Weight loss expert shares 'surefire' strategy for burning fat and changing your body composition

Dr Milica McDowell said: "Starting a daily walking programme can be a surefire way to lose weight.

"Walking is a Zone 2 exercise, which means it typically burns much more fat than carbs, allowing you to work on that hard-to-change body composition that is a key goal with a weight loss programme.

"Studies show that walking's rhythmic, weight-bearing nature can be super helpful to boost your mood and motivation too, making it a supercharged way to accelerate your weight loss journey."

Now this doesn't mean you must walk for hours and hours to see results. According to the expert, adding just 500 to 1,000 steps a day (the equivalent of a five to 10-minute walk) can be beneficial for weight loss.

She said: "You can burn more calories, use your large weight-bearing muscles and strengthen your bones. Couple this with mindful eating and you've got a recipe for weight loss success."

Tips for starting a walking programme

Find the right shoes

The expert advised: "Get shoes with a wide toe box to allow your toe and foot muscles to support your body. This is not a 'wide' shoe - it's a shoe that has a wider toe box so you can wiggle your toes and they are not smashed together when you are wearing them."

Milica said: "Try to add no more than five to 10 per cent per week total. If you are currently walking 4,000 steps a day, don't add more than 400 (a total of 4,400) for at least a week. This will allow your body to adjust to the new amount of walking."

3) Walk in Zone 2 of your heart rate

Zone 2 is 60 to 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate. To calculate your maximum heart rate, take 220 and minus your age for your estimated heart rate max. Walk at 60 to 70 per cent of this and you will burn more fat.

The experts at PureGym stated that Zone 2 is "great for building general endurance and burning fat, as well as helping to improve your cardio fitness and blood flow to the muscles". Manageable exercises such as walking to the shops, warming up at the gym or climbing the stairs can all be described as Zone 2 exercises.

Another expert weighed in on how much walking to do for fast weight loss and belly fat reduction, sharing the "ideal" amount of minutes.

For those who already walk for weight loss but want to make their steps count, one expert shared how to burn more calories on a stroll to slim faster.

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If you're unsure about any exercises you are doing or how to get started, it is always best to consult your doctor or another professional, who can give you tailored advice.

Following a healthy, nutrient-rich diet is also crucial for sustainable, effective weight loss, and it's important to stay away from strategies that could do you more harm than good.

A women's weight loss expert warned against an unsustainable slimming method that could cause you to gain the weight back in "seconds".