In a new study, which looks at activity tracker data from 78,500 people, walking at a brisk pace for about 30 minutes a day led to a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and death, compared with walking a similar number of steps but at a slower pace.
Conclusions: Total body fat is lost through walking at all speeds, but the change is more rapid, clear, and initially greater with slow walking in overweight subjects. A longer exercise impulse at a lower speed in our study initially produced greater total fat loss than a shorter one with fast walking speed.
Speed Matters When Walking for Fitness
If you're walking for your health, a pace of about 3 miles per hour (or about 120 steps per minute) is about right. That's a 20-minute mile. To walk for weight loss, you'll have to pick up the pace to 4 miles per hour (or 135 steps per minute), a 15-minute mile.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, 30 minutes of daily exercise is just as effective for losing weight as 60 minutes.
A longer walk may take more time, but the activity lowers your risk of injury and provides many of the same health benefits as walking faster. A longer walk builds endurance so that you can, over time, cover longer distances, Dr. Higgins says. Consistent walking allows you to gradually combine both distance and speed.
Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Just 30 minutes every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance.
There's now more encouraging evidence that you don't have to run marathons to make a difference in your health. A brisk 20-minute walk each day could be enough to cut your risk of early death – even if you are obese, according to new research published Jan. 14.
How far do I need to walk to lose weight? In the early stages you should aim for 6,000 steps a day, eventually progressing to a standard target of 10,000 to 12,000 steps which equates to closely 8-10km. For those who are walking to remain active and maintain their weight then 10,000 to 12,000 steps is recommended.
Walking, like all forms of exercise, can reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood and overall feelings of wellbeing, and can improve cognitive function. Walking can increase your focus, energy, executive functioning, and may even improve your memory and creativity.
According to a 2018 study published in the journal Obesity, walking 10,000 steps a day is associated with weight loss and weight management. Plus, it's a low-impact exercise, making it accessible for all fitness levels.
One such study by exercise physiologists at the University of Virginia showed that women who completed three 30-minute fast-paced walks and two slower walks per week lost four times more total body fat and six times more belly fat than women who walked five days a week at a casual strolling pace.
Walking slowly not only burns more calories per mile, but it may also save wear and tear on the joints of those who are obese. With increasing interest in slow walking with a treadmill desk, walkers want to know whether they are getting any benefit.
In terms of how the type of walking you need to do to lose weight, a brisk pace is recommended. Walking for 30-90 minutes several days each week will help you to lose weight. Walking at a brisk walking pace for 30 minutes typically results in a distance walked of 1.5-2 miles or 3,000-4,500 steps.
Studies show walking is one of the best ways to shed belly fat, in less time than you think. Researchers reviewed 40 years of studies on exercise and belly fat and found that just 2 1/2 hours of brisk walking a week--about 20 minutes a day--can shrink your belly by about 1 inch in 4 weeks.
How much should I walk to lose 10 kg? 30 minutes a day of brisk walking or power walking 5 days a week can help you reduce up to 10 kgs.
Walking is the best form of exercise and helps you burn calories faster. Aim to complete around 10,000 steps each day. You could take stairs instead of an elevator and try to walk to the parking lot or go for a grocery run.
Next time you leave your house to visit an ATM, a nearby grocery store, or even a park, walk the distance. Basically, walking every day for 30 minutes can burn as many as 150 calories per day. Hence, adding this to your diet chart to lose 5 kg in a month will surely work.
Avoid this when you are cutting back your calories by simply using walking as your daily exercise. Aim for at least 10,000-12,000 steps each day which will support a 1-2kg weight loss over the course of a week.
As a general rule of thumb, you will need at least 3-4 weeks to drop 3-5kg and up to three months to lose 10kg. This means that focusing on your diet and exercise goals for a couple of weeks without distraction and excess calories will go a long way at getting your weight loss efforts off to the right start.
After 3-4 days of walking: you will notice the “better fit” or more room in your clothes! After 7 days of walking: real changes are happening! You have used body fat as energy (fat burning!) Muscles feel more toned!
If walking the only type of physical activity you can commit to, experts say that's good enough to say healthy. Just be sure to pair it with a nutritious diet.
If you simply want to move around more, then yes: Walking around your house is exercise.