
28:30: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Press
29:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Lunge Run
30:00: Power Walk
31:00: Tempo Walk
35:00: Power Walk
36:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Slip a Punch
36:30: Power Walk
37:30: Tempo Walk
41:30: Power Walk
42:30: Stop 'n' Tone—Standing Crunch
43:00: Cool-down, easy pace
47:00: Finished
Weeks 5 & 6: Boost benefits
What's new: Stop 'n' Tone moves are longer
(60 seconds each) to really tighten and firm your midsection.
Start: Warm-up, easy pace (3-4 intensity level)
4:00: Power Walk, brisk pace (7-8 intensity level) with arms
bent
5:00: Tempo Walk, moderate pace (5-6 intensity level)
9:00: Power Walk
10:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Side Pull-down
11:00: Power Walk
12:00: Tempo Walk
16:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Curl
17:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Cross Punch
18:00: Power Walk
19:00: Tempo Walk
23:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Reach
24:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Knee Twist
25:00: Power Walk
26:00: Tempo Walk
30:00: Add Walk 'n' Tone—Press
31:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Lunge Run
32:00: Power Walk
33:00: Tempo Walk
37:00: Power Walk
38:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Slip a Punch
39:00: Power Walk
40:00: Tempo Walk
44:00: Power Walk
45:00: Stop 'n' Tone—Standing Crunch
46:00: Cool-down, easy pace
50:00: Finished
Walk 'n' Tone Moves
Add these simple arm exercises to your walk to boost its tummy-firming
power. "Moving your upper and lower body at the same time makes your torso muscles work harder to provide stabilization and
balance," says Cole. The result: "You'll shape up faster."
Curl: With arms out to sides at
shoulder level, bend elbows, pulling hands toward shoulders like you're doing biceps curls.
Reach: Raise arms out in front
of you at shoulder level like you're punching. Alternate arms in opposition to legs.
Press: Alternate reaching arms
overhead.
Stop 'n' Tone: Ab Exercises
Do each move for 30 seconds. If it works only one arm or leg,
do 15 seconds on each side. Double the time in weeks 5 & 6.
Side Pull-down
Targets the obliques on your sides to give you
a more defined waistline.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended overhead.
Shift weight to right foot and contract left side of torso, lifting left knee out to side. At the same time, bend left arm
and pull elbow to left thigh. Extend arm and leg back to start, but tap toe on ground and repeat. Switch sides.
Cross Punch
Firms your lower belly by targeting the transverse abdominal
muscle. The twisting also slims your waistline.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and
abs pulled in. Bend arms so fists are at about chin level, like a boxer. Keeping feet planted, twist to right and punch with
left arm, then return to start. Contract lower abs with each punch. Repeat, alternating arms.
Knee Twist
This twisting move works your waist-whittling obliques.
Squat with hips and knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart, and
hands behind head. As you stand up, raise left knee as you twist to left and pull right elbow toward left knee. Lower and
repeat with right leg.
Lunge Run
Tones your rectus abdominis, the long muscle that runs from
your ribs to your pelvis, to give your abs super definition.
Lunge with left foot in front and right foot about 2 feet behind
it, arms bent at sides. Keeping left knee bent and torso still, lift right knee toward chest and lower, swinging arms back
and forth. Switch legs and repeat.
Slip a punch
Another benefit to working your oblique muscles: shrinking
stubborn love handles.
shoulders relaxed and lower body still, bend at waist and lean
torso to right as if you were trying to avoid a punch. Repeat, bending to left.
Standing crunch
Like on-the-floor crunches, this move tones the rectus,
the muscle group responsible for the six-pack look.
Lunge with right foot in front and left foot about 2 feet behind
it, arms overhead. As you straighten right leg, raise left knee toward chest as you bend and pull elbows down toward left
knee. Return to start. Switch legs and repeat.
Photographed by Ericka McConnell
  Walking:
A Step in the Right Direction
From the National Institute of Diabetes &
Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), Published March 2001
Why walk?
Walking is one of the easiest ways to be physically active. You can
do it almost anywhere & at any time. Walking is also inexpensive. All you need is a
pair of shoes with sturdy heel support.
Walking
will:
- Give you more energy
-
-
-
-
-
Tone your muscles
-
-
Increase the number of calories your body uses
For all these
reasons, people have started walking programs. If you'd like to start your own program,
read & follow the information provided here.
Is it okay for me to walk?
Answer the following questions before you begin a walking program.
- Has your health care provider ever told you
that you have heart trouble?
- When you're physically active, do you
have pains in your chest or on your left side (neck, shoulder, or arm)
- Do you often feel faint or have dizzy spells?
- Do you feel extremely breathless after
you have been physically active?
- Has your health care provider told you that
you have high blood pressure?
- Has your health care provider told you
that you have bone or joint problems, like arthritis, that could get worse if you're physically active?
- Are you over 50 years old & not used
to a lot of physical activity?
- Do you have a health problem or physical reason
not mentioned here that might keep you from starting a walking program?
If you answered yes
to any of these questions, please check with your health care provider before starting a walking
program or other form of physical activity.
How do I start a walking program?
Leave
time in your busy schedule to follow a walking program that will work for you. In
planning your walking program, keep the following points in mind:
- Choose a safe place to walk. Find a partner or group of people to walk with you. Your
walking partner(s) should be able to walk with you on
the same schedule & at the same speed.
-
Wear shoes
with thick flexible soles that will cushion your feet & absorb shock.
-
Wear clothes
that will keep you dry & comfortable. Look for synthetic fabrics that absorb sweat & remove it from your skin.
-
For extra
warmth in winter, wear a knit cap. To stay cool in summer, wear a baseball cap or visor.
-
-
Think of
your walk in 3 parts. Walk slowly for 5 minutes. Increase
your speed for the next 5 minutes. Finally, to cool down, walk slowly again for 5 minutes.
-
Try to walk at least 3 times per week. Add 2 to 3 minutes per week to the fast walk.
If you walk less than 3 times per week, increase the fast walk
more slowly.
-
To avoid stiff or sore
muscles or joints, start gradually. Over several weeks, begin walking
faster, going further & walking for longer periods of time.
-
The more
you walk, the better you will feel. You also will use more calories.
Safety tips
Keep safety in mind when you plan your route & the time of your walk.
- walk in the daytime
or at night in well-lighted areas.
- walk in a group at
all times.
- Notify your local police station of your group's walking time & route.
- Don't wear jewelry.
- Don't wear headphones.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
Walk of Life Program: from about.com
10 Week Walking Fitness Program
- Get fit
- Lose fat
- Decrease health risks for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke
- Live longer & w/more vitality
The Day by Day Way
Each day of the Walk of Life
Program includes a walking assignment, eating strategies, mind & motivation tips & a community of other walkers w/which
to share your challenges & successes.
Free & Now
Best of all, you
can get started now. Join us in our Walk of Life. It's free & registration is only required to post messages in the Discussion
Forum. Follow Each Day from its Daily Page
Each day, come back to the page for that day & use the walking assignment,
walking tips, motivation, nutrition tips & recipe & fun links.
Take it one step at a time
It takes time to build new healthy habits. Follow along each day to walk, exercise, eat right, set &
achieve goals & have some fun along the way.
Walking Ability
You can modify the walking duration based on your ability.
Beginners should visit our Absolute Beginners Tutorial to learn how to walk & build up their endurance.
Experienced walkers who find the durations to be too short in the first few weeks should continue w/their usual duration
until we catch up w/you.
In the meantime, enjoy tips on technique, exercise & nutrition.
Weight Loss: If your goal is to lose weight, first check w/your medical provider to see if a reduced calorie diet is
appropriate for you.
You may also want to get a personal consultation w/a registered dietitian. The general nutritional advice offered
on this site is for normally healthy adults & may not apply to you as an individual. Diets & Portions: If a reduced calorie diet is appropriate for you, you may use these suggested diets
as a guideline. Free charts to mark off your servings each day.
1200 & 1500 Calorie Diets
Daily Walk of Life Newsletter
If you want to receive each day's page via email rather than
remembering to visit the web site each day, subscribe to the daily newsletter. A great way to keep on track.
Subscribe- Free
You should also seek medical advice before beginning an
exercise & nutrition program.
Already Walking: If you're already
walking comfortably for over 30 minutes, then feel free to walk for a longer duration than given in the walking assignment.
In future weeks we will get into more vigorous walking workouts to challenge you.
You can sneak a peek at our Walking Workouts.
Distance Walkers: If
you're ready to train for a marathon, you can use the training schedules in our Marathon Training Tutorial
along with this program.
Rest Days: There will be days when
you can't walk due to your schedule or you may wish to add in up to 3 rest days or crosstraining days a week - alternating
with your walking days. Each week I shall have one rest day on day 7.
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Burn off your cigarette addiction with exercise
Just 5 minutes of activity can help curb cravings, studies find
As little as 5 minutes of exercise seems to help smokers curb their craving
for a cigarette, a review of a dozen studies found.
The research showed that moderate exercise, such as walking,
significantly reduced the intensity of smokers' nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
"If we found the same effects in a drug, it would immediately be sold as an aid to help people quit smoking,"
said Dr. Adrian Taylor, the study's lead author & professor of exercise & health
psychology at the University of Exeter.
Taylor
& colleagues reviewed 12 papers looking at the connection between exercise & nicotine deprivation. They focused on exercises
that could be done outside a gym, such as walking & isometrics,
or the flexing & tensing of muscles.
According
to their analysis, just 5 minutes of exercise was often enough to help smokers overcome
their immediate need for a nicotine fix.
After various
types of moderate physical exertion, researchers asked people to rate their need for a cigarette. Those who had exercised reported a reduced desire to smoke.
"What's surprising is the strength of the effect," said Dr. Robert West, professor of health psychology
at University College London, who wasn't involved in the study. "They found that the acute effects of exercise were as effective as a nicotine patch."
West cautioned that it was unknown how long the effects of exercise would
last. "You could in theory use exercise to deal with short bouts of nicotine cravings, but
we don't know if it would help in the longer term," he said.
It's
likely that exercise would have to be combined with a larger strategy of other anti-smoking
techniques to be successful in helping people quit.
Nearly anything that distracts people from smoking is thought to help, but scientists have long suspected that exercise might have a more potent effect.
Taylor theorized that exercise could produce the mood-enhancing hormone dopamine, which could, in turn, reduce smokers' nicotine dependence.
Still, experts were not convinced about the study's practical applications. "Doctors can tell
patients to do things until they're blue in the face, but the limiting factor may be getting people to actually take up exercise," said Dr. Peter Hajek, professor of
clinical psychology at Queen Mary University Hospital in London. Hajek was not involved in the study.
He said that if people were taught simple exercises, including isometrics they could do at their desk, they could potentially stave off their need for a cigarette break. "When you're dying for a cigarette, you can try to exercise instead,"
he said.
Be sure to warm up!
How do I warm up?
Before you start to walk, do the stretches shown here. Remember
not to bounce when you stretch. Perform slow movements & stretch only as far as you
feel comfortable.
Side Reaches
Reach one arm over your head & to the side. Keep your hips steady & your shoulders straight to the side.
Hold for 10 seconds & repeat on the other side.
Knee Pull
Lean your back against a wall. Keep your head, hips & feet in a straight
line. Pull one knee to your chest, hold for 10 seconds, then repeat with the other leg.
Wall Push
Lean your hands on a wall with your feet about 3-4 feet away
from the wall. Bend one knee & point it toward the wall. Keep your back leg straight with your foot flat & your toes
pointed straight ahead. Hold for 10 seconds & repeat with the other leg.
Leg Curl
Pull your right foot to your buttocks with your right hand. Keep your
knee pointing straight to the ground. Hold for 10 seconds & repeat with your left foot & hand.
Walk with your chin up & your shoulders held slightly
back.
Walk so that the heel of your foot touches the ground first.
Roll your weight forward.
Walk with your toes pointed forward.
Swing your arms as you walk.
Sample Walking Program |
Warm Up |
Fast
Walk Time |
Cool
Down Time |
Total Time |
Week One |
|
Walk Slowly
5
mins |
Walk
Briskly 5 mins |
Walk
Slowly
5 mins |
15
mins |
Week Two |
|
Walk Slowly
5 mins |
Walk
Briskly 8 mins |
Walk
Slowly 5 mins |
18
mins |
Week Three |
|
Walk Slowly
5 mins |
Walk
Briskly 11 mins |
Walk
Slowly 5 mins |
21
mins |
Week Four |
|
Walk Slowly
5 mins |
Walk Briskly 14 mins |
Walk
Slowly 5 mins |
24
mins |
Week Five |
|
Walk Slowly
5 mins |
Walk
Briskly 17 mins |
Walk
Slowly 5 mins |
27
mins |
Week Six |
Walk Slowly 5 mins |
Walk Briskly
20 mins |
Walk Slowly 5 mins |
30 mins |
Week Seven |
Walk
Slowly 5 mins |
Walk Briskly
23 mins |
Walk Slowly 5 mins |
33
mins |
Week Eight |
Walk Slowly
5 mins |
Walk Briskly
26 mins |
Walk Slowly 5 mins |
36 mins |
Week Nine & Beyond |
Walk Slowly
5 mins |
Walk Briskly
30 mins |
Walk Slowly 5 mins |
40 mins |
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If you walk less than3 times per week, increase
the fast walk time more slowly.
1/14/04
Weight loss is a walk in the park
By Josh Fischman
Even if youre not on a New Years diet (Atkins, South Beach, or "nothing but wild salmon & organic beef because Im terrified by recent
news about other kinds of food"), you can still lose weight. How?
Take a walk.
This isnt the first
time you've heard that advice. But it may be the first time you've heard that 1/2 hour stroll each day can keep your
weight down despite what you may shove in your mouth.
Well,
thats a bit of an exaggeration: Researchers from Duke University didn't ask a bunch of normal eaters to start wolfing
down whole pizzas. They did ask people, over the course of 8 months, not to change what they ate.
These were 120 middle-aged
men & women. All of them were overweight to begin with. Some spent the 8 months doing a lot of high-intensity exercise, equal to jogging fast enough to breathe hard about
20 miles per week. Some took a medium course:
They
jogged as hard but for shorter distances. Some took things quite a bit easier, at a pace equal
to walking 12 miles per week. And some didnt exercise at all.
No real surprises
overall, says the report in this weeks Archives of Internal Medicine. The harder people worked out, the more
pounds they lost & the more inches dropped away from their waists. The group that didn't exercise
got heavier.
But the "easy" walkers,
who strolled just under 2 miles per day - it took them about 1/2 an hour - actually got their weight down.
They lost
about 1% of their body weight over the 8 months. And it took smaller tape measures to go around their thighs &
waists.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been preaching the 30-minutes-per-day gospel for several years.
Other groups,
however, such as the Institute of Medicine, have recommended 60 minutes. Here the message comes
down on the side of the minimal:
Doing without &
dieting aren't essential to weight control. It isn't as easy as a walk in the park - actually,
it could be that easy, as long as it's a 1/2 hour walk.
“It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence that we can finally
hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us, as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.” K.T. Jong
Walking is a perfect way to get to know more about the world around you. You’re moving at
a slower pace than the car & you can always stop whenever you want to take a closer look. You get to meet more people
& share with them whatever’s going on around you.
You know, when you go
out walking you'll begin a journey that'll help you become fitter in both body & mind.
Yes there’s a spiritual dimension to walking too. When I say spiritual, I don't mean in any religious way. You can have a
spiritual outlook without holding on to a religious belief.
Walking can be a form of meditation. You may have done meditation as a sit down activity & if you have hold on to the purpose of meditation, because the walking form is the same only on the move.
If
you haven’t done meditation & are uncertain as to what meditation is, then I’ll start this section off by giving you a brief definition & explanation.
Really, meditation is what is called being ‘mindful’.
Instead of letting your head run away with thoughts of what happened yesterday, or last week or last year, or get lost in what might happen tomorrow or next week etc., what
you do in meditation is try & keep your thoughts on what's happening right now.
Being mindful means paying attention to how you're feeling, what you're hearing, seeing, doing, thinking etc. In some circles being mindful is called ‘being in the now’.
Doctor Joan Borysenko, PhD, amongst others, has called meditation a process of being, ‘…pleasantly anchored in the present moment.’
In meditation, you work to stay focussed on what's happening to you now.
Thinking about the past & the future are said to be two of the major causes of stress related illnesses, so meditation is something that won’t take us there.
The aim of meditation then is to calm us & increase our sense of well-being.
This may seem to be at odds with walking, as meditation seems to suggest that you need to be still. That’s why some people think you can’t meditate & walk at the same time.
Well, I’m
here to help you prove that idea wrong.
You don’t need any special equipment
or preparation to do a walking meditation. You can do it almost anywhere that’s flat & free from any potentially dangerous obstructions.
You can do it in your back yard if it’s big enough; you can do it in the local park, or even on a city
street.
However, it’s not where you do it, but how you do it. Moreover, there
are several ways you can do it.
You can spend from 20 – 60 minutes on walking meditation or longer if you feel okay about them.
Be aware that walking meditation isn't done at high speed. You'll be able to move freely, but
with grace & calmness, walking as always from the centre. Mental & spiritual well-being is the object.
- Breathe deeply from the diaphragm as you walk.
- As you draw a breath in, count how many steps you're taking.
- As you breathe out, count how many steps you're taking. It’s
as simple as that!
You can add a little something
to this process if you wish. If, i.e., you're taking 4 steps for an in breath, try saying 4 short words to go with each step;
i.e., ‘I am at peace’.
You could repeat this on the out breath if you're taking as many steps as an in breath. On the other hand, you could think of something else of a similar nature.
By the way, it isn't unusual to have a different
number of steps for each breath. I generally take 5 steps for an in breath & 7 on the out!
Play with your breathing & steps. Try taking more steps or fewer steps. Allow your breathing rate to remain
the same despite the number of steps.
What’s important is that you're mindful of what you're doing. Allow nothing else to distract you. Don’t begin to dwell on things that aren't involved immediately with the walking
meditation you’re doing.
Walking meditation helps you become more aware of yourself. Practice will help you learn more about yourself by helping you to let go of all the millions of thoughts swimming around your head. The start of spiritual awareness is learning to know you.
Walking is a pathway to spirituality & you can take it every day!
Author's
Bio: Phil Bilzon is
the author of ‘The Walk Right Book - How you can develop body & mind & help make the world greener by learning
the basics & secrets, of effective walking.’ http://www.greenersteps.com
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