Is walking effective for weight loss?

Determined to shed a few pounds? Instead of searching social media for the latest weight loss tips, get out and about. Simple weight loss methods like walking are not only doable, but they’re also highly effective.

Below, experts tell us how and why it works, along with their must-know walking tips and tricks for losing weight.

5 Benefits of Walking for Weight Loss

While you might think that you need to be huffing and puffing and sweating to effectively exercise for weight loss, this is actually far from the truth.

Walking may be the most underrated way to stay fit, says Kaitlyn Comeau, RD, PN1-SSR, a registered dietitian and group fitness instructor in Nova Scotia, Canada. “Walking is an effective way to lose weight, especially when done consistently and combined with a balanced diet,” she explains. “It’s another tool in the weight loss toolbox and is low-impact, making it a good option for many people.”

1. Walking burns calories

To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories. Whether you walk slowly or briskly, walking can help you lose weight. “The number of calories burned depends on a variety of factors, including walking speed, duration, and weight,” she explains. “Generally speaking, adults can burn 100 to 200 calories in a 30-minute brisk walk.” (Not bad for the calories many of us already burn while commuting, shopping, or out to lunch.)

2. Walking has a positive impact on blood sugar levels

“Regular walking helps improve insulin sensitivity, making it easier for the body to control blood sugar levels,” Cuomo continued. “This is essential for preventing energy crashes and controlling hunger.”

PS Healthy blood sugar levels are important for both weight management and overall health. If you’re looking for extra help with your blood sugar, check out HUM’s Best of Berberine. Berberine (known as “Nature’s Ozempic”) supports healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels and promotes a healthy gut microbiome.

3. Walking helps balance hormones

Walking more can also support your weight loss journey by keeping various hormones in check. “Walking can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can reduce cravings for high-calorie, comfort foods,” says Cuomo. Additionally, she says walking can reduce hunger hormones and increase satiety hormones (called ghrelin and leptin, respectively).

4. Walking is good for bone and muscle health

“Walking is also a weight-bearing activity, which means it promotes bone and muscle health, which is crucial for women,” says Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, dietitian-Canadian, founder of BZ Nutrition. When it comes to weight loss, she adds, more muscle means more calories burned — whether you’re resting, walking, or going about your daily life.

5. Walking is good for your mental health and overall well-being

Not only does walking help you lose weight, it can also help you get more feel-good hormones and sleep better, says Zeitlin. “This, in turn, helps us better control food cravings, overeating, and emotional eating: things that often make us fatter,” she shares. (Walking also offers the added bonus of vitamin D and fresh air for those who walk outdoors compared to walking on a treadmill, but you can’t go wrong either way.)

Walking also promotes healthy aging and physical flexibility. In short, it’s a form of exercise you’ll want to prioritize for years, even after you’ve reached your goal weight.

How to Lose Weight by Walking

“For those looking to use walking as their primary aerobic exercise for weight loss, consistency and progression are key,” Cuomo says. Here are the experts’ best advice and tips.

Invest time

Comeau recommends getting at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity walking per week (that’s 30 to 60 minutes per day) for at least five days. “For more dramatic weight loss, increasing your walking time to 90 minutes per day may help,” she explains.

Zeitlin adds that you can break up your workouts into different time periods to suit your situation, such as extending your morning commute on some days or running a few extra laps around the block after dinner on other days.

“Find a routine that fits your lifestyle,” Comeau advises. “My personal favorites are starting the day in the morning with some sun and taking a walk after dinner.” The bonus: The former helps regulate your circadian rhythm (more energy during the day, better sleep and more balanced hormones at night), while the latter aids digestion and blood sugar.

Keep an eye on your steps

It’s helpful to track your weight-loss walking journey by minutes/hours and steps (Zeitlin cites the latter, suggesting that at least 8,000 steps can boost overall health). However, you may eventually want to pick up the pace to further accelerate cardiovascular output and calorie burn.

“Start at a comfortable pace and gradually increase your speed to a brisk walk (3.5 to 4 mph),” Comeau advises. At this pace, your breathing should be noticeable, but you should still be able to hold a conversation comfortably. “If you want more intensity, add in short, fast-walking intervals, walking at a pace close to a jog for 1 to 2 minutes, followed by 3 to 4 minutes of recovery at a slower pace,” she continues. (By the way, when I do my own hot-girl walks on the treadmill, this kind of interval training helps improve my endurance so that I don’t give up too early.)

Go hiking or add some slope

When it comes to walking, hiking and hill climbing make me feel great. Personally, I enjoy the added challenge and know it will give me better results — including, but not limited to, burning more calories — in a shorter amount of time than walking on flat ground alone.

“Walking on different terrains, such as trails or sand, works more muscles and increases intensity,” she adds.

Crunching some numbers

If you’re a bit of a Type A and like to be precise (just me?), Zeitlin says you can do some mental math to determine how much walking you need to do to lose weight. She reminds us that the average person burns about 100 calories per mile, and there are 3,500 calories in a pound. Basically, that means the average person needs to walk 35 miles to burn off a pound, so you might want to aim to walk 35 miles per week to lose a pound per week.

“Again, depending on your current weight, you may burn a little less or more calories per mile than 100,” she shares. Still, this ballpark number can help you stay on track with your goals and your weight-loss journey.

Be consistent

Again, consistency is crucial to achieving almost any goal. “While some people may see initial results in two to four weeks, sustained weight loss and fitness improvements typically take eight to 12 weeks,” explains Comeau. However, these timelines depend on your walking routine and effort—not to mention your diet, health, and other key factors.

Walking and strength training for couples

Whether you’re trying to lose weight or get fit, walking is a good idea, as is strength training.

Comeau shares, “Performing strength training two to three times a week helps build muscle, which increases your resting metabolic rate.” Again, this means you’ll burn more calories even when you’re not working out. Amazing, right? “Strength training also helps preserve muscle during weight loss, ensuring that most of the weight lost comes from fat and not muscle,” she continues.

Summarize

Walking for weight loss is an effective and efficient way to lose weight that’s safe and easy to fit into even the busiest of schedules. However, the best approach is to tweak other parts of your daily routine at the same time.

“While walking is a great starting point for weight loss, combining it with strength training and a balanced diet is essential for long-term success and will give you greater gains,” explains Comeau. “That being said, no amount of exercise can make up for a poor diet.”

With this in mind, both Comeau and Zeitlin recommend:

• Prioritize protein at every meal to promote satiety, weight management, and muscle repair
• Stay hydrated (not least because thirst can be mistaken for hunger)
• Paying attention to portion control and hunger cues (essentially eating smarter, not necessarily eating more, to curb increased hunger from exercise)

Zeitlin also emphasizes the importance of fueling properly before and after a walk. “Refuel as you would with a workout, drink plenty of water, and eat a snack and rehydrate within 30 minutes of your walk,” she advises. “A good post-walk snack would be protein and fruit (for example, a cheese stick and grapes, or an apple with nut butter).”

Last but not least, dietitians stress the importance of adequate sleep, which not only suppresses your appetite but also improves your mood and energy, thus motivating you to lose weight and improve your health.