Can walking for 30 minutes at the same spot help burn calories?
Any form of movement throughout the day can make you fit and keep you active. Indianexpress.com reached out to experts to understand the concept of spot walking. A 30-minute walk at the same place does work and does burn calories. Well, the basics of burning calories is to move  whether it be at one place or proper walking on a specific track. The key to losing weight is increasing the heart rate. The muscles are performing the work and bearing the stress and strain of it. It burns calories and requires no equipment, which is a plus point if you dont want to spend on it. It is a great way to stay active in a lockdown when you cant go out for a walk, said Utsav Ghosh, fitness entrepreneur and founder of Transformation for Good. According to World Health Organization, one should get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous activity to help prevent and manage multiple chronic conditions, notably cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. Not moving can lead to poor blood circulation, increased blood pressure, and unhealthy cholesterol levels, which is highly dangerous. Walking is the easiest way to add movement to the body. Whether you walk at the same spot or walk from one place to another, it is the movement that helps you shed those extra kilos and make you feel energetic, fitness expert Tarun Gill explained. Experts point out that the idea is to increase your heart rate to 60 to 70 per cent of your maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is calculated by 220 minus your age. Spot walking should get your heart rate up. (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock) Spot walking should get your heart rate up. Yes, said Ghosh. Staying in and walking at one place can be a little boring because one of the things people like most about going out for a walk is the change of atmosphere and environment. Going out and walking does give a sense of satisfaction but if we talk about effectiveness and not wanting to go out in a pandemic, then walking in one place is a very good alternative, Ghosh chipped in. However, Gill mentioned that people can work around it. It is not mandatory that you walk for a long period of time at once. Instead, start by walking in place for 5 minutes several times a day. Most people are doing work from home these days, so start taking short breaks between your work and walk. It can be very fruitful. These efforts may seem small, but eventually, they will make an important contribution to achieving your health goals, explained Gill. Another way to add more variety and vigor to spot walking is to do knee raises which involves bringing the knee to your hip level briskly. You can also swing your hands while replicating walking movements. They also mention that stretch adequately to avoid any forms of injury. For more lifestyle news, follow us: Twitter: lifestyle_ie | Facebook: IE Lifestyle | Instagram: ie_lifestyle