Interestingly, weight loss may also be influenced by whether you walk continuously or in shorter bursts. In a week study, women with excess weight or obesity restricted their calorie intake by — per day and either walked briskly for 50 minutes per day or did two minute bouts per day 6. Those who did the two shorter workouts per day lost 3. Nonetheless, other studies show no significant differences in weight loss between continuous and intermittent walking 7 , 8.
Multiple studies confirm that walking promotes weight loss, especially when combined with a low calorie diet. You can either increase the number of calories you burn via exercise like walking, decrease the number of calories you consume, or both. Based on this theory, you would need to reduce your calorie intake by for 7 days to lose 1 pound 0. Although this rule fails to account for people with lower body fat percentages, as well as the decrease in calorie expenditure that comes with weight loss, a calorie deficit of calories per day is appropriate for most people who want to lose weight 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , Part of this deficit can be achieved by walking 1 hour per day, while you can also gradually decrease the number of calories you consume.
Depending on your calorie intake, a deficit of calories per day may lead to 0. A calorie deficit per day is sufficient for most people looking to lose weight. You can burn some of these calories by walking an hour per day. Beyond weight loss, walking has several other benefits, especially when you walk multiple times per week for 30—60 minutes.
These health effects include 5 , 14 , 15 , 16 :. These benefits translate to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes , and overall mortality, as well as improved quality of life 17 , 18 , 19 , Moreover, an extra 30 minutes of walking, on top of your normal daily activity, is associated with less weight gain over time.
This is noteworthy because adults tend to gain 1. Walking is associated with several health benefits beyond weight loss, including improved mood and quality of life, as well as a reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
From there, you can increase your walking time by 10—15 minutes each week until you reach 1 hour per day, or a different length of time that feels good for you. Here are a few tips. For example, a pound kg person burns nearly 50 fewer calories per hour walking 3 mph 4. While this may seem insignificant, 50 fewer calories per day amounts to fewer calories burned per week.
By increasing your walking intensity, you can burn more calories. Try upping your pace or walking steep hills, uneven terrain, or soft surfaces like sand or grass If you're pounds walking briskly around 3. If you can fit in 30 minutes of brisk walking on a flat surface every day, you'll have burned off 1, calories by the end of the week.
Studies show that this sort of weekly calorie expenditure helps protect against heart disease and of course, you'll probably start noticing that you look and feel different soon. To help you to gauge whether you're walking briskly enough, take " the talk test. To determine if [you] are walking fast enough to be useful for weight loss, use the talk test," recommends pediatric dietitian nutritionist Ilana Buchbinder, RDN. You should be able to talk, but your heart rate should be high enough that you can't sing.
This is because when your body recognizes that you are walking at a consistent pace for a prolonged period of time, it will go to your fat stores for energy instead of going to muscle glycogen. You can track your heart rate during your walk using an Apple Watch, or Fitbit to get a somewhat accurate measurement of your heart rate zone based on the speed you walk," says Ellen Peker , a certified Pilates Instructor and Wellness Coach.
Engineering researchers have found that walking at varying speeds can burn up to 20 percent more calories compared to maintaining a steady pace. The study from Ohio State University is one of the first to measure the metabolic cost, or calories burned, of changing walking speeds. While walking briskly for 30 minutes is a great idea, try and work in a few minutes in which you accelerate and decelerate your brisk walk.
This is important because elevated cortisol levels stimulate fat and carbohydrate metabolism, resulting in increased appetite and cravings for nutrient-poor food choices, ultimately causing weight gain.
So if you are going to walk, take that nature trail for an added boost," says Dr. Young agrees and points to another recent study published in the American Psychological Association's journal Emotion : "Noticing your surroundings and enjoying scenery may improve your mental health, mood, and outlook.
See, vigorous arm pumping not only speeds your pace, it also provides a good upper body workout. What's more: an arm swinging walking style will cause you to burn 5 to 10 percent more calories. Bend your arms at 90 degrees and pump from the shoulder. Swing them naturally, as if you're reaching for your wallet in your back pocket. On the swing forward, your wrist should be near the center of your chest.
As well as altering your speed, a great way to burn more belly fat is to switch up the surface you're walking on. See, walking on grass or gravel burns more calories than walking on a track while walking on soft sand increases caloric expenditure by almost 50 percent, provided that you can keep your pace the same. Do at least 20 minutes of high-intensity walking on 3 nonconsecutive days per week as you'll burn more fat during and after these cardio-intensive workouts.
On alternate days, do moderate-intensity fitness activity for about 30 minutes per session. Walking briskly up a short hill is a great example of interval training when interspersed with flat terrain walking. Your leg muscles with thank you if you lean forward slightly when walking uphill and your knees will be even more grateful if you slow your pace, bend your legs slightly and take shorter steps when you descend those hills.
Hand weights can boost your caloric expenditure, but they may alter your arm swing and thus lead to muscle soreness or even injury. They're generally not recommended for people with high blood pressure or heart disease. If you want to use them, start with one-pound weights and increase the weight gradually. The weights shouldn't add up to more than 10 percent of your body weight. Ankle weights are not recommended, as they increase the chance of injury.
Walking backward uses the leg muscles differently from walking forward and can be a great way of rehabilitating from a knee injury. Retro walking is safest on a treadmill but a deserted running track would be just as suitable. If you have neither of those settings available to you, walk outside—away from traffic, trees, potholes, etc.
Even a slow pace 2 mph provides fairly intense training. To avoid muscle soreness, start slowly: don't try to walk backward more than a quarter mile the first week. If you want to increase your walking pace there are two ways you can do it. You can take longer strides or you can fast strides. Experts say that it's better to do the latter because lengthening your stride can increase strain on your feet and legs. Because the body contains more water than any other element staying hydrated is important to just about every body system.
Proper hydration impacts our cognitive function and energy in a major way. Studies have found that even a mild form of dehydration, percent, can impair brain function. This includes mood and energy which are vital to efficient and effective walking," says Best.
A Nutrition study found that participants who consumed three cups of the beverage every day for a week had fewer markers of the cell damage caused by resistance to exercise. That means that green tea can also help you recover faster after a brisk walk. According to one study on inactive people over 60 years old, walking for 15 minutes three times a day after meals can help control blood sugar levels better than walking once a day for 45 minutes. Popular fitness trackers and pedometers encourage people to take 10, steps per day, and one study agrees that 10, steps are ideal.
This works out to roughly 5 miles of walking. People interested in walking for weight loss should consistently hit at least 10, steps each day. Some people may even want to increase their total number of steps beyond this amount. However, any steps that a person takes beyond their normal daily step count can help them lose weight. Fitness trackers that count steps are an excellent incentive to help people take more steps each day.
Even if a person cannot reach 10, steps a day, they should set a reasonable step goal and work to achieve that. People can increase the number of steps they take each day by changing some of their daily movement patterns. Tips for doing this include:. Before adding weight or increasing intensity either through speed or incline, a person should speak to their doctor or other healthcare professional.
A person should aim to increase the regularity of their walking, as well as the number of miles or steps they take each day. Try adding in some intensity a few days a week with faster walks or increased inclines. Being a healthy weight offers many health benefits, as well as a feeling of wellbeing. Fast weight loss is rarely easy, but it is possible to lose….
A pound of body fat contains approximately 3, calories. A calorie is a measurement of energy, and to lose weight, a person must consume fewer than…. Efforts to lose weight may not work for a range of reasons. A person may be following an ineffective fad diet, or consuming sugary drinks, or…. The number of calories the body burns while a person is walking varies according to their sex, body size, and how fast they are walking.
Learn more…. A look at some of the best foods for weight loss. Included is detail on what foods to incorporate into your diet and why they work. What to know about walking for weight loss. Medically reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, M. Picking up the pace Weighted vests Walking uphill Form and posture Resistance training Power walking Three shorter daily More steps daily Summary Regular walking offers many potential health benefits, including weight loss.
Picking up the pace.
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