by The average person is sedentary for around 9.5 hours a day, according to the British Heart Foundation. This prolonged amount of inactivity can weaken muscles and bones and interfere with our body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and metabolize fat – all of which can lead to serious consequences and weight gain. The cure?
“Most people think they have to jog, run or do other high-intensity exercise to lose weight,” says Russ Luber, personal trainer at Every Body Bootcamp. “That’s not the case, which is why I recommend daily brisk walking to my clients, all in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Walking does not stress muscles, heart or joints, but you will still enjoy all the benefits of cardio exercise. Simply put, it’s the simplest and best form of exercise you can do.”
Here’s how to make your way to a healthier, happier – and, yes, slimmer – version of you.
how much should you walk to lose weight.
I tried almost every form of exercise in an attempt to change my mid-life wobble. Running, swimming, cycling, yoga, fitness classes and even hiring a personal trainer – they all had a spin but I didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. So I decided on a different approach and started walking as much as I could. The results have been life changing. Over three months, this single tactic helped me shed that extra half stone.
I’m not talking a slow amble to the corner shop, but at least 30 minutes of brisk, purposeful walking every day – aiming for an hour if possible. The key to my success is how easy it was to rack up those miles by breaking my exercise into short sessions. No time to rack up 10,000 steps in one go? Then I’ll walk to an appointment, offer to run an errand for a family member or squeeze in a few 20-minute walks before and after work.
It was not a chore. On the contrary, I enjoyed it, finding my walks effective in managing my mood swings and work-related stress. Much better, I’ve found, than yelling at my husband or grabbing that chilled bottle of sauvignon at the end of the day.
What is the minimum amount you should walk to lose weight?
“Every walk is good walking,” says Rosaria Barreto-Ellis, sports scientist and founder of Mature Movers, “but it depends on how you approach it. If you have been relatively sedentary, start aiming for a relatively low amount like 3-4,000 steps per day. If you are more active, work out your average step count and aim to increase it as there is always room for improvement. A minimum of 10,000 steps per day is good.”
The faster, longer and more often you walk, the greater the benefits, according to researchers at the Mayo Clinic. That magical equation involves burning more calories than you eat. So, since walking for a mile (about 2,000 steps) burns 80-100 calories, and there are about 3,500 calories in 1lb of fat, shedding that 1lb means racking up 70,000 steps. It sounds like a lot – how do you find time to work, eat and sleep? – until you realize you’ve reached 10,000 daily steps over a week. And you could be well on your way to losing 10 pounds over 10 weeks.
“Those mythical 10,000 daily steps are a big goal to aim for,” agrees Luber, “and 5,000 is an absolute minimum. Do it at a pace if you can, so you’re a little out of breath.” A good benchmark is still being able to speak, but not sing the words to a song, according to NHS guidelines.
What are the main health benefits of walking?
The fact that the alternative – which remains on my desk all day – can have a devastating effect on long-term health is encouraging. According to researchers at Queen’s University, Belfast and the University of Ulster, spending a large amount of time sitting or sitting is associated with around 70,000 deaths (for the year 2016) in the UK. Meanwhile, government figures suggest that factoring in 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week – such as brisk walking – can reduce the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 40 per cent , cardiovascular disease up to 35 percent and some cancers. (including colon and breast) up to 20 percent.
Can walking burn belly fat.
Definitely. In a Korean study, a group of obese middle-aged women underwent a 50-70 minute walking program three days a week over 12 weeks. In addition to seeing significant reductions in weight and BMI, the researchers found that the participants lost an average of 1.5 percent body fat and 1.1 inches from their waistline. As well as helping to shift visceral fat, frequent walking helps to boost your metabolism, so your body burns fat more efficiently even when you are resting. Tracking your shrinking waist measurement is sure to motivate you to get yourself out the door.
how to walk so you lose weight
The simple answer is to tweak your diet and up the effort. “Try to vary the intensity,” says physiotherapist Esther Fox, who focused her PhD on improving walking in those with significant health problems. “Walk briskly for half an hour and put in some hills if you can. As well as benefiting cardiovascular function, you’ll be producing endorphins and boosting your mental health, while also increasing muscle density and improving your balance and coordination. For added motivation I recommend using your phone or something like a Fitbit or Apple Watch to track your steps every day.” Or download the free NHS Active 10 app – as well as a simple step tracker, it can help you set goals.
Also note that you can easily double the amount of calories burned by increasing your walking speed. For example, for a person weighing 155 pounds, walking at 2 miles per hour burns about 140 calories per hour. He increased it to a very brisk 4mph and is coming in at 351 calories, according to the American Council on Exercise. Keep it up and you’ll find that walking briskly feels like your natural pace. “Are you working up a sweat or is it physically challenging?” asks Barreto-Ellis. “They’re the things to look at if you’re focused on losing weight.”
How to incorporate more walking into your lifestyle
“Walking has to be daily and non-negotiable,” says Luber. “Set it up so it’s easy for you to reach. Put an appointment in your diary every morning at 8am, or every evening at 7pm, or whenever you work. It’s vital that it becomes a habit that you can stick to.”
Esther Fox recommends small switches to boost those steps, “like getting off the bus earlier and walking from A to B whenever possible. The human body has evolved to be able to walk long distances,” she says. “Maintaining your ability to walk is one of the most important things you can do and I make it a priority for clients, especially those with health issues such as hip and knee replacements.”
However, there’s no need to worry if you don’t hit your degree goal every day. “Realistically, a lot depends on lifestyle and how much walking your day job involves,” says Barreto-Ellis. “On Mondays, I can easily clock around 15,000 steps just during my job and walking the dog. But on Sundays, when I’m less active, it might only be 8,000. Whatever. It’s your average over the week that really makes a difference, so focus on that.”
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