Edinburgh
Visiting the UK’s top 10 cities will burn more calories than running a marathon, according to a new study.
Better known as a busy industrial centre and for its bustling university life, today Leeds can also add healthy living to its tourist credentials as it is named the top UK holiday spot for keeping fit and cultured. It topped MBT’s, the urban walking specialists, list of the top 10 UK’s most popular tourist cities1 , which if you visited altogether would burn up to 3,828 calories - the equivalent of running the London marathon one-and-a-half times.
This will come as music to the ears of 61% of Brits who find it hard to stay active during their holiday and the 4.2 million3 British women who find weight gain the most depressing thing about returning from holiday. Likewise, with 93%4 of the nation choosing to spend a long weekend in the UK, they can stay guilt free by ditching the gym in place of combining cardio with culture with a trip to the following cities:
1 Leeds 9,075m =11,348 steps 564 kcals
2 Edinburgh 8,150m =10,180 steps 506 kcals
3 Blackpool 7,150m =8,933 steps 444 kcals
4 Newcastle 6,800m =8,571 steps 423 kcals
5 London 6,250m = 7,806 steps 388 kcals
6 Scarborough 5,875m =7,344 steps 365 kcals
7 Manchester 5,650m =7,062 steps 351 kcals
8 Liverpool 5,650m =7,062 steps 351 kcals
9 Bristol 4,650m =5,815 steps 288 kcals
10 Birmingham 3,850m =4,809 steps 239 kcals
According to travel expert Anthony Lambert, “The ‘staycation’ term has been popularly coined this year but the results of this research suggest a new variant of ‘Walkationing’, which could prove extremely popular given that 21%3 of the nation already say that keeping active on holiday is the main purpose of their holiday”.
Nicki Waterman, a leading fitness expert who contributed to the MBT Academy research comments: “Holiday-makers don’t realize the hidden health benefits available, even on a long weekend break. If you visited all ten places on the list during the year, you could burn a whopping 3,828 calories, which is the equivalent of walking (at a brisk pace) 10.5 hours on a tedious treadmill in the gym or even running a marathon! At the same time, you’d also get the chance to see 70 of the best tourist attractions that the UK has to offer”.
Walking is an easy and affordable way for people to keep fit during the credit crunch. What’s more, there are a whole host of health benefits, which include the following:
1. Heart - Walking lowers blood pressure, cholesterol and reduces the risk of a stroke
2. Bones – It boosts bone density which helps prevent fractures, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis in later life
3. Brainpower - Through walking the blood and oxygen supply to the brain increases improving memory, problem solving abilities and alertness
4. Beat the Blues – A brisk 10 minutes’ brisk walk releases the body’s natural mood-boosting chemicals into the bloodstream
5. Wear MBT – MBTs simulate exercising on uneven terrain such as, grass, sand and mud, making leg and core muscles work 18% harder. They also significantly improve muscle tone and accelerating weight loss through calorie burn.
6. Fight Fat - A brisk 45-minute walk four times a week, will result in a fat loss of 18lb over a year
7. Live Longer - As well as raising your mood and fitness level, research shows that a 10-minute daily walk may even help extend your life
Tagged in exercise