Walking your way to a better healthIf you want to lose weight without much effort, you can do so. Yes, it’s possible to stave off the stubborn fat and bulges by just ditching fancy diets and hard workouts. The secret to weight loss in today’s highly stressful times is -Walking. Besides being good for the overall health, just taking a walk at any time of the day can fight off diseases related to heart, blood pressure and diabetes etc.These facts have been echoed in a recent study that highlights weight loss and physical activity dropped the risk of heart attacks by over 60% for people with type 2 diabetes. What’s even better is that walking also maintains a healthy mind-body balance and ensures that you remain upbeat and positive throughout the day. Walking the right way to lose weightAccording to Dr. Deepak Pal, sports and functional nutritionist, Sens clinic, “While it’s a fact that 10,000 steps a day are a ‘must’ for keeping a healthy body, it’s a good idea to take frequent breaks for walking. There’s no set formula for walking but experts say that it is important to understand one’s body cycles and rhythms to truly reap the best benefits from walking. A number of other factors like serious pre-existing medical conditions, age and other factors should also be taken into account.”Though there are diverse opinions on the duration and the pace of walking, it’s a good idea to begin small and then scale up, slowly. A leisurely pace or brisk walking is perfectly fine as long as your body can easily adjust with this routine over a period. According to many experts, an average walking time of 150 minutes per week, while being mindful of one’s body and stamina.Enclosed are some of the benefits of walkingBurns off belly fat: A toned tummy requires the loss of belly fat and fat around the abdominal area, which is more difficult and critical to do. But the good news is that brisk walk leads to the melting of visceral fat and makes room for a more toned belly, over a period of time. A regular walk helps in burning belly fat. No more stress eating: This is one of the most harmful habits in these modern times where pressure is a constant and there is no peace. It’s often mistaken as a source of comfort but it only causes discomfort and issues eventually. People either skip meals or grab a bite whenever their schedule permits, leading to the body going haywire on the health front. But all of this changes when you get in the habit of walking daily as it sets a certain rhythm. While the appetite gets more regulated, one is able to deal with high pressure and stressful situations in a calmer manner. This also means that junk food eventually becomes history and the body gets enough time to digest the food properly while retaining all critical nutrients. It also improves digestion.Makes metabolism better: It’s not easy to resist sugar cravings and cheat on a strict diet with an occasional indulgence or more. Many people tend to say goodbye to new age diets because it’s not easy to resist sugar-laden snacks. But there’s good news. By just walking for 30 minutes on a daily basis, you can easily burn up to 150 calories and also beat those sugary cravings leading to a balance of blood sugar level. As a result, it boosts metabolism and keeps you more alert, agile and energetic throughout the day. The best part? You successfully keep calories at bay. A thumbs up for lean muscle mass: Extra kilos have never done anyone any good. In this context, the human body’s muscle tissues have a higher rate of burning calories as compared to fat tissues. When you walk, the body tends to preserve lean muscle mass and shed off excess weight. It also strengthens the cardiovascular system besides making the muscles more robust.Walking is a great way to lose weight if you follow a regular routine which can be done by setting a time for walking each day. To incorporate at least 30 to 45 minutes of walking each day, you can split your walk and schedule it for various times throughout the day.Did You Know? Mangoes Are Low On Calories And Supports Heart Health!