Healthy walking

Everyone knows that walking is good.

I've also been walking more than ten thousand steps lately.

It's already been a while since I walked a full 10,000 steps before going to work.

You exceeded it, diligently after work this morning and even after work.

I am walking.

Especially in the morning when I walk, I walk barefoot.

After walking barefoot, the swelling in my legs and cramps improved, so I have continued walking since then.

I looked into the benefits of walking barefoot.

Walking is the fundamental exercise for reducing obesity. It is an aerobic exercise that does not put much strain on the joints. However, recently, there has been a claim that walking barefoot without shoes during walking exercises is more effective for obesity.

Walking barefoot... More effective for weight loss than wearing sneakers

Walking barefoot, does it really help with dieting? According to several studies, the answer is 'yes.'

First, let's look at a recent paper published by the Department of Physical Education at Kyungpook National University. The research team conducted a 12-week walking exercise program for male middle school students with a body mass index of 25 kg/m², exercising four times a week for 40 minutes each session. The participants were divided into barefoot and sneaker groups to examine the effects, with the exercise routine consisting of warm-up (5 minutes), walking (30 minutes), and cool-down (5 minutes), which was the same for both groups. Afterwards, measurements were taken for body fat mass, lean body mass, skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage, body mass index, and abdominal circumference. Measurements were conducted twice in total: once before the intervention, two days prior to starting the exercise, and once after, two days following the completion of the program.

As a result, the barefoot group showed much greater weight loss effects compared to the sneaker group. The most significant difference was in abdominal circumference. The barefoot group's initial average abdominal circumference was 84.8cm, but after exercise, it decreased to 80.377cm, a reduction of over 4cm. The sneaker group's initial average abdominal circumference was 90.508cm, and after exercise, it was 89.815cm, showing little difference. The sneaker group was not entirely ineffective; positive changes were observed in body fat mass, lean body mass, skeletal muscle mass, body fat percentage, and body mass index. The barefoot group experienced positive changes across all measures, including abdominal circumference. Domestic research also indicates that barefoot exercise positively affects not only weight and body fat percentage in obese individuals but also reduces LDL levels, which are associated with bad cholesterol.

Stimulating the soles of the feet helps activate more muscles.

Basically, walking is good for reducing obesity. Regular aerobic exercise helps eliminate excess calories and build muscle, making it possible to eat the same amount without gaining weight. ▲Weight loss ▲Improved insulin sensitivity ▲Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease are the main benefits of aerobic exercise that doctors mention. Walking is an aerobic activity with a low risk of injury and effectively engages about 70% of the body's muscles, focusing on the lower body.

Regarding the reason why barefoot exercise enhances effectiveness, the research team stated, "Barefoot exercise has reflexology effects that stimulate the feet," and explained, "It stimulates nerve reflex zones, the lymphatic system, and nerve endings distributed on the soles of the feet, and as blood circulation in areas connected to the reflex zones increases, the exercise effects become greater." They also mentioned that while sneakers absorb shocks from the ground, walking barefoot causes the arches of the feet and ankles to absorb the shocks that shoes normally do. This leads to increased use of the muscles surrounding those areas, resulting in greater exercise effects, such as a reduction in abdominal circumference and more fat loss.

However, walking barefoot or exercising should be done indoors where there is no risk of injury. If you have joint conditions such as plantar fasciitis, it is better to wear sneakers.