Here we are again, the penultimate read that gives us this month's walking theme, a chapter from Annabelle Tweed’s book “52 Ways to Walk”.
★★★ Walk on an empty stomach or first thing before breakfast! ★★★
Last month, I had chosen the chapter on walking after a meal, and I must admit, I had misgivings. I don't particularly appreciate walking or running with a full stomach, and I know I feel much better being out jogging or jeffing first thing in the morning before I have anything to eat. So, I am one of those walkers and runners who loves running on an empty stomach.
So, it was an easy decision this time around and for me to choose her chapter about walking hungry to see where Annabel Street leads us whilst exploring another aspect of walking.
The latest science concurs with my perceived benefits of walking hungry and suggests that walking before a meal burns more fat and improves our body's response to insulin.
Research also suggests that it helps regulate appetite. So, for those who need to lose weight, walking before any meal theoretically should help burn more fat. In fact, the author suggests it burns double the amount of fat compared to those who walk or exercise after a meal.
So a pre-breakfast walk, what she calls a “fasted walk”, seems a really good idea.
There are exceptions, of course. If you’re planning a long hike, for instance, a long run or just a very long walk, you need that sustenance.
And it’s not for everyone. Some walkers just need that extra fuel, and as always we should be mindful that we are all so different.
Research also recently found that low-intensity exercise, like that of walking, is particularly effective when done while fasting, with low-intensity exercisers burning more weight than those who do HIIT, intensive workouts or fast runs on empty stomachs. Walking or slow jogging or jeffing obviously is perfect for keeping it at low intensity! Not only will it help burn fat, but it also helps keep inflammation down.
She quotes Colin Jackson, the record-breaking athlete and coach, who starts every morning with a fasted walk, covering 6 km in 50 minutes. So if you want to lose weight, she says, follow his example and do a walk every morning before breakfast at the same time. That consistency and the habit, with all the benefits of walking on empty, should help with effective weight loss.
Practical tips she gives are:
★ 1) For those who are not used to walking on an empty stomach, start with shorter walks.
★ 2) If you feel you can’t go without, try eating a banana or some nuts or some dried fruit beforehand.
★ 3) And of course bear in mind that although fasted walks seem effective for most, they might not be for everyone. So as always, listen to your body, consult your GP if you need to, and go slowly and increase incrementally.
Happy walking, everyone. And let us know how you get on when you try to ….
★★★ … walk on an empty stomach or first thing before breakfast! ★★★
And for your reference, our prior THEMED CHALLENGES ARE:
★ January Challenge - Walk in the Cold healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ February Challenge - Take a 12-min walk healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ March Challenge - Take a City Smell Walk healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ April Challenge -Walk with your Ears healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ May Challenge - Follow a River healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ June Challenge - Walk with a Map healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ July Challenge - Sing as you Stride healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ August Challenge - walk like a nomad and breathe in rhythm to your stride healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ September Challenge - Take a Foraging Walk healthunlocked.com/active10...
★ October Challenge - Walk after Eating healthunlocked.com/active10...
