Walking and Body Weight

I have been asked to address the more popular and light-hearted subject of walking and weight loss by many friends.  So this blog is for them.

I have always be slim.  During my teen years and 20's I was more muscular because I was a long distance runner.  I was also a vegetarian.  Now, I am a proponent of "whole foods" and I do eat meat.  In addition, I believe in eating seasonally and consuming local produce as much as possible.

That being said, I do have a some insights on long distance walking and body weight.  I am not a medical professional but the simple math of intake and output is undeniable.  If one has more intake than output, one is going to gain weight; and then the opposite is that one will lose weight.

I have not changed my diet much to accommodate my hours of walking.  I have added more lean protein such as Fage's non-fat plain Greek yogurt (so delicious), cottage cheese and more fresh fruits--sometimes up to 12 servings of fruits a day.  I still eat an almost vegetarian diet with the exception of more salmon or other fish.  My caloric intake has not increased by much, may be around 200 calories more a day, at the most.  And I walk at least 2 hours a day and once a week I walk 5 hours and then some.

When I stepped on the pavement to start walking over 2 months ago, 3 weeks into my walking I noticed that my body started to re-shape itself:  flatter stomach, less adipose under my entire body--firmer and more toned muscles emerged.  It is evident that even my face lost its roundness yet my weight did not drop significantly.  I weigh just about 5 pounds less but I feel more compact as most of you know that muscles weigh more than fat.  So for me, walking has not been the magical weight loss program for me.  However, if you have 35% of fat or more in your body, you will lose more weight more quickly.  Lean folk like me just get toned and denser muscles.

As you may remember, I did not start walking to lose weight.  I started to walk to curb pain.  So I have not paid as much attention to weight loss as I should have.  The 5 pounds I lost was alarming because it happened very quickly--second week.   So I have been doing everything to maintain my current weight---116 lbs. at around 5'6".

I do want to talk about whole foods and seasonal and local diet.  I eat foods that look like the way they are from the ground or from the original sources---no box foods for me.  In terms of vegetables and fruits, I eat seasonally: berries are abundant in late spring and earlier summer and that's when I eat them.  I know grocery stores are still selling strawberries and blue berries now--they are imported and not seasonal here in CA so I don't eat them.  In terms of meat and fish I buy them from a butcher instead packaged deals.  Chinese and Asian markets are known for their swimming fish and fresh cuts of meat.  I get to see the meats and choose what I think is the freshest.

A couple of other important dietary habits I have employed are:  absolutely NO white sugar and NO deep-fried foods; suffice to say, I can't remember the last time I went into a fast food joint.  These actions might take a bit of discipline for most people but they came quite easily for me as I never did like much sweets and deep-fried anything.

So much about diet and weight loss, I can't say enough the importance of some sort of exercise for everyone.  I walk because of a serious personal conviction to survive and cope with my health issues.  Yet one does not need to step on the pavement because of a health issue.  Walking is cheap--all you need are comfortable shoes, warm clothes, sun-block and may be music.  No membership fees and all the other fancy trimmings of a health club.  Walking is natural.  Everyone walks.  Walking is by far the most holistic of all exercises and when done regularly with proper eating habits, one can expect miracles.

Now, put on your comfy shoes, wear a visor, take your house key, and hit the pavement, everyday.  Just do it!!!