We all know walking is a great way to aid weight loss. In fact, it is one of the effective ways to shed those extra pounds. Well, now, this brings us the most important question: how much walking is enough to lose weight?
POPSUGAR asked two experts to answer this question and here is what they have to say.
Tom Holland, an exercise physiologist, marathoner, and fitness adviser for Bowflex, said, “You can absolutely see weight-loss results from walking 30 minutes a day. A 30-minute walk can burn around 150-200 calories, depending on factors like your speed and body-weight.”
Jackie Vick, Gold’s Gym certified personal trainer and AMP coach said, “Some of those calories burned will come from fat, which is even better news if you really want to see results.”
Do you want to burn the most calorie just by walking? Here is what both Tom and Jackie recommend:
Do some hills: Tom said, “Adding in changes in incline (think hills) will help increase the intensity along with the total number of calories burned. If you can’t make it to the top today, aim to hit the half- or even quarter-way point. Gradually work your way up as you get stronger. Try this outdoor hill workout to start.”
Add in short power intervals: Jackie recommends speeding up to a brisker pace and then slowing down for a few seconds, and then repeating the same for at least 30 minutes. A few quick steps can also make a huger difference when it comes to weight loss.
Reverse your usual route: Tom said, “Have a particular loop that you walk every day? Simply reversing the direction will provide much-needed variation to keep your body challenged and changing.”
Run a little bit if you can: Tom added, “Adding short running intervals to your walk can help tremendously with weight loss. They don’t need to be any longer than a minute to make a big difference in the amount of calories you burn.”
Tom explained that variation is the key to avoiding the dreaded weight-loss plateau, which means you should be looking for more challenging hills and keep pushing harder during your fast intervals as you get stronger.
Tom told POPSUGAR, “Your body is a very smart machine, becoming accustomed over time to the stressors you impose upon it. If you don’t change it up, it will stop changing. Ramping up your intensity and varying routes and elevations is a great way to shed pounds consistently.”
“The great thing about walking is that it is low-impact, so you can do it frequently,” explained Tom.
For great results, both Tom and Jackie advised working your way up to five or six walks per week. You must try to incorporate intervals into at least two of those walks, said Jackie.
Jackie said, “As long as you complete all 30 minutes of exercise, it doesn’t matter when you do it.” Tom said, “Previous research suggests that exercising for three 10-minute intervals gives you all the same benefits as one continuous 30-minute session. If you’re short on time, breaking your 30-minute walk into a few shorter bursts is a great solution. No walk is too short; what matters is the total amount of minutes you hit.”
