Walking and Belly Fat

Trying to get rid of belly fat seems to be a national past-time in the United States. People are inventing new fad diets and expensive exercise equipment that claims to target the reduction of belly fat. The fact of the matter is that adding regular exercise of any kind can help you lose belly fat.

Not only that, but there are many studies that show regular exercise can be a powerful preventive measure against many diseases including heart disease and many forms of cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, hiking burns 438 calories per hour for a 160 pound individual or 546 calories per hour for a person of 200 pounds. That means that as little as 1 hour a day of hiking (or a single all day hike on the weekend) can erase an entire pound of belly fat every single week.

Add in the aerobic and other health benefits and compare the cost and effectiveness with any of today’s dangerous fad diets.  The choice is easy. Make time in your daily or weekly schedule for regular hiking.

It is a great social activity, too. Make plans to meet friends at regular times for hiking. Making it a group activity helps ensure that you keep to your schedule and makes it easier to melt away that belly fat. Scheduling helps you establish lifelong patterns for a healthier lifestyle.  This is a recipe for lifelong health and weight loss, not another up and down yo-yo starvation diet.