Regular walking can be an effective approach to shed extra pounds and boost your physical fitness. Although there is no fixed step count to attain this goal, many individuals find success with a target of 10,000 or more steps per day.
In case you’ve been relying on walking to achieve your weight loss objectives but haven’t been able to make significant progress, consider implementing the following methods:
1. Use a tracker
To determine your level of physical activity throughout the day for weight loss, utilize an activity tracker, fitness band, or app. Start by assessing your daily step count to establish a baseline.
Periodically check your steps during the day to ensure you’re meeting your target and to identify opportunities to increase your activity level. As you achieve consistent progress, consider increasing your daily step goal by an additional 2,000 steps.
However, note that the commonly recommended daily target of 10,000 steps is merely a general guideline. Some individuals, such as those with physically demanding jobs, may already exceed this threshold. For such individuals, adjusting their target to an additional 2,000 steps may be sufficient to attain their desired results.
2. Estimate the calories you burn
The number of calories burned while walking depends on various factors such as your weight, walking speed, distance covered, and the terrain you’re walking on.
To compute the approximate number of calories burned while walking, you can use the following formula:
Calories Burned = MET x body weight (in kg) x time (in hours)
*MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) is a measure of the energy expended during physical activity, and varies based on the intensity of the activity.
For walking, the MET value can range from 2.0 (slow pace, flat surface) to 6.0 (brisk pace, uphill terrain).
To estimate the number of calories burned, you can use the average MET value for your walking speed and terrain, and your body weight in kilograms. Here’s an example calculation:
If you weigh 68 kg (150 lbs) and walk at a brisk pace (3.5 mph) on a flat surface for 1 hour the MET value for this activity is 4.3.
Calories Burned = 4.3 x 68 kg x 1 hour = 293.2 calories
That means, as an estimate you would burn approximately 293 calories for one hour of walking. Keep in mind that this is just an estimate, as individual factors such as age, gender, fitness level, and body composition can affect the number of calories burned.
3. Add variations to your workouts
Varying your walking workouts is a great way to lose weight and prevent boredom. Here are some tips on how to do it:
- Change your walking route – Walking the same route every day can get monotonous. Try different paths or explore new areas to keep your walks interesting.
- Increase your pace – Try to walk at a brisk pace for at least 30 minutes to elevate your heart rate and burn more calories.
- Add intervals – Intervals are short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by periods of recovery. You can add intervals to your walking routine by alternating between walking at a moderate pace and walking as fast as you can for short periods.
- Incorporate hills or stairs – Walking uphill or climbing stairs is a great way to challenge yourself and burn more calories. Look for hilly terrain or a nearby staircase to add variety to your walking routine.
- Mix it up with strength training – Incorporating strength training exercises such as lunges, squats, or push-ups into your walking routine can help you build muscle and burn more calories. You can also get a gym membership in places like Princeton Club so you’ll have more exercise activities to choose from.
- Walk with a buddy – Walking with a friend or a group can make your walks more enjoyable and keep you motivated.
4. Overcome excuses
It’s common to come up with excuses to skip your daily walk, such as feeling too tired or too busy. However, by keeping an exercise log or using an app, you can track your progress and review it at the end of each week to stay honest with yourself.
Although these excuses may seem small, shifting your mindset to overcome them can have a significant impact on your mental and physical wellbeing. While taking a rest day is necessary when you’re ill or physically limited, overcoming smaller excuses can be achieved by changing your way of thinking.
Focus on your strengths and celebrate what you’ve accomplished, even if you didn’t reach your initial goal. It’s important to cut yourself some slack and re-evaluate your progress to try again the following week.
Final Thoughts
The amount of walking needed to lose weight depends on various factors such as your current weight, walking speed, duration, and frequency of walking. Generally, to lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means you need to burn more calories than you consume.
Walking can help you burn calories and create a calorie deficit. A rule of thumb is that walking for 30 minutes per day at a moderate pace (3-4 miles per hour) can burn around 150-200 calories. To lose one pound of body weight per week, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories, which can be achieved by reducing your calorie intake, increasing your physical activity, or a combination of both.
Now, if you want to lose weight more quickly, you may need to increase the duration or intensity of your walks, or incorporate other forms of exercise into your routine.
Here’s a fast walking exercise for weight loss: