How to Lose Weight by Taking the Stairs

If you have been daydreaming about joining a gym, but are lazy to get to looking for one, there is a better and easy way: taking the stairs. Jogging up and down the stairs works as a cardio and strengthening exercise that can help tone the body, burn excess fat, get the heart rate pumping and build lean muscle mass. You may begin exercise by taking the stairs for a few minutes at a time and gradually working your way up to an hour. You may also choose to take the stairs throughout the day to achieve your weight-loss goals and enhance calorie burn.

[Read: Climb Stairs Slowly to Burn More Calories]

Step 1

Before you start exercising by using the stairs, make sure that you have consulted your doctor. Climbing stairs may be an intense activity; exactly why you would want to know if you are healthy enough to start working out. Your doctor will tell you how much of climbing or jogging the stairs you can begin with according to your health condition. Your doctor may prescribe only a minute or two of stair-climbing initially.

Step 2

Gradually work your way up to jogging or climbing up and down the stairs for 20 to 30 minutes at least three to five times a week. Adults need at least 60 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity such as running on the stairs or jogging or 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as walking up and down the stairs. You may, however, find it necessary to work out for 90 minutes in one go to lose weight for good.

Step 3

Take the stairs when you are work or wherever you are. Avoid taking the escalators or elevators whenever possible. The more activity you indulge in, the more calories you are likely to burn. You will also, thereby, increase your chances of losing weight quickly.  If your job is the kind that mandates sitting in front of a computer for a long time, make sure that you take a break every half hour and walk up and down stairs for five minutes.

Step 4

To keep yourself motivated, make interval training a part of your stair workouts by alternating walking up and down the stairs from 30 seconds to three minutes of running them. Resume a slower pace as you master the exercise. Switch the length and intensity of your intervals every day to make it a greater challenge.

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