Walking is my favorite form of therapy and self-care. For up to two hours per day, I put on a pair of comfy sneakers, grab my AirPods and a full bottle of water, and hit the pavement to decompress. And while daily movement has major health benefits, it was never my focus until recently. I was four weeks away from a birthday vacation in the Caribbean, and my beach body was still thawing out. I wanted to tone up, lose some weight, and feel confident when I wore a swimsuit, so I added a weighted vest to my daily walks.
Through research, I discovered that incorporating weights into my workout routine can increase calorie burn while promoting strength, endurance, bone density, and cardiovascular health.
Cameil Ross, a group fitness instructor certified by the American Council on Exercise, said that “[a]dding a weighted vest to your workout routine [increases] the resistance and cardiovascular output, which may result in higher caloric burn. It forces your muscles to work harder, which can build muscular strength as well.”
I purchased Prodigen’s weighted vest for women and men. It’s available in weights of eight, 12, 16, 20, 25, and 30 pounds, but I opted for the lightest vest to test the waters. Eight pounds initially made me nervous, but it doesn’t weigh you down once it’s on. The vest is crafted from chloroprene rubber, known for its durability and comfort. The buckle strap closure is adjustable to accommodate a range of bust sizes.
