If you are looking for a minimalist weight loss routine, look no further than this; here's what I have used to reduce my weight and fat over the last two years:
- Power walk one to two hours per day.
- Walk to places where you can physically get to.
- Take stairs anywhere possible.
What does a minimalist weight loss routine mean?
A minimalist weight loss routine means you lose weight without exerting yourself too much or get into a flurry of gym exercises while spending a majority of money.
A minimalist weight loss routine must:
- Not take too much time to complete.
- Not cost a lot of money.
- Not tire you to a point where you cannot put energy into other activities.
A minimalist weight loss routine but be short.
Your minimalist weight loss routine must not take more than two hours per day.
Often I have seen people spend 2-3 hours in the gym, do cardio outside and then perhaps play a sport.
Unless you are an athlete you do not need that level of commitment.
A routine that helps you lose weight but also saves time is almost unheard of but we will come to how power walking can help you achieve your weight loss goals.
The minimalist weight loss routine you pick must not be too expensive.
If you are spending $1000 up on gym membership, gear and outfits even before you get to the gym you are most likely not going to make any progress towards your weight loss goals.
A minimalist routine for weight loss that focuses on reducing your time must also do its best to reduce the money you spend on it.
We are saving time and money to ensure that we do not impact our daily lives too much to get where we want to be when it comes to our fitness.
A minimalist weight loss routine must not tire you.
In a way, you must not be deprived of your daily schedule significantly; yes, you will be tired up to some point and it will mildly affect performance in other areas but we are not looking to lose weight in a way that leaves you almost incapable of completing other essential tasks necessary for your personal and professional functionings.
Let's be clear: I am not anti-gym and I am not against making effort. If you want to create a significant impact then you must start somewhere: this is where my minimalist weight loss routine comes in.
Power walking as a core part of your minimalist weight loss routine.
When I was looking to reduce my weight while leading a busy lifestyle, I considered a lot of options.
Post the pandemic I had put on a lot of weight and my friends could not recognise me. Puffed cheeks, huge tummy, moobies, etc all made a part of my physique as well as their jokes.
Even on a personal level I felt that I needed to make necessary changes to put my diet and fitness in order.
This is where I stumbled across power walking for my minimalist weight loss routine: it saves time, it does not cost a lot of money and I do not exert myself to a point where I cannot focus on other things.
What is power walking and how is it different from speed walking?
Although the terms are used interchangeably I want you to view power walking here as walking as fast as you can.
This is where you try to walk fast from point A to point B without running but on the contrary you are not walking at a regular pace either.
The goal is to keep yourself at a pace where there's some effort and you can feel the burn taking place.
My ideal method when power walking is to land my heel first, roll my entire sole and exit with the toe as leverage for the next step with that being followed for the next foot.
Over the first few steps you can get to a speed where you feel like your body is working towards burning fat.
How long should you power walking as part of your minimalist weight loss routine?
I recommend power walking 1-2 hours per day at the fastest possible pace you are capable of.
In my case I was able to burn 600 calories per hour walking around 11 km per hour.
Over time I increased my duration to 2 hours which meant that I was able to burn 1200 calories as shown on my Apple Watch.
Of course there's the argument about the accuracy of smartwatches but even if we halve the 2 hour routine I was left with 600 calories burnt per day.
Let's say you power walk for an hour or two which means that you burn a minimum of 300 calories per day.
For a week, that's 300 x 7 = 2,100 calories.
For a month, that's 300 x 30= 9,000 calories.
1kg of fat is 7,700 calories.
Therefore, with the help of power walking you can lose a little more than a kilogram each month.
Why power walking for weight loss helps over walking
- Regular walking is usually at a slow speed and burns a significantly less amount of calories/hour compared to power walking.
- With power walking, your heart rate is elevated and there's a level of effort put into it unlike walking.
- With regular walking, you might get slower over time.
- With regular walking, you are prone to distractions such as checking your phone, meeting other people who slow walk or getting too bored to walk at that "snail pace."
Why power walking over jogging and running for weight loss
- Jogging and running exert significantly more stress on your body compared to power walking.
- Power walking can be done with any footwear you have; there is no need to buy specific running shoes for the same.
- The risk of injuries increases with running and jogging which can hamper a long term weight loss plan.
- Tiredness sets in earlier with running or jogging; this reduces the number of minutes spent on your workout routine as well as the number of calories burnt.
- Being able to power walk for a longer duration beyond the two hour mark means that you are tired but not so much that your legs start to feel like jelly as is the case with running for prolonged durations.
Other factors influencing weight loss:
- Prioritise sleep and help your body repair; people eat a lot, sleep less and then find themselves surprised at a minor injury that took place because their body did not recover well in time.
- Reduce sugar: avoid processed sugar and packed goods.
- Reduce processed foods: try to eat from the source as much as you can.
- Eggs, milk and dairy are your friends: these three will help you rest and. recover well.
- Your friends and group: if you have friends or a group you go for walks with, a lazy or unmotivated member can drive all of you down. I actively try to power walk on my own so I do not get caught up in someone else's complacency.
I am Anthony Stephen Mendes - a minimalist generalist using productivity systems to improve my personal and professional life. If you are interested in doing the same for you or your business please feel free to subscribe to my newsletter or read my recent blog posts.
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