Walking is one of the most accessible ways to work out. Not only is it less impactful on your joints, it can be done anywhere from a walk around the neighborhood to a walk on the treadmill in your living room. If it’s a goal, it can eventually lead to weight loss.
Say, “Walking is one of the best exercises for weight loss.” Nicole GloreFitness Instructor, Creator Nikki Fitness YouTube Channel“Combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, including stress management, adequate sleep, and exercise, walking can definitely help with weight loss efforts,” he adds. Shanna Malef, Massachusetts, RD.
Why walking is great for weight loss
This simple method of transportation offers a variety of health benefits. “Walking boosts your metabolism by increasing your body’s energy needs,” says Malef. So it helps you burn calories. “Anything that moves your body burns calories,” she explains. “We get energy from the food we eat and consume it passively through bodily functions (breathing and digesting food) and active movement (walking and exercising).”
Walking not only boosts your metabolism, but it also lowers stress hormones like cortisol, which can lead to weight gain. “High levels of cortisol can lead to belly fat,” says Malef.
Walking may also improve sleep. “When we are sleep deprived, we tend to crave foods that are high in salt and sugar and choose unhealthy foods,” explains Malef. “Walking not only helps burn off excess energy, but it also relaxes the mind and brings peace, leading to a more restful sleep.”
Walking also “increases cardiovascular endurance, strengthens muscles and bones, and helps you maintain a healthy weight and lose fat,” says Glor.
How many calories does walking burn?
The amount of calories you burn depends on your age, height, weight, intensity, duration and pace of your walking training. “The more weight you put on, the more calories you burn,” he says Glor.
On average, £150. A person at a mild pace (2.5 mph) he burns about 100 calories per mile and weighs 120 pounds. On average he burns about 85 calories per mile at the same pace, Glor says. If you want to speed up, you can burn slightly more calories. “150 lb. A person walking at a pace of 3 miles per hour, on average he will burn 115 calories per mile, whereas a 120 lb. person could burn an average of 100 calories per mile.” “There is a lot of potential,” he explains Glor.
You can also play with additional equipment and terrain to increase the amount of calories you burn during your walk.
Although walking definitely burns calories that help with weight loss, there are many genetic, demographic, dietary, and lifestyle factors that contribute to weight loss in general. There are many different factors that contribute to weight loss, including style choices) and things that are out of your control (age, gender, metabolic rate),” says Malef.
For example, some people are born with a high metabolic rate, which means they burn calories at a high rate. “Men also tend to have faster metabolisms due to their size and muscle mass,” says Malef. The rate at which you burn calories can also decline as you age and become less active and lose muscle mass.
How to burn more calories with walking
The easiest way to add calories while walking is to increase your pace. “Increasing the intensity of your workout will increase your heart rate, require more energy, and burn more calories,” he says. To build endurance, you can also walk longer distances than you would normally walk.
Adding an incline speeds up your heart rate because more calories are burned during your workout. “If you’re walking outside, look for the hills,” she suggests Glor. And if you’re walking on a treadmill, Glor recommends setting the incline level to her 1.5 or higher. “On a treadmill, it’s designed to keep your feet off, so it works to some extent,” she says. “Adding incline helps mimic outdoor walking, which requires more effort.”
In addition to burning more calories, incline walking helps tone your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves and core. “Keep your hips straight, your shoulders back, and your core engaged when walking on slopes,” he suggests.
You can also add resistance band, dumbbell, and even a backpack can be used for extra strength while walking. “This allows you to target more muscle groups to strengthen your muscles and burn more calories,” he says Glor.
Are you consuming enough calories?
Unless you’re using a tracker, determining if you’re burning enough calories while walking can be pretty confusing. This means that you can see your body in
Have you ever been out of breath while exercising? That’s a pretty good indicator that you’re working hard. Grohl says that if you talk while walking, aim for a thin layer of sweat and a little breathlessness. “If you’re doing slow, long endurance walking, your Perceived Exertion (RPE) should be six tenths of what he does,” Glor says.
Perceived exertion rate is a way to measure how hard you are working during physical activity on a scale of 1 to 10. Your RPE should be at least 7,” explains Glor.
Diet is also an important aspect of weight loss, and nothing can outdo a poor quality diet. “Nutrition is the main method of weight loss, but unfortunately, people put too much emphasis on exercise,” says Malef.
The amount of calories you need depends on your age, height and weight. Use our weight loss calculator or consult your doctor or physical trainer to determine the exact number of calories you should consume and burn per day.
But Malef says you can start by making healthier choices today. “A good rule of thumb is to have a diet of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat,” she says. Fill your diet with lean protein, healthy fats, vegetables, and fiber such as fruits and whole grains. Avoid hidden calories in
How to record calories burned while walking
Luckily you can try weight loss app When fitness tracker Calculate the estimated amount of calories burned during a specific workout or day. “The proportions of macronutrients, micronutrients, and calories consumed vary from person to person based on goals, activity levels, and medical conditions,” says Malef. It’s a great tool because it helps you understand what you’re looking at from your perspective, which can have a big impact on your weight loss.”
Glor recommends getting fit bit or apple watchBoth track various health metrics such as calories burned, steps taken, and water intake. Other useful apps for tracking steps and calories include map my run, my fitness pal, StravaWhen run keeper.
Finally, don’t stress too much about how many calories you burn while walking, says Glor. “When you get up and move, you can experience the many physical and mental benefits of walking,” she says.
Try this beginner-friendly walking workout at home
If you want to take your walking workout to the next level, start with this simple, progressive walking workout developed by Glor. It can be done outdoors or on a treadmill. All you need is a set of 3-5 lb weights for extra toning.
Glor’s 4-week walking plan:
- Week 1: Walk ½ mile or 10 minutes Monday through Friday. Rest on Saturday, stretch on Sunday.
- Week 2: Walk 1 mile (20 minutes) Monday through Friday. Rest on Saturday, stretch on Sunday.
- Week 3: Walk 2 miles (30 minutes) Monday through Friday. Rest on Saturday, stretch on Sunday.
- Week 4: Walk 3 miles (40-45 minutes) Monday through Friday, rest Saturday, stretch Sunday.
Incorporate the following dumbbell exercises into your walk. Repeat these movements three times in the order of the intervals placed to create a complete set of arm weight intervals.
Biceps curls and kicks: Step your right foot forward, raise your left knee, and with your left leg bent, extend a powerful kick forward while raising the weight to shoulder height to work your biceps. Lower your left foot and kick with your right foot while lowering the weight. He repeats kicks and bicep curls every 30 seconds.
stepping triceps kickback: Place your left foot on the ground and bend your knees to your side. Lunge lightly with your right leg back. Pull the weight into your ribcage with your elbows lifted (starting position). Bring your right knee closer to your other knee, and “kick back” the weight by extending your arm and squeezing your triceps. Return the weight and right leg to the starting position and hold the interval for 30 seconds. Turn around and repeat on the other side.
shoulder knee lift: Step your left foot forward and grab a weight with your buttocks. Lift your right knee to hip height while lifting the weight just above your chest. Lower your right foot and lower the weight while lifting your left knee. Repeat at 30 second intervals.
Lunge shoulder lateral raise: Lead your right leg, hold a weight in each hand and count to four. Step your right foot forward, bend your elbow slightly and lift the weight to the side. (Lunge far enough so that your right knee is directly over your right ankle, not near or beyond your toes, and try to keep your torso directly over your hips.) Push your right leg back to stand, arms lower the Lunge your left leg forward, lift the weight laterally, and re-engage your shoulders. Lower the weight and push your left foot back to start. March for 4 counts and repeat at 60 second intervals.
biceps medial cross: Perform a march, change to a toe tap with weights and palms facing you and arms extended toward the ground. As your right toe taps, bend your left hand across your midline toward your right shoulder, keeping your left elbow close to your hip. Lower your left hand. Tap your left toes, cross your right hands, and turn your weight toward your left shoulder. Repeat at 30 second intervals.
Triceps Overhead Press with March: Bring both weights overhead by moving your feet at your original walking pace. Bend your elbows toward the sky so the weight is just behind your neck and your hands touch your knuckles (starting position). Continue marching side to side, straightening your arms and lifting the weights into the sky. March your right arm, left arm, and lower arm (count 2 for feet = count 1 for arms). Repeat at 30 second intervals.
Nicol is a freelance editorial assistant for WomansDay.com and a Manhattan-based journalist specializing in health, wellness, beauty, fashion, business and lifestyle. When Nicol isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, trying new workouts with her class, and traveling.