Why Is Walking So Good For Weight Loss? by Liz Neporent, Diet and Fitness Expert

While it's true that walking doesn't burn calories as quickly as jogging or Spinning classes or other high-intensity workouts, scores of studies have shown it to be a very effective weight-loss tool. For example, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that brisk walking is very effective for reducing deep abdominal fat, the most dangerous kind of fat. And a University of Colorado study found that if people could commit to walking 2,000 steps a day more than they do now -- the equivalent of about one additional mile or about 15 minutes worth of movement -- they may not necessarily lose weight but would probably stop gaining. The typical adult gains 1 to 3 pounds a year, which means they're eating, on average, an excess of 10 to 30 calories a day. The 100 calories per day burned off from walking 2,000 steps would more than compensate for this excess.

Researchers have also found that walking an additional 6,000 steps a day (or about 3 miles) is the point at which the pounds really start coming off, as long as it is done in conjunction with sensible eating habits like fat, calorie and portion control.

A report from the National Institutes of Medicine makes similar recommendations, advising one hour of daily walking or other moderate exercise for weight loss. What's more, the majority of participants in the National Weight Control Registry, an ongoing survey of more than 3,000 people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year, report walking as one of their major-weight loss strategies. You may notice that I reference the registry frequently. That's because it is the only "living laboratory" to examine weight loss in the real world.

So if walking doesn't exactly melt calories like hot butter on toast, why is it such a successful weight loss strategy? For one thing, walking has a major advantage over most other fitness activities: It doesn't require a lot of stuff. No helmets, gloves, wrenches, pumps, kneepads, wrist guards, caps, goggles, pools or poles. Just lace up your shoes, open the front door, and off you go. (For women, I also recommend a decent bra. If you're not doing power walking, it doesn't even have to be a sports bra, just something sturdy with lots of support to minimize the bounce.) Plus, unless you're a toddler, walking has virtually no learning curve.

Of course, running is equally accessible and convenient, but it also has a much higher injury rate. Walking is considerably easier on your joints, tendons and ligaments -- although a small percentage of walkers do get injured from overdoing it or wearing the wrong shoes. Walking is also less exhausting, so you may be more likely to stick to your program. Running may burn twice the calories per minute as walking (running burns an average of 8 to 12 calories per minute compared to walking which only burns 4 to 8 calories per minute at a moderate pace), but if you quit after 5 minutes because your knees feel like they're about to explode, what's the point? Even most beginners can walk for at least 10 minutes straight without feeling winded and from there, it's fairly easy to build up stamina.

Walking is also an especially good weight-loss activity because it's so easily adaptable to your fitness level. As you become more fit, you can walk faster, walk more often, walk up steeper hills or walk for longer periods.

If you don't find walking especially motivating, find a way to make it more entertaining. You can bop along to your ipod mix so long as you stay on the treadmill or keep the volume low enough to stay aware of your surroundings. You can walk with a friend or join a group. I even found one way to get paid for walking: Check out fitness pro Leslie Sansone's Walk Leadership program.

My 2 cents: Even if you do other types of exercise, walking should be the foundation of your activity plan. National Weight Control Registry participants cited walking as their top weight-loss strategy; they walk off an average of 1,000 calories a week. Even though I am an avid exercise and exhibit OCD running behavior myself, I still walk 20 minutes to 2 hours a day between appointments, with my daughter or just strolling along thinking. Trust me, regular walking has many benefits. Click here for more information on AOL Health about how it attacks deep abdominal fat.

Walking is the easiest fitness program to maintain and sustain due to the fact that there are no equipment needed and it doesn't burn people out like all the other exercise or fitness activities. It helps me keep a calm mind as well. It is actually very therapeutic if you walk outdoors. Try it!

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Exercise's Benefits Good for Weight, Mind by James Konopack, Assistant Professor of Health Studies, Momnouth University

As a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, I can affirm the answer is yes. A significant body of research has demonstrated that exercise, when combined with a healthy diet, results in both weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight.

Further, there is little evidence supporting the claim that exercising produces hunger so uncontrollable that it leads to weight gain. In fact, a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh showed just the opposite: overweight and obese women didn't eat any more food after 40 minutes of exercise than they normally would when inactive.

Exercise does require both effort and self-control, but when these are combined to form a healthy lifestyle, the rewards are substantial. Economically, expenditures are reduced (the recent Weight of the Nation conference reported that obesity accounts for $147 billion in annual health care costs), and people tend to lead more enjoyable, more energetic and happier lives.

Even for the non-overweight, exercise provides benefits that no single pill or prescription ever could. It treats and prevents numerous chronic conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes and depression.

Exercise is a health tool we all need, regardless of our weight, and the public must take its importance seriously. Further, advice about weight loss should come from a qualified health or fitness professional, instead of articles that may not showcase the full realm of scientific information surrounding the issue.

There are indeed a lot of benefits of exercise besides weight-loss. One can expect a calmer mind as well. Exercise should be part of every person's lifestyle.

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