Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It Promotes Weight LossOther BenefitsPlansEffects on AppetiteTips
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Promotes Weight Loss
Other Benefits
Plans
Effects on Appetite
Tips
Walkingis an excellent form of exercise to help meet weight goals and improve overall health and fitness. You can benefit from various walking speeds and amounts of time spent walking. There are lots of ways to create a walking plan that fits your needs.
This article will discuss walking plans and tips for those looking for a simple way to be more active and fit.
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How Walking Promotes Weight Loss
Walking can help reduce waist size, and lower weight, body fat percentage, and body mass index (BMI, an imperfect but commonly used measure).The American Heart Association recommends that everyone get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such asbrisk walking, per week.Exercising for longer amounts of time each week may further increase the benefits.
Exercise like walking increases cardiovascular fitness and burns calories. Your body has to work and burn calories to move your muscles to perform activities like walking.
The concept ofcaloriesin, calories out is just one part of weight management. In reality, weight management is a complex system related to hormones and metabolism. Burning more calories than you take in can help you lose weight in the short term.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure. It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes.
8 Surprising Benefits of Walking Every Day
Other Benefits of Walking
In addition to its potential to help reach weight loss goals, walking can improve the following:
Regular physical activity like walking can also help lower your risk of certain diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, dementia, and certain cancers.
Walking After Eating: A Proven Strategy for Better Gut Health
Walking Plans to Lose Weight
There are many ways to incorporate walking for weight loss and overall health into your routine. And you don’t have to spend a lot of money or walk a strict number of steps every day of the week to have a benefit.
Even walking 8,000 steps a day for one or two days of the week offers benefits.The following are some suggested walking plans to consider as you get started.
Beginner
For anyone looking to start out walking, it’s a good idea to begin with slow exercise or short duration. It’s easiest to start on level terrain (such as a paved asphalt, concrete, or track surface). Start out with slow-paced 10- to 15-minute walks, and gradually increase your walking pace over time.
The overall goal is to get to at least150 minutes per weekwalking at a brisk pace. It’s OK if it takes you a few weeks to build up to this. Don’t get discouraged, because any amount of physical activity you do has benefits for your endurance.
Moderately Challenging
If you’re ready for more of a challenge, increase the pace and length of your walks. If using a treadmill, increase the incline. If walking outside, consider more varied terrain, such as hiking or walking in hilly areas.
If you have a heart rate monitor, aim for a brisk walk that gets yourheart rateup to 50 to 75% of your maximum predicted heart rate, which is 220 minus your age. The following chart shows ranges for various ages.
Most Challenging
If you’re ready to increase intensity, try the following to make walking more challenging:
Effects of Walking on Appetite
Every individual is different in terms of how exercise increases their desire to eat. When adding any kind of exercise to your routine, you might notice an increase in appetite. While studies have been conflicting, some evidence suggests that longterm regular exercise can increase appetite, affectappetite-related hormones, and and improvesatiety(feeling full after a meal).
So when starting exercise routine like walking, you should not be surprised to find yourself hungrier. However, it’s important to choose nutritious options (like fiber-rich vegetables and whole grains, beans and legumes, and lean meats or seafood, nuts and seeds; and low in processed foods with a lot of salt, sugar, and saturated fats).Also, stay hydrated to replenish the fluid lost in sweat during your workout.
Tips to Walk More
While walking is a simple activity, it’s not necessarily easy to fit it into your everyday routine. A busy schedule, lack of motivation, bad weather, or lack of space to walk can make walking challenging and hamper your fitness goals. Here are some tips to help you walk more:
Is Walking on a Treadmill While Working Right for You?
Walking Safety
There are a few things to keep in mind for your personal safety while walking:
Summary
Walking is a great form of exercise that can not only help you lose weight, but has benefits on overall fitness, heart health, sleep, and mood, among other things. Everyone should aim to get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, and the more the better. There are many ways to incorporate walking into your day, and even just short bouts of walking are beneficial.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Recchia F, Leung CK, Yu AP, et al.Dose-response effects of exercise and caloric restriction on visceral adiposity in overweight and obese adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(16):1035-1041. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-106304Lahtio H, Rintala A, Immonen J, Sjögren T.The effectiveness of physical activity-promoting web- and mobile-based distance weight loss interventions on body composition in rehabilitation settings: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis.J Med Internet Res. 2022;24(3):e25906. doi:10.2196/25906American Heart Association.American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Benefits of physical activity.Cox CE.Role of physical activity for weight loss and weight maintenance.Diabetes Spectr. 2017 Aug;30(3):157-160. doi:10.2337/ds17-0013Michigan State University Extension.Walking helps prevent chronic disease.American Diabetes Association.The benefits of walking.National Association of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Conditions.Exercise for your bone health.National Cancer Institute.Physical activity and cancer.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health benefits of physical activity.Inoue K, Tsugawa Y, Mayeda ER, Ritz B.Association of Daily Step Patterns With Mortality in US Adults.JAMA Netw Open.2023;6(3):e235174. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.5174American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.Kelleher JL, Beavers DP, Henderson RM, Yow D, Crotts C, Kiel J, Nicklas BJ, Beavers KM.Weighted vest use during dietary weight loss on bone health in older adults with obesity.J Osteoporos Phys Act. 2017;5(4):210. doi:10.4172/2329-9509.1000210Dorling J, Broom DR, Burns SF, Clayton DJ, Deighton K, James LJ, King JA, Miyashita M, Thackray AE, Batterham RL, Stensel DJ.Acute and chronic effects of exercise on appetite, energy intake, and appetite-related hormones: The modulating effect of adiposity, sex, and habitual physical activity.Nutrients. 2018 Aug 22;10(9):1140. doi:10.3390/nu10091140Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthy weight, nutrition, and physical activity.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Tips for getting active.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Recchia F, Leung CK, Yu AP, et al.Dose-response effects of exercise and caloric restriction on visceral adiposity in overweight and obese adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(16):1035-1041. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-106304Lahtio H, Rintala A, Immonen J, Sjögren T.The effectiveness of physical activity-promoting web- and mobile-based distance weight loss interventions on body composition in rehabilitation settings: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis.J Med Internet Res. 2022;24(3):e25906. doi:10.2196/25906American Heart Association.American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Benefits of physical activity.Cox CE.Role of physical activity for weight loss and weight maintenance.Diabetes Spectr. 2017 Aug;30(3):157-160. doi:10.2337/ds17-0013Michigan State University Extension.Walking helps prevent chronic disease.American Diabetes Association.The benefits of walking.National Association of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Conditions.Exercise for your bone health.National Cancer Institute.Physical activity and cancer.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health benefits of physical activity.Inoue K, Tsugawa Y, Mayeda ER, Ritz B.Association of Daily Step Patterns With Mortality in US Adults.JAMA Netw Open.2023;6(3):e235174. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.5174American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.Kelleher JL, Beavers DP, Henderson RM, Yow D, Crotts C, Kiel J, Nicklas BJ, Beavers KM.Weighted vest use during dietary weight loss on bone health in older adults with obesity.J Osteoporos Phys Act. 2017;5(4):210. doi:10.4172/2329-9509.1000210Dorling J, Broom DR, Burns SF, Clayton DJ, Deighton K, James LJ, King JA, Miyashita M, Thackray AE, Batterham RL, Stensel DJ.Acute and chronic effects of exercise on appetite, energy intake, and appetite-related hormones: The modulating effect of adiposity, sex, and habitual physical activity.Nutrients. 2018 Aug 22;10(9):1140. doi:10.3390/nu10091140Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthy weight, nutrition, and physical activity.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Tips for getting active.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Recchia F, Leung CK, Yu AP, et al.Dose-response effects of exercise and caloric restriction on visceral adiposity in overweight and obese adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(16):1035-1041. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-106304Lahtio H, Rintala A, Immonen J, Sjögren T.The effectiveness of physical activity-promoting web- and mobile-based distance weight loss interventions on body composition in rehabilitation settings: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis.J Med Internet Res. 2022;24(3):e25906. doi:10.2196/25906American Heart Association.American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Benefits of physical activity.Cox CE.Role of physical activity for weight loss and weight maintenance.Diabetes Spectr. 2017 Aug;30(3):157-160. doi:10.2337/ds17-0013Michigan State University Extension.Walking helps prevent chronic disease.American Diabetes Association.The benefits of walking.National Association of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Conditions.Exercise for your bone health.National Cancer Institute.Physical activity and cancer.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health benefits of physical activity.Inoue K, Tsugawa Y, Mayeda ER, Ritz B.Association of Daily Step Patterns With Mortality in US Adults.JAMA Netw Open.2023;6(3):e235174. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.5174American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.Kelleher JL, Beavers DP, Henderson RM, Yow D, Crotts C, Kiel J, Nicklas BJ, Beavers KM.Weighted vest use during dietary weight loss on bone health in older adults with obesity.J Osteoporos Phys Act. 2017;5(4):210. doi:10.4172/2329-9509.1000210Dorling J, Broom DR, Burns SF, Clayton DJ, Deighton K, James LJ, King JA, Miyashita M, Thackray AE, Batterham RL, Stensel DJ.Acute and chronic effects of exercise on appetite, energy intake, and appetite-related hormones: The modulating effect of adiposity, sex, and habitual physical activity.Nutrients. 2018 Aug 22;10(9):1140. doi:10.3390/nu10091140Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthy weight, nutrition, and physical activity.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Tips for getting active.
Recchia F, Leung CK, Yu AP, et al.Dose-response effects of exercise and caloric restriction on visceral adiposity in overweight and obese adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Br J Sports Med. 2023;57(16):1035-1041. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2022-106304
Lahtio H, Rintala A, Immonen J, Sjögren T.The effectiveness of physical activity-promoting web- and mobile-based distance weight loss interventions on body composition in rehabilitation settings: Systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression analysis.J Med Internet Res. 2022;24(3):e25906. doi:10.2196/25906
American Heart Association.American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity in adults and kids.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Benefits of physical activity.
Cox CE.Role of physical activity for weight loss and weight maintenance.Diabetes Spectr. 2017 Aug;30(3):157-160. doi:10.2337/ds17-0013
Michigan State University Extension.Walking helps prevent chronic disease.
American Diabetes Association.The benefits of walking.
National Association of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Conditions.Exercise for your bone health.
National Cancer Institute.Physical activity and cancer.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Health benefits of physical activity.
Inoue K, Tsugawa Y, Mayeda ER, Ritz B.Association of Daily Step Patterns With Mortality in US Adults.JAMA Netw Open.2023;6(3):e235174. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.5174
American Heart Association.Target heart rates chart.
Kelleher JL, Beavers DP, Henderson RM, Yow D, Crotts C, Kiel J, Nicklas BJ, Beavers KM.Weighted vest use during dietary weight loss on bone health in older adults with obesity.J Osteoporos Phys Act. 2017;5(4):210. doi:10.4172/2329-9509.1000210
Dorling J, Broom DR, Burns SF, Clayton DJ, Deighton K, James LJ, King JA, Miyashita M, Thackray AE, Batterham RL, Stensel DJ.Acute and chronic effects of exercise on appetite, energy intake, and appetite-related hormones: The modulating effect of adiposity, sex, and habitual physical activity.Nutrients. 2018 Aug 22;10(9):1140. doi:10.3390/nu10091140
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Healthy weight, nutrition, and physical activity.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Tips for getting active.
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