Nordic walking was initially called ski walking, and this may have had something to do with the fact that this physical activity involves the use of poles that resemble ski poles while you walk. The exercise of Nordic walking originated from the off-season activity that was meant to train skiers, which is called ski walking.

Ski walking itself was already in existence for decades as a means for cross-country skiers to train on dry land during the off-season. Observant ski coaches noted a relationship between the victories of cross-country skiers who did the dry land training during the summer and the practice of ski walking. Nordic walking has been established as conditioning your core and upper body, which makes it similar to Nordic skiing. Here are the there reasons Nordic walking can help you lose weight.

The first reason that Nordic walking is so effective at helping you lose weight is because of how intense it is as a physical activity. The use of the poles in Nordic walking pressures you to use more muscles, which has an effect on burning calories at a faster pace than just ordinary walking. The beauty of Nordic walking is that even though you are exerting yourself more due to the poles, you will not feel this any harder than if you were just jogging. This is because the poles actually aid in propelling you along your way so that you still feel comfortable and not out of breath. The additional benefit to Nordic walking is that for all its extra intensity, you will not get pain in the joints or knees because of the help in propulsion you get from the poles.

The second reason that Nordic walking can help you lose weight is because it puts your body into something unique called a fat burning zone. This unique characteristic of Nordic walking means that you lose weight faster and more effectively than if you simply ran. The problem with running to lose weight--which Nordic walking corrects--is that runners often run at a pace where their heart rate is so accelerated that their bodies end up not burning fat for fuel, but sugar for fuel instead. Through the fat burning zone that is a direct result of Nordic walking, you get to burn 40 percent more fat than you would if you ran.

The final reason Nordic walking can help you lose weight is because of how convenient it is. Because you can fit Nordic walking into your schedule, you are more apt to use this exercise to lose weight. For example, you can easily Nordic-walk your way to work instead of taking your car or other transportation if your place of work is located at a reasonable distance from your home. Additionally, there are also adjustable and portable Nordic walking poles that you can take with you anywhere in your bag.