If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see in Clean Slate each month, feel free to email me at [email protected]. Please put “VUE reader” in the subject. The information provided in this article is provided for educational pur- poses only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF WALKING FOR EXERCISE • Improves cardiovascular health: Walking strengthens the heart and reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. • Manages weight: Walking burns calories and helps maintain a healthy weight. • Increases muscle strength and endurance: Walking engages multiple muscle groups, improving their strength and endurance. • Improves bone density: Weight-bearing exercise like walking helps strengthen bones and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. • Reduces joint pain: Walking lubricates joints and improves their flexibility. STRENGTH TRAINING On top of walking five days a week, two to three times a week you are going to add strength training. My favorite way to burn a lot of calories in a short time? Interval training. You are going to pick 4-6 basic exercises, set a timer, and perform each one consecutively for 20-40 seconds, resting for 60 seconds, before repeating the circuit for an additional 4-5 rounds. CIRCUIT EXAMPLE: • Squat • Overhead press • Alternating lunges • Dips • Hip thrusts • Crunch Exercises can be performed with, or without, weight. Start with a time interval that you can keep a good pace throughout, and as you progress, opt for longer intervals! Getting your full 7-9 hours of sleep is vital when learning how to get a summer body fast. Without getting to bed at a reasonable time, the process of losing weight, and/or getting fit, slows down unfavorably. Why is this? When you don’t get enough sleep, two of the hunger hormones in the body called ghrelin and leptin are influenced. Ghrelin is the hormone that allows the brain to know when you are hungry. It is released in your stomach in high amounts when you are hungry, and low amounts when you have eaten. On the other hand, the fat cells release leptin, which allows the brain to know when you are satisfied. In the case of sleep deprivation, your body creates less leptin, but more ghrelin than usual. This causes a spike in your appetite. As you can see, this isn’t great news for those learning how to get a summer body. However, if you make a real effort to get to bed earlier and rack up those sleep hours, then you’re no longer in danger. Once you have consistently implemented the other steps, being patient while allowing for the occasional indulgence - you will want to record the progress you are making. It may take some longer to see results, but having a way to measure, other than the scale, can keep your head in the game and keep you pushing through on those off days. My recommendation is monthly pictures from the front, side, and back. This, along with a Friday weigh-in log, has long held me accountable when I’m getting in shape for summer. If you are starting out in your weight loss journey, the most useful, but under-appreciated tool you have - walking. INTHEVUE.COM | MARCH 2025 59
