If you are planning to lose weight for years but you just can’t keep the extra pounds off with your current diet and exercise program, maybe it is time to try a new approach.

Step Diet is another way to achieve your dream body and develop the stamina and energy that you desire. This article will help you understand Step Diet and its power if your fitness goal. Read more to know the details.

What Is Step Diet?

A Step Diet is a plan that encourages you to walk more and count the steps you make instead of the calories you take to lose weight. Overall, it means walking a little more and eating a little less.

A book titled “The Step Diet: Count Steps, Not Calories to Lose Weight and Keep It Off Forever” is making waves over the years due to its new approach to losing weight.

The book is written by James O. Hill, Ph.D. obesity researcher, and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; John C. Peters, Ph.D. and Bonnie T. Jortberg, MS, RD.

The Step Diet is a combination of book and pedometer, which is only priced at around $20. The said book is a motivational walking program that helps millions of overweight Americans lose weight and keep it off forever.

The Two Steps

The Step Diet involves two steps. First, you will use an activity tracker or a step counter pedometer; which you will use to determine the number of steps you make in an average day, then raise the number by 2,000 steps.

You can do this by walking while talking with someone over the phone, walking your kids to the bus stop instead of driving them there or moving around while watching your favorite show on TV.

Second, consume one-quarter less of your daily calorie intake. This approach focuses on your movement especially on walking and counting steps not on counting calories. Step Diet is designed to aid you in your weight loss challenge and to keep it off for the long term.

How Does A Step Diet Work?

A Step Diet encourages you to use a fitness tracker and walk at least 10,000 steps a day. It also requires that you cut down portions by 25 percent. With these arrangements alone, you will definitely agree that it works. However, aside from this, Step Diet operates with the following 5 principles.

1. Maintain proper energy balance between what you eat and how many calories you burn

2. Drive success with small changes

3. Start with small changes

4. Anticipate success but don’t expect it to happen instantly

5. Remember that weight loss maintenance is more important than the speed or amount of weight you lose.

The Step Diet does not require you to rush things. In fact, it encourages you to start slowly and work your way up to making 10,000 steps a day.

With Step Diet, you don’t really need to make a long and strenuous walk. You can take every small opportunity to increase your steps per day. For example, you can take the stair instead of the elevator, park farther so you can walk longer, or if you commute, get off one bus stop away to take extra steps on your way home. All of these contribute to the Step Diet plan.

Does Step Diet Work?

According to Weight Loss For Busy People, yes, Step Diet works. In fact, there’s a number of studies supporting this claim.

The studies cited in the “Step Diet” book have reported that walking has affirmative results for weight loss. By walking a mile, you can burn 500 calories. Walking 10,000 steps a day covers 5 miles, so you will burn 500 calories.

A pound of fat has 3,500 calories, so if you walk 10,000 steps every day for seven days, you will lose a pound of fat in a week.

As mentioned, Step Diet also asks you cut your calories. If you eat 2,000 calories you should reduce it by 25%, that means you will be taking 500 calories a day less, which equivalents to another pound of fat lost in a week. The researchers observed a weight loss of 1-2 lbs a week in the trial participants.

Step Diet Reviews

Step Diet is a very effective weight loss program and those who tried this enjoy and love it.

“It is one of the easiest strategies for weight loss — all you need is a pair of sneakers, a pedometer and some simple guidance on proper portions and healthy eating behaviors to be successful,” said Susan Finn, former president of the American Dietetic Association and chairwoman of the American Council on Fitness and Nutrition who is a fan of Step Diet.

“Dieters feel empowered because counting steps are something measurable that makes physical activity fun,” she added.

Get to know more the reasons why fitness buffs get an activity tracker.

Benefits of Step Diet

One of the benefits of Step Diet is that it is very easy to do and anyone regardless of age can practice this. Our body is designed to walk and it’s great news that you can walk through your fitness goal. Yes, you can walk to shed the extra pounds, achieve your dream body and be energized.

You just have to set your walking schedule and reduce your calorie intake to make this plan works. It still entails diet and exercise but not to the point of making you feel that it is a burden to do so. You can still eat any food as long as you reduce your daily calorie intake by 25%.

Using an Activity Tracker or Pedometer

Also, you can divide the 10,000 steps and schedule a morning, afternoon or evening walk. Also, if you just clip a step diet pedometer, it will count all the steps you make. From walking into the driveway, walking around your house, getting the letter in the mailbox or teaching fitness to your kids, while walking them to school.

If you want to try a new approach to achieving your health and fitness goal, get a pedometer, walk more and cut your calorie intake. For instance, there are many things to do with activity trackers such as count steps and know your calories.

Remember, focus on moving more because according to Step Diet, you should count steps and not calories.