Disclaimer
Not all exercise programs are suitable for everyone. Check with your doctor before beginning any walking and weight loss program to avoid or reduce the risk of injury. The author is not to be responsible or liable for any injury sustained as a result of using the suggested walking system presented in this book.Chapter One
My story, my weight… It was another hot summer afternoon and I could feel my clothes clinging to my body. I couldn’t help but resent the light and revealing blouses and dresses so many other women were wearing. I, as usual, was hiding myself beneath darkly coloured clothes, an overly long shirt that covered my entire torso, and long trousers that concealed my legs. I was not worried about the sun. I was worried about someone getting a good look at my body. I had been told repeatedly that I was plump, but not remarkably overweight. However, a childhood of being teased by peers for being “chunky” had done some damage to my self-esteem. My body and weight issues became a permanent part of my existence.A Change
Something about that one, hot, summer day, however changed it all. I was so tired of being uncomfortable, worried, and generally miserable about my body. I was completely fed up with tugging at the shirt that clung to me because I was perspiring so heavily. I wanted to toss on a pair of shorts and trainers, jog to the path along the river and just feel like so many of the people around me – comfortable and confident. Then it occurred to me: ” Olivia,” I asked myself, “Why can’t you do that? Why can’t you become someone who runs or walks happily in cool and comfortable clothes and feels completely happy with yourself?” I stood there, gazing at the summer day and realized that I was allowing all of this stress and misery into my life. I was choosing to remain the way I was and to just be unhappy about it. I suddenly remembered that saying about the journey of thousands of miles begins with a single step…I could take that step any time I wanted. Just one step…Me Today
That one step has since turned into thousands, perhaps millions, because that scorching summer afternoon gave me the motivation to finally start my journey. Since then, I have learned that there really was nothing standing between me “then” and the happier and healthier me “now” except, well…me.
I wanted to share my story with you in order to encourage you to follow in my footsteps…literally. You see, the changes I made did begin with that one single step, and it was the first step in a walking workout. I was not able to walk a kilometre on my first day, but slowly and steadily I built up my strength, endurance, and skill.
Astonishingly enough, it took about six weeks for me to be able to walk 6.4km in an hour. After that, there was no stopping me. However, there was more to the tale than just sliding into some trainers and heading out the door. I had to build up strength, learn all about the benefits of walking, change my attitude and outlook, and discover the importance of setting goals and sticking to them – no matter what.
I also discovered that there are some key resources and tools for those who want to get fit, get happy, and shed weight while walking. These include:
- A pedometer;
- Portable accessories like a water bottle, armband to carry my possessions, and a heart rate monitor;
- Good walking shoes or trainers; and
- Comfortable clothing suited to the weather and conditions.
Chapter Two
The Benefits of Walking
Did I just head home from the park on that hot summer day and start to walk? Yes and no. I did take a more assertive stroll later that day, and in garments that were a lot more revealing than I was used to wearing. However, I lost my initiative within two days, and so I decided that I had to force myself to do some serious thinking.
I once had a friend who made a list of “pros and cons” to help her make any decisions. She would literally compare the benefits versus any negative factors, and make her choices based on the results.
In other words, what were the benefits of walking and what, if any, was the downside? I sat at my kitchen table with a notepad and pencil and began to argue both sides of the issue. Obviously, the only viable “cons” I could come up with were totally ridiculous: It’s hot, I don’t feel comfortable with my body or with exercising in front of others, I can’t do it all year…they were just nonsense.
Then, I started with the “pros” and it was remarkable! I realized that I was kidding myself if I felt that there was anything at all negative about walking for weight loss and fitness. Consider my list:
Weight Loss
The most obvious benefit from walking would be that I would lose weight. No matter how much or how little, I would be able to feel the satisfaction of weight loss. With that, I realized I could look forward to things – shopping for some clothing a size smaller, feeling better both emotionally and physically, and being able to move more without getting irritated by my body or my discomfort. Obviously, any weight loss would improve my health and reduce the risk of disease as well, and that was the most significant benefit.Improved Sense of Health and Wellness
I didn’t have to think hard to come up with the next benefit – feeling better and healthier. Anyone who exercises is going to become healthier, and this is not just an external change. A benefit of walking would be that I looked healthier, but also that my personal sense of wellness and health would also improve too. I would know that my health was improving, I would know it because I would see it, feel it, and experience it on every level. I could only imagine what this might do for my self-esteem.Self-Motivation – Yes, I Would Talk to Myself!
It would make me be nicer to myself. Honestly, I had always used judgmental words towards myself. “Olivia, you are so terribly lazy” or “Those legs are just so flabby!”. Of course, the constant one was “You’re not good enough”. Committing to a walking routine, however, I realized would force me to stop using self-defeating words against myself. I had to be my coach, cheerleader, and motivator. Immediately, that mean-spirited voice would have to go silent and be replaced by a much friendlier one saying things like, “C’mon Olivia, just two hundred more steps to go!” or “You can do this, and you can do it a bit faster than yesterday!”Me Time
In all my years I had not really made a point of setting aside an hour or so out of each day strictly for myself. After all, anyone who works, takes care of their home, and lives in the modern world might find their schedule packed with things “to do”, but rarely does their list say “take time for yourself each day”. Choosing to commit to walking for weight loss forced me to think of some part of each day as “me time,” and that was beneficial to my mental and my physical wellness. It was like a pause or break in what was otherwise a very busy and hectic life. Eventually, this became something I really look forward to and appreciate every day.Bring in the Fresh Air – Good Breathing and Stress Elimination
Staring at the list and pondering what other benefits would come from walking, I realized that I would see the light of day a lot more often, and definitely take in the fresh air far more than I had ever done. Then I remembered the looks on the faces of the people in the park – they were outdoors, taking in the fresh air, and looking completely relaxed. I realized that exercise and fresh air are two of the best stress eliminators around. So, my walking would get me outdoors and relaxed. Also, I had already done a bit of reading about “mindful breathing” in which people pay attention to very deep breathing as a form of meditation and relaxation. I realized that I could also take up some cleansing and refreshing breathing of this kind each time I took a walk.Time to Think and Refocus
Realizing that I would be able to do that mindful breathing led to my recognition of yet another benefit – I would have plenty of time to clear my mind, clear my thoughts, and refocus. My busy life often left me with an out of control list of things to do, to remember, and so on. That never ending feeling of distraction could finally be overcome because I would have some real time to invest in clearing my mind. That time spent walking would let me organize my thoughts, think about anything that might need a solution, and just clear the table, so to speak. Also, it would be much safer to feel a bit distracted while walking briskly along a path than it would be to try to think and refocus while driving or making my way to work!The Fun of it All
Of course, I realized that it would be a tremendous lot of fun to exercise each day. Whether I remained “solo” or joined in with some other active walkers, I would be doing something that exposed me to far more opportunities for fun and enjoyment than sitting on the couch for a few hours after coming home from work each day.
If I didn’t quite believe that to be true as I sat making my list, I had to only remember the many people in the park on that hot, oppressive, and fateful afternoon. Though the weather was not ideal, everyone was clearly enjoying themselves. The walkers, cyclists, joggers, boaters, and even those kicking a soccer ball with their kids were all actively having fun, and I could be one of them too.
Confident in Summer Clothes
That brought me to the final benefit – wearing looser, smaller, and far more appealing summer clothing. The winter months were no problem because I could bundle up like everyone else, but the summers? Now I too could wear the shorts, the light tops, and the summery dresses without a doubt that I looked good. The confidence it would give me might change my entire life. After all, the first thing I thought of when planning to go out and do something was that I didn’t want to show my body. That would lead to thoughts of having nothing in the cupboard that I could wear. Walking and shedding weight would let me get in shape and feel confident wearing the same sorts of garments as everyone else. No longer would I find myself tugging uncomfortably at my unseasonal, clingy, and darkly coloured garments. No more would I choose what to wear as a way of hiding, instead I could start dressing to show my personality and cease worrying about my body.The Decision is Made
I dropped the pencil and looked at the list. The sad and shabby excuses that appeared in the “cons” column gave me a laugh. The many “pros” gave me motivation. I understood that I had reached a turning point and had just become fully committed to walking and losing the weight. Now, I had to think about the realities of my choice – in other words, just what did I need in order to succeed?Chapter Three
Key Ingredients For Success
I was now certain about my decision and knew that I would remain committed to walking for weight loss, but I recognized the need for further information. I went online and looked around at what others had done, and how they had done it. I realized that I would need some “key ingredients” for my success. These ingredients were:Developing and Setting Goals
I could quote a lot of people, but let’s just say that many people didn’t reach their “destination” because they didn’t use a “map” to get there. I wanted to reach my destination, and that meant I needed a map. By map, I meant clear, defined, and easily attainable goals. I had uncovered my reasons for beginning to walk as I listed the benefits – I wanted to lose weight, get healthy inside and out, feel more confident, have fun, clear my mind, and so on. However, those reasons could be seen as broader goals that would require many other smaller goals before I reached them. From my research, I learned that the most successful people are those who make very concise plans, and then determine how to implement them. In other words, I needed to develop and set smaller goals in order to get to the big ones (i.e. success). The map to reach the destination! For me, it was simple: Choose a realistic target for walking and weight loss, decide how long it might take, and make weekly goals to gauge my progress. Remember, I already told you that it took me only six weeks to be able to walk 6.4km in an hour. That was really my ultimate walking goal. I knew if I reached that point, I could maintain a regular routine of daily walking and exercise, and even add more activities like a dancing class or some yoga. That means that attainable also means “maintainable” on a permanent basis. You won’t be able to walk 10km or more every day forever, and using this brutal regimen to drop weight will result in disaster. Start small, work your way up, and soon you will have hit your goal, and be able to just keep on going. My routine looked like this: Week One – Try each day to do a single kilometre within half of an hour. Week Two – Try to do that single kilometre in a shorter time by the end of the week. Week Three – Do two kilometres as fast as possible. Week Four – By this time I had actually reached 3.5km easily within 25 minutes, so I focused on going longer and faster. Week Five – Continue as in week four. Week Six – I was doing 6.4km in roughly 50-60 minutes. After that, I added some hand weights, changed my route to include hills, and more. So, choose your attainable goals as the first key ingredient to success. Make sure that it is indeed attainable and not impossible. Nothing defeats you more than failing to meet a goal that was not realistic in the first place (it is why so many New Year’s Resolutions are a smashing failure).Determination to Start
Of course, I did have to take that “first” walk, and I can tell you that it made me nervous and tense. I even experienced disruption to my sleep the evening before because I worried so much over this brief walk. However, I did that first half of an hour of brisk walking and loved it. I did struggle to get going the next day because of muscle soreness and a bit of inertia after a long day, but I just kept reminding myself of those benefits. By day three I had put that list of “pros and cons” by the door to remind me that I had been enthusiastic about committing to this process, and should remain so. Determination to start, and continue, was a struggle at first, but after the first week, it faded fast. In fact, I felt bad if something interrupted my routine and kept me from walking at my normal time!Never Give Up Attitude
As you might guess, getting started is one thing, continuing is another. During the first week I experienced some physical discomforts, noticed that some of my walks took a lot longer than I felt they had, and I sometimes felt like a failure. Even with attainable and realistic goals, you can still struggle. Also, after two weeks I had not seen a lot of change in my weight. And this too made me want to quit. Clearly, I needed a bit of a boost to my outlook. I went online and started looking for any sort of answers to my problems. What I found was a lot of others who were in need of support. For example, social networks like Facebook had some really encouraging pages, such as “I Lost Weight Walking” that provided me with inspiring graphics and quotes that improved my attitude substantially. My research also told me that my weight was not dropping because I was building muscle, which weighs a lot. The best news was that the muscle would soon start to gobble up calories and the fitter I became, the more weight I might lose thanks to that muscle. I just had to be patient, persistent, and never give up.Reaching Goals and Challenging Yourself a Bit More Each Day
As I developed my key ingredients for success, I realized that I had reached my initial goals very quickly. That told me that I would have to find ways of challenging myself to do a bit more or work a bit harder each day. I read a quote that said something like, “You don’t have to be the best, just better than you were the day before.” I kept that in mind at all times, and found that I was really enjoying challenging myself. I walked faster, added weights, different movements to my body, found more challenging paths, and so much more! This all came in to play when I hit my first “plateau”. This is a time during any exercise or diet regimen when the body actually gets used to the challenges and enters into a “maintenance” phase. It does not lose any further weight or develop any greater strength or endurance. It is actually very simple to knock your body off a plateau when you make a habit of challenging yourself a bit more each day. (We explore this more in a later chapter)Your Definition of Success…Not Theirs, Hers, or Anyone Else
One of the major problems I confronted as I began to do my walking workouts was the “naysayers”. Friends and family made comments such as “You’re fine as you are!” or “Don’t look at yourself in such a negative way!” There are many reasons that people say such things, and though some may be kind hearted in their intent, others may be meant as discouragement.
People are people, and I won’t go into the psychology behind the naysayers and others like them. Instead, I will just share with you the ways I overcame the issue.
Firstly, I had my goals in mind. This was my view or perspective of what it meant to be a “success”. I had to keep that cemented in my mind because there were a lot of reasons to forget my definition. As an example, the woman in the tiny athletic shorts and the impossibly toned legs who trotted by me (barely winded) every day could have affected me, but I simply reminded myself that my idea of success was to be able to do that 6.4km within 60 minutes. I didn’t have to be an “athlete” like she was to be a success. I had to stop doing comparisons of that kind.
Secondly, I had heard many times that “success is the best sort of revenge”. However, I didn’t like that negativity. If I wanted to take what the naysayers had said to me, and get something from it, I had to turn it into motivation.
I found a far more inspiring quote: “Let the people who doubt you be the fuel for your motivation”. That is how I turned any negative comments into success. If I was told I didn’t need to lose weight, that I shouldn’t get my hopes up, or that I’d probably quit before the summer was over, I just used those words to keep me moving forward faster and more energetically than before.
Success is defined by your goals. It is never to be compared to the “success” that anyone else is heading towards or has already achieved.
Using the Tools to Gauge Success – Your Pedometer as Your Cheerleader
Finally, one of the most important key ingredients that I discovered early in my efforts was a good pedometer. I had mapped out my walking paths and I knew how much distance I would cover on each outing, but I had no idea about things like the number of steps I was taking, the amount of calories I was burning, and so on. This was important because it would give me a far more realistic portrait of where I was in terms of my goals and my results. I will get into the specifics of the pedometer I chose (a Nakosite 3D Motion Sensor Pedometer) later in this book, but for now just know that it is a key ingredient to success. An accurate pedometer is going to work like a cheerleader, encouraging you to try harder, go faster, and walk longer than you have before. The numbers don’t lie, and so a good pedometer is something that proves to you that you are reaching goals and succeeding.Going for a Walk
Don’t think that I had been just sitting around and thinking about walking for weight loss as I came up with a list of key ingredients. In fact, it took me one or two full weeks of working out to realize most of the points I have itemized above. I share them with you now so you can make the physical and mental preparations needed to get started successfully and without any of the glitches that challenged me. If you have your goals, understand the many benefits of walking, and have made your basic preparations for beginning your program, let’s go for a walk!Chapter Four
How to Burn More Calories from Walking
As I got started, I knew that my speed was going to determine how many calories were burned. In other words, if I did a 15-minute kilometre it would burn fewer calories than a ten-minute kilometre. My ultimate goal was the 10-minute kilometre, and that meant I was going to burn from around 350-450 calories depending upon my weight. This was walking on a level surface and at a brisk pace. I knew that I could only do this for so long before I hit a plateau, and so I decided to be proactive about it and figure out just how to burn up more calories right from the beginning.Determine Your Speed
As I said, I had invested in that wonderful Nakosite 3D Motion Sensor Pedometer. It allowed me to easily calculate my speed through the use of its many functions. These include:- Step – tracks steps taken (In this mode you can also choose a “target” to be sure you get your daily needs or meet the goals of a workout)
- Distance – gauges distance travelled based on an accurate measure of your stride
- Calories – tracks calories burnt during any given period of time
- Exercise Time – tracks total time of a workout or exercise period
- Daily Memory – keeps track of the totals (daily) for a full week. The improved version keep track for 30 days
- Total Memory – allows a review of all of the data since the last “reset”
Burn More in Proper Form
From the beginning, however, I was not walking with the best “form”. That was something I realized I had to work on as my endurance and strength were built up. In those first weeks I was focused on covering the distance in the amount of time I had set as a goal. This became easier and easier, and that was when I knew it was time to challenge myself by considering different aspects of my “form”. These were:- Good Posture – It is challenging to keep the chin up high and the spine in proper alignment while walking briskly, but it gives a surprising burst of energy and speed when you do so.
- Pump Those Arms – Many people feel they will look silly if they use their arms, but this burns up many more calories, involves the use of the upper body, and provides even more speed.
- Roll Your Feet – Many walkers and runners do not position their feet properly or “roll” them through the movements. Essentially, your heel should strike the ground, and the foot should then roll from the heel through to the ball of the foot for the best control, balance, and force. Start practicing this slowly and soon you will see the difference between walking on your heels and springing forward from your rolling foot.
- Involve the Whole Body – When you have proper posture, use the arms, and give attention to the way the feet move the body forward, you are involving many of the body’s muscle groups. Try to sense if your abdominal muscles are at work too. When they are, you are really maximizing calorie burning.
- Longer Strides – I began walking with short and fast strides. I often felt like I was rushing along a street and even felt a bit stressed as I walked. Then, on day three or four, I said to myself, “Stop! Take longer and more confident strides!” I did, and I could not believe the difference. I felt more control, I was definitely using my entire body, and all of the tension disappeared. This also allows me to cover ground at a faster pace, and that adds up to more calories burnt.
Head for the Hills and the Uneven Terrain
I would not advocate for you to start with hills. They are extremely challenging. Instead, begin with some mild inclines, and then slowly increase the distance you cover going uphill during a walk. Remember that an incline is a form of resistance and it will burn more calories. Remember too that going down a steep hill also demands different muscles to be put to use, and your body will respond to this very well. Try to keep the same pace when doing hills, i.e. if you are aiming for a 15 minute kilometre try to stick at this pace. Doing this guarantees maximum calorie burn, but don’t overdo it and stress the body too much. One or two good climbs during an hour of walking are all your body will need to burn more calories.Hit a Plateau? Add Weights
I will tell you that even if you follow the same program that I did, you will eventually hit a plateau. This is because, as I said already, your body will just get used to the challenges. When I began to see less of an impact from my walking workouts, I simply invested in two small hand weights. I did not use them on every walk, however, as I had plans for breaking the plateau and continuing to increase the effects of the weights over time. So, I began by using them twice a week for two weeks, then I increased this to three times a week, and so on. When I was used to carrying weights for every workout, I increased the weight of the weights using that same introductory pattern – the heavier weights two days per week for two weeks, and so on. By the time I got used to carrying the heavier weights each day of the week, I had long since reached my target goals in terms of my weight loss and my abilities with walking for fitness and exercise. I was just having fun and finding ways to challenge my body or make the workout a bit different from the day before. Remember that I was also doing inclines in addition to using the weights, so I had a lot of variety.Not Tired? Add Intervals
I also had learned about interval training when doing research. This is simply the combination of walking with activities like sprinting, jogging, or using a jump rope during the routine. I have not done a lot of interval training because it makes me pay a lot of attention to the time, and as I said, I like to use my walks as a time to think, refocus, and clear my mind. However, when I do feel like things are a bit too routine, I will put down the weights and use my Nakosite 3D Motion Sensor Pedometer to help me do the bursts of activity that make intervals so appealing. My routine of choice is usually five minutes of brisk walking with two minutes of jogging. I do this for the entire time and it is always an enjoyable challenge with good results. However, you could sprint for a minute, walk for a period of time, jog, and so on.About Face, to the Side, and Changing Directions
In addition to doing intervals, I really love to do workouts that allow me to change direction as I walk. This engages all of the muscle groups of the entire body while increasing the results of the workout. It does require a level walking surface and a lot of space to move. This is because you will be doing things like walking forward, and then reversing direction and walking backwards for a set number of steps or over a specific distance. You can also stop and do wide steps from side to side (and if you “crouch” into this you can really feel it working your leg muscles). You can also walk swiftly in one direction, turn around or do an “about face” and walk just as briskly in the opposite direction before turning around again and continuing forward. You can mix this up with intervals, such as jogging in one direction, walking in the opposite for a set amount of time, and then jogging in that same direction before turning around, etc.Using What You Know
The point here is that you now have an entire arsenal of tactics to use to burn up more calories than ever, and without doing anything very radical or different in the routine. Though you might think that walking briskly will be just enough for you, I can guarantee that you will reach a point when you’ll want to try some of these moves. Your body won’t feel as challenged, and believe me when I say that you actually begin to miss that challenge. That’s when you can start using all of the steps I did along my path to success.Chapter Five
The Other Necessities
Meet the Pedometer- The Many Benefits of This Wonderful Device When you have the information I have provided above, you are left with the need for only a few more “things”. As already described, you will want a good pedometer. I chose the Nakosite 3D Motion Sensor Pedometer because it is feature rich, and because it is “3D”. It is radically different from the standard pedometer because of its use of a 3D sensor to detect movement far more accurately. This is something you want in a pedometer because you need to be sure you are reaching your chosen goals. The standard pedometer is often noisy due to a mechanical device that clumsily gauges movement as it bangs about inside of the housing. The design of these devices can often allow for inaccurate counts because they register every movement. This can mean that you might take 1,000 steps but because you are swinging your arms or you have a hard stride, the mechanical pedometer says you walked 1,600 steps. Clearly, this could result in poor weight loss results. The loud rattling sounds these units make come from the mechanical devices, and this too can be an unpleasant side effect from conventional pedometers. It can be very distracting to hear a lot of noise each time you move, and so a 3D sensor is far more appealing. Another reason to consider the Nakosite 3D Motion Sensor Pedometer is the simple fact that it has been designed for people seeking to lose weight and develop healthy walking habits.A Good Pair of Shoes
As someone walking for weight loss, you are going to need a bit more than “casual walking” shoes. There are “race walking” and “marathon walking” shoes on the market, and though they can be costly, they are a good investment. I have gotten a lot of distance out of them since they are designed for the kinds of impact and pressures that come from walking daily and for fitness. Use the following tips to choose properly:- The shoe has to be flexible;
- Put on both shoes and roll from heel to toe to look for rubbing or anything that might cause a blister;
- Check the heel – it should be low to prevent the front of the foot from smacking the ground after the heel lands during a stride;
- Check the arch – all feet are different, but you will need support of the heel to protect the knees and back as well as the feet;
- Light in weight is best;
- Make sure the shoe has adequate shock absorption;
- Check to be sure the shoe offers an ankle collar for support, an Achilles notch to prevent any harmful rubbing on the tendon at the back of the foot; and
- Materials should be breathable and yet durable.
The Right Clothes
Clothing, as you know, was an issue for me, but right from the start I set some ground rules for myself and focused on function and comfort over “covering up my body”. The clothing you wear for walking has to be appropriate to the season, but it should also allow you to focus on your exercise. In other words, try to choose garments that fit properly and which don’t billow about, cling or “ride” uncomfortably, or prevent your body from perspiring fully.
There are many who advocate for garments designed to help you “sweat away” weight, but these are dangerous and ineffective. Simple clothes of lightweight cotton or special materials designed for exercise are the best.
Remember that it is far easier to take off layers if you are too warm and less likely that you will continue exercising if you are too cold. Dress the warmest for cool weather and then shed layers. In hot weather, wear loose clothing that protects the skin but which encourages natural cooling through perspiration.
Socks are a “must” and should also be weather appropriate and conducive to exercise. No wool or blends that will cause blistering, odour, and pain should ever be worn. Instead, athletic socks or anklets are ideal.
A hat may be necessary as well as sunglasses, and your choices should always be towards gear designed for athletes.
You must have a water bottle that is easy to carry or designed for walkers, and you must drink while working out. Dehydration saps you of energy, and this will reduce the impact of walking. So, drink up and keep hydrated even in cooler weather.
I also suggest what I call “all the rest”. These were things I ended up investing in during the first week or so of my walking regimen, and I have never regretted buying them:
- Heart rate monitor – I have a style that looks like a wrist watch and it lets me see just how strong I have become
- Armband case holder for my phone/MP3 player
- Portable sound system with good earphones/buds
Smart Nutrition
I cannot go into nutrition in any great depth, but can offer these tips:
- No sugar, no sugar, and no sugar at all. It is one of the world’s worst “foods” and it gives you empty calories, no energy, and harms the body;
- Do not eat a heavy meal within two hours of a walking workout;
- Do NOT do a starvation diet for even a day – this is tremendously harmful to the body and does not provide long-term weight loss. Follow a healthy diet plan, do your exercise, and you will shed weight;
- Drink plenty of water at all times, and especially during hot weather workouts;
- Bring an energy bar or fruit to be sure you have adequate energy during and after the walking workout;
- Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy, lean meats, and healthy fats. A balanced diet always supports weight loss and fitness, and you should seek to fuel the body for the best walking workout results.