Carrying Weights to Lose Weight

QUESTION: Does carrying weights while walking help you lose weight?
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ANSWER: Walking is one of the best exercises going. It is easy, convenient,
cheap, fun, and a great way to burn calories. But, people seem to want to
improve a good thing, in this case, by using weights and doing arm exercises
while walking.
A study published in THE PHYSICIAN AND SPORTSMEDICINE journal found that
using weights does increase the intensity of exercise during a walk. Mildly
obese people who carried one-pound weights and did arm exercises while walking
used up more calories than those who walked normally or those who walked and
did arm exercises without weights. They also increased their heart rates to a
greater extent.
However, the increase in calories expended is small and must be balanced
against the possibility of straining muscles in the arms or upper body. If
you decide to use weights while walking, start slowly and avoid swinging your
arms wildly to avoid getting hurt.