In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleHow Long Does It Take to Walk Off 10 Pounds?Can Walking Really Help You Lose Weight?How Many Calories Can You Burn Walking?Walking Plan to Lose 10 PoundsWays to Increase the Burn
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
How Long Does It Take to Walk Off 10 Pounds?
Can Walking Really Help You Lose Weight?
How Many Calories Can You Burn Walking?
Walking Plan to Lose 10 Pounds
Ways to Increase the Burn
If you’ve written off walking as a workout for weight loss, you may want to reconsider. The old-school advice to burn as many calories as possible in a workout is out. The new science has arrived. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, burning 500 calories at once on the treadmill is not the only way. Instead, create a small calorie deficit through your diet and increase activity in a sustainable way that doesn’t leave you ravenous.
Enter: walking.
While not as intense as a Peloton or HIIT workout,research shows that walking is associated withweight loss, a boost in metabolism, improved mood and reduced risk of chronic diseases. And the best part is that it’s free and can be done anywhere. All you need is agood pair of shoes.
The Best Way to Lose Weight and Keep It Off Long Term, According to Experts
How much weight you can lose from walking depends on your current weight, diet and activity level. We recommend losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week for sustainable weight loss, which means you could potentially lose 5-10 pounds in five weeks. However, a more realistic timeline is 10 to 24 weeks, since most people don’t have hours to devote to walking every day. Plus, a slower rate of weight loss means you can enjoy vacations and holidays and maintain your progress long-term.
A 2023 review in theBritish Journal of Sports Medicinesuggests that exercise has a dose-dependent response to belly fat. In other words, the more exercise you get, the more belly fat you’ll burn.
Being active, especially through walking, helps burn more calories, contributing to creating a calorie deficit.
And a 2021 review in theInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Healthsuggests that exercise, including walking, that is moderate to vigorous intensity, 4 times a week for 50 minutes each session will reduce body weight and belly fat.
But what if you don’t have time to walk for an hour (or longer) every day? You might be able to get the same, or better, results doing two shorter walks, according to a 2019 study in the journalObesity. Those who did two 25-minute walks per day 6 days per week lost more weight and inches than those who did one 50-minute walk per day. Both followed the same calorie-controlled diet.
A 2023 study inObesityfound that the group who received behavioral dietary weight loss strategies with an intervention to increase movement throughout the day experienced similar short-term (6-month) weight loss compared to the group who received behavioral dietary weight loss and structured aerobic exercise. Those assigned to the daily movement intervention also regained less weight after a year of follow-up compared to those who engaged in structured exercise.
Based on these studies, the most effective, sustainable plan for weight loss is one that combines dietary changes with exercise. But what if you feel like you’re doing pretty well in the eating department and still aren’t getting the results you desire? It may be time to try incorporating more walking into your day.
Did You Know You Can Activate More of Your Muscles By Nordic Walking vs. Regular Walking?
“Calorie burn from walking depends on several factors, including age, weight, sex, walking pace and difficulty of your walking course,” saysAlex Davis, co-creator of Ryan and Alex Duo Life. “Generally, 1 mile—or roughly 2,000 steps—walked equates to [burning] 80 to 100 calories.” Since there are 3,500 calories in 1 pound, “this means to lose 1 pound, you’ll need to walk roughly 35 miles or 70,000 steps. Over the course of a week, this means targeting 10,000 steps a day,” says Davis. At this rate, you could lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks.
The faster you walk, the more calories you will burn, so pick up the pace to lose 10 pounds in a shorter amount of time.
This is how many calories a 155-pound person burns walking for one hour at different paces, according to ACE’sphysical activity calculator:
2 mph (a stroll): 140 calories
3 mph (moderate pace): 232 calories
3.5 mph (brisk pace): 267 calories
4 mph (very brisk): 351 calories
5 mph (fast pace): 632 calories
Getty Images / urbazon
The best walking plan for you will depend on your fitness level, how much you currently walk and your schedule. If you already walk 10,000 steps per day but aren’t losing weight, you likely need to tweak your diet and increase the duration or intensity of your walks. Adding higher-intensity workouts and weight training a few times per week can help too.
If you currently walk 15 minutes daily but aren’t seeing results, walk for 30 to 60 minutes. If you want to lose 10 pounds faster but don’t have an hour to devote to walking every day, walk for 30 minutes at a very brisk pace and add intensity like hills or weights. And remember, you can still break the time up, doing shorter bouts that add up to 30 to 60 minutes.
Here are two 5-week walking plans—one for beginners and one for those who already walk every day.
After five weeks, to continue seeing results, increase the duration, frequency and/or intensity of your walks. Create a small calorie deficit through your diet and add strength training two to three times per week to help burn fat while preserving muscle.
Beware of going too low on the calorie deficit, though. If you reduce calories too much, you won’t have enough energy to power through your workouts, let alone your day.Reducing caloric intake can also lower your metabolism, which will have the opposite effect on calorie burn in the long run.
5-Week Beginner Walking Plan
Smith created this five-week walking plan for newbies. “If the person is starting from sedentary or very little structured walking, they will want to start out on the lighter side,” says Smith. “Here’s an example of a five-week walking routine progression for someone new to taking dedicated walks for workouts.”
Week 1:Three 15-minute walks during the week with little to no incline at a moderate pace of 2-3 mph. This should feel like a leisurely stroll, nothing intense.
Week 2:Three 20-minute walks with little to no incline at a slightly elevated pace of 2.5-3.5 mph. This speed should feel like you’re walking with some urgency, but not rushed.
Week 3:Three 30-minute walks with little to no incline at that same slightly elevated pace (2.5-3.5 mph).
Week 4:Four 30-minute walks with some incline or hills added; your speed can stay on the higher end of the 2.5-3.5 mph range. Adding incline changes will engage your muscles more and rev your heart rate and calorie burn.
Week 5:Five 30-minute walks with incline and hill intervals at 3.5-4.5 mph. This should be a purposeful power walk.
5-Week Intermediate Walking Plan
Brett Durney, co-founder, personal trainer and running coach at Fitness Lab, developed this walking plan best suited for those who already do some walking each day.
Durney’s plan breaks the walking time up, making it easier to accomplish for some. You can do it all at once if you prefer.
Week 1:Three 15-minute walks, achieving roughly 7,500 steps per day
Week 2:Three 16-minute walks, achieving roughly 8,000 steps per day
Week 3:Three 17-minute walks, achieving roughly 8,500 steps per day
Week 4:Three 18-minute walks, achieving roughly 9,000 steps per day
Week 5:Three 20-minute walks, achieving roughly 10,000 steps per day
While these plans increase walking duration each week, walking 60 minutes per day at a brisk pace can burn 250 to 350 calories—which is about ½ pound of weight loss per week. Here are five ways to increase calorie burn without walking longer.
1. Pick Up the Pace
“Walking speed directly affects your calorie burn. Picking up your pace from a stroll (2 mph) to a moderate walk (3 mph) burns 33% more calories,” says Davis.
2. Find Hills
“Hill walks are great for your muscles. They activate your calf, glute and hamstring muscles even more than a flat walk, without any added risk of injury. In addition to increasing your heart rate and workload, hills also increase your calorie burn. On a treadmill, setting an intense incline of 18% can increase calorie burn even more,” says Davis.
3. Listen to Upbeat Music
4. Take a Hike
Hiking often involves walking on uneven terrain, which engages more muscle groups. Building more muscle will burn more calories during the workout and afterward. Hiking uphill will boost calorie burn even more.
5. Try the Run-Walk Method
The Best 30-Day Walking Plan to Help Lower Your Blood Sugar Levels
The Bottom Line
Walking is a free and effective form of exercise for weight loss. When combined with dietary changes, you can lose 10 pounds in 10 to 24 weeks. Start with walking 10 to 15 minutes per day and work up to 30 to 60 minutes per day, depending on your fitness level and schedule. Increase speed and intensity to boost calorie burn, and consider doing two to three shorter walks each day versus one longer walk. For faster results, combine daily walks with two to fourstrength training sessionsor high-intensity workouts per week.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
