Stair Climb Your Way to Natural Weight Loss
Research confirms that both climbing or going down stairs can help you lose weight naturally and improve overall health

Admit it, sometimes we make losing weight way more complicated than it has to be. We’re primed to think we need several crash diets, grueling exercise routines, or pricey weight loss supplements that flood the market.

There’s a much easier and cheaper method for shedding those unwanted pounds that fits perfectly into your efforts to lose weight naturally — stair climbing. Plus, there’s scientific research to prove it. It’s one of the best exercises for the body, and it’s convenient and easily accessible in just about any environment. You can climb stairs at home, the office, at the mall or subway, or even outdoors in places like ravines.

With stair climbing you’ll burn more calories than you would in a brisk jog, and twice as many as you would walking. Plus, you won’t have to fork out for a monthly gym membership.

Benefits of Stair Climbing
Stair climbing speeds up the rate at which you burn calories, increases cardiovascular health, and strengthens your bones as it’s a weight-bearing exercise. According to the Calorie Control Council (CCC), stair climbing allows a 150 pound person to burn 10 calories per minute. You can burn 600 calories in just one hour of stair climbing.

A 2005 study involving fifteen young women who led a sedentary lifestyle published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed the positive effects of stair climbing. In the first week, the young women climbed one level of stairs per day, and gradually increased to five levels per day in the last two weeks. Results showed that the daily stair-climbing routine increased their cardiovascular fitness, aerobic capacity (VO2MAX), and reduced low-density lipoprotein, or bad, cholesterol.

Another study in 2006 published in the journal, Obesity ,showed that stair climbing at work is an effective way for people who are overweight to get into shape — plus, the benefits were greater for individuals who were overweight than for people who were of normal weight. The beneficial fitness effects were similar for both going up and down the stairs.

Create Your Own Routine
Unlike rushing to reach a gym class or a group activity like extreme Frisbee, you can do stair climbing on your own terms. The best way to begin your routine is to stair climb for at least 15 minutes per day. It may be a little hard to do if your fitness level is low, so try climbing up two flights and down two flights during that time. You also don’t have to do it all at once — break it into two sessions.

Gradually increase how much stair climbing you do each day until you’re able to go up stairs for the full fifteen minutes. You’ll notice how this natural weight loss wonder burns fat all over your body, and especially how well it tones your thighs, hips and buttocks.