If you’re trying to lose weight and lower your BMI, you may be wondering how effective it is to walk. In this guide, we’re going to talk about just that! Walking is one of the most effective paths to weight loss, and we want to teach you:
- How many steps you need per day to lose weight
- Tools you can use to help you track your progress
- How to get the most out of your walking exercise
Let’s get walking! Here’s a quick guide to losing weight while you walk.
How effective is walking for weight loss?
Doctors, scientists and other pretty smart people recommend that healthy adults get around 150 minutes of exercise each week. That’s moderate exercise – there’s no need for you to strap on your marathon shoes.
Walking is, by far, one of the best ways to get this exercise. It’s super low impact and easy on your joints. It’s not going to raise your heart rate to an unhealthy level. And almost anyone can do it! Unless you’re in some way incapacitated, you can absolutely put on a pair of shoes and go for a walk.
Walking is good for your brain, too. It can improve your mood and lessen your stress levels. And you’re going to burn calories, of course! An otherwise healthy 180 pound person will burn about 100 calories per mile.
Now, you’re not going to win any awards for weight loss if you only walk a few times each week. But getting out there and moving will absolutely benefit you, both in lowering your BMI and improving your health.
- Walking is a fantastic low impact exercise that will help you lower your BMI
- It will help you with your weight loss as well as help to improve your overall health
- It’s recommended that you get around 150 minutes of exercise each week to lose weight
How many steps per day do you need to lose weight?
There’s really no one hard and fast rule for weight loss as to how many steps you should take. But the generally agreed upon number is 10,000 – ten thousand steps each day will burn around 3-3,500 extra calories each week.
The math behind this number will net you about a pound of weight loss per week, provided you get the 10,000 steps every single day. That’s because one pound of body fat equals around 3,500 calories. You’ll burn that amount of calories just through walking, and that can greatly impact your BMI and your weight loss!
In short, when you walk, you lose. Maintain your other healthy lifestyle choices, including a healthy diet and any other exercise you may enjoy doing. Cut out those sugary drinks and sip on plenty of water and you’ll begin to lose weight fast!
- One pound of fat is equal to 3,500 calories
- You can lose about a pound a week by walking 10,000 steps each day
- Be sure you continue with your other healthy lifestyle choices
A few tips to help you get all those steps
Ten thousand steps seems like a lot, but you can easily get them all in if you’re mindful of your habits. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.
- Buy yourself a pedometer! This is the easiest way to track the number of steps you take each day
- Park in the far space and walk to the door – don’t worry about finding the closest parking space
- Make it a routine to walk with your family in the evening – it’s good for everyone!
- Take the stairs and bypass the elevator
- All those steps count – whether you’re vacuuming the floor or cooking dinner, you’re stepping!
Conclusion
There’s no one set number of steps you need to take to reduce your BMI and lose weight. But studies suggest that taking 10,000 steps per day can lead to a pound of weight loss per week. Get a pedometer, get moving, and walk your way to better health and weight loss!