If you’re looking to shed some pounds, walking is a great way to go. But that makes ‘How much walking for weight loss’ the question of the hour. Show
Maybe you’ve already started walking a bit every day or a few times a week (good for you!). But you haven’t noticed the pounds dropping and you’re wondering if this is worth the effort. Maybe you’re looking at different weight loss options and wondering if you can make the commitment to start walking. Either way, consider these benefits of walking for weight loss.
The amount you need to walk to lose weight isn’t the same for everybody, as it depends on your body. However, in this article, we provide you with the tools to calculate exactly how much you need to walk to lose weight and how to make it as easy as possible. Basics of Weight Loss: How to Lose Weight by WalkingBefore you create that routine, it’s best to have a solid understanding of what it takes to lose weight in the first place. The reason fad diets and pills are never successful is because they are not sustainable and they’re not healthy. Building a healthy foundation for weight loss takes more time, but benefits your body while providing long-lasting weight loss. Here are the essential components of how much you need to walk to lose weight: Calories BurnedIt’s simple math. You need to burn more calories than you consume in a day to lose weight. While you probably don’t want to count your calories every day for the rest of your life, keeping track for a few weeks can give you a good idea of what kinds of meals contain rough amounts of calories, and help you adjust your diet from there. A calorie deficit is what you want to aim for: burn more calories than you consume, and you’ll be on the path to losing weight.
NutritionMost people think consuming fewer calories means starving themselves by simply eating less. In fact, you don’t have to go hungry or deprive yourself. If you think about your food as fuel, you’ll eat the right foods to help your body do its job better. Combine it with walking, and you will lose weight. Set goalsBy simply saying, “I want to lose weight,” it will be almost impossible to achieve. Set a specific amount of weight you’d like to lose, like 6 pounds in 6 months, then break that amount down in one-month increments. You’ll be amazed at the success of your mission!
How Much Walking for Weight Loss: Walking One Hour a DayHow much walking a day to lose weight? Once you have your monthly goals, you’ll need to figure out what that will look like on a daily basis to achieve your goal. A deficit of 3500 calories is equivalent to losing 1 lb of body fat, and a deficit of 7700 calories is equivalent to losing 1 kg of body fat. To calculate exactly how much walking you need to lose weight in kilograms or pounds, you need to account for a number of biological factors. While the answer varies based on each person’s height, weight, gender, and age, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 30 minutes of walking a day for general fitness. So to lose weight, you’ll need to walk more. The rough answer: Exercise at moderate intensity for 200-300 minutes per week. What does that look like? Walk 1 hour per day for 4-5 days a week, with a total of about 4.5 hours each week. However, if you want to keep losing weight over time, you’ll need to increase that amount as you progress. Related: Is There An Ideal Running Weight? Gradually Increase Your Exercise TimeFor example, you may find it challenging to reach this amount right now. But, as the weeks go by, your body will acclimate and you’ll find it easy. At that point, you’ll need to do one (or both) of two things: Either walk for longer amounts of time or increase the intensity of your exercise. If you choose to increase the amount of time, ASCM recommends that overweight or obese people (with a BMI of more than or equal to 30 kg/m2) progressively increase this level by 150 minutes per week. You can increase intensity by adding some resistance (hills), mixing in some strength training (bodyweight exercises or weightlifting), or incorporating some jogging into the daily walks. Did you know that it’s actually common to gain weight a little when you start off a new exercise regime? It’s often due to swelling and water retention as you start a new activity – luckily walking avoids many of these pitfalls. 200-300 minutes per week is a good rule of thumb if you’re ready to jump in and get started without too much planning. But if you want to tailor your plan with the highest accuracy, you’ll need to factor in your specific body type to calculate the numbers accordingly. Since you’ll need to burn more calories than you consume, you’ll need an idea of how many calories you burn in an hour. Keep in mind that that number will not only depend on your body type, but will also depend on they type of walking you’re doing – high intensity vs. low intensity, hills vs. flat ground, high altitude vs. low altitude, etc. But to keep things simple, take a look at this walking for weight loss chart to get a general idea.
Calories Burned In One Hour of WalkingWeightWalking at 3.5 mphWalking at 4 mphWalking at 4.5 mph125 lbs / 57 kg240298356155 lbs / 70 kg270334400185 lbs / 84 kg300372444215 lbs / 98 kg330408488Walking at 3.5 miles per hour would be roughly 17-18 minutes per mile. Walking at 4 miles per hour would be about 15 minutes per mile. Walking at 4.5 miles per hour would take about 13 minutes per mile. Any faster than 13 minutes per mile would most likely involve some light jogging, unless you are power walking. Taking this into consideration, you can assume that a 155-pound person walking 4.5 miles per hour will complete 4 miles in one hour of walking – burning around 334 calories. Harvard Health calculates the correct calories needed for a woman who is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 155 pounds. By multiplying her weight times 15 (the recommended process), she will need to consume 2,325 calories and walk the ASCM recommended amount of 30 minutes per day to maintain her current weight. If she wanted to lose 1-2 pounds per week, she would need to lower her calorie intake by 500-1,000 calories a day, coming to a total consumption of 1,325-1,825. However, if she walks for 1 hour a day at 4.5 mph, that calorie intake can raise by 650. To summarize: The average woman who weighs 155 pounds (70kg) and is 5’4” should walk 4 miles a day (1 hour of brisk walking) and should consume about 1,900 calories (or less) per day. Related: 21 Day Running For Weight Loss Challenge How to Measure and Optimize Your Walking SpeedThe easiest way to measure your walking speed: You should aim to walk at a brisk pace that allows you to talk with another person without losing your breath, but not sing. More accurate ways to measure your walking speed: Use a heart rate monitor. These are easy to come by, since they come with even the most basic smartwatches. Even if you don’t have a GPS watch, there are plenty of apps you can use that will track this for you. Strava and Map My Run are popular and reliable. Either one will also tell you how many calories you’ve burned based on all the important factors: height, weight, age, and gender. Using one of these monitors will help you track your progress and analyze your progress accurately. How to Cut Calories Without Starving YourselfThere are plenty of ways to cut back your calories without feeling hungry or dissatisfied. Here are some ways to replace unhealthy, fattening foods with nutritious, less fattening alternatives.
What If You Don’t Have Time for Walking an Hour a Day?Well . . .you always have time for things you make time for. But that’s often easier said than done. And without a doable routine in place, you’ll quickly give up and all efforts will be for nothing. Many of us have families, work, social lives, and many other things begging for our time throughout the day. So here are some great ways to make sure you get the proper amount of walking to lose weight.
All our free training plans include customizable schedules to help you fit the training with your own level of fitness and your own schedule. Download a 5K training plan and start today! Can I lose weight by walking 30 minutes everyday?Physical activity, such as walking, is important for weight control because it helps you burn calories. If you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn about 150 more calories a day. Of course, the more you walk and the quicker your pace, the more calories you'll burn.
How many times should I walk a day to lose weight?Popular fitness trackers and pedometers encourage people to take 10,000 steps per day, and one 2016 study agrees that 10,000 steps are ideal. This works out to roughly 5 miles of walking. People interested in walking for weight loss should consistently hit at least 10,000 steps each day.
How many days a week is it recommended to walk?Aim to walk at least five days a week. Start out warming up with a five-minute, slower paced walk. Slow your pace to cool down during the last five minutes of your walk. Start at a pace that's comfortable for you.
How many miles a week should I walk a week to lose weight?The ideal target for weight loss is walking 5 miles a day. This will burn around 3,500 calories a week, the equivalent of one pound of excess fat. Build up to walking 5 miles a day gradually. If you have a high body mass index BMI, and you're carrying a lot of excess weight, your calorie burn rate will be much higher.
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