walking is a great form of exercise, and walking for 1 hour a day may help with weight loss and provide other health benefits.
walking is an excellent form of exercise that can help with weight loss and provide other health benefits.
still, many people don't think walking is effective for weight loss compared to other forms of exercise.
this article explains whether walking for an hour a day can help you lose weight.
Walking burns calories
the simplicity of walking makes it an attractive activity for many people – especially those looking to burn extra calories.
the number of calories you burn on your walk depends on many factors, especially your weight and walking speed.
this table estimates the number of calories burned per hour based on weight and walking speed (1):
| 2.0 mph (3.2 km/h) | 2.5 mph (4.0 km/h) | 3.0 mph (4.8 km/h) | 3.5 mph (5.6 km/h) | 4.0 mph (6.4 km/h) | |
| 120 lbs (55 kg) | 154 | 165 | 193 | 237 | 275 |
| 150 lbs (68 kg) | 190 | 204 | 238 | 292 | 340 |
| 180 lbs (82 kg) | 230 | 246 | 287 | 353 | 451 |
| 210 lbs (95 kg) | 266 | 285 | 333 | 401 | 475 |
| 240 lbs (109 kg) | 305 | 327 | 382 | 469 | 545 |
| 270 lbs (123 kg) | 344 | 369 | 431 | 529 | 615 |
| 300 lbs (136 kg) | 381 | 408 | 476 | 585 | 680 |
for reference, the average walking speed is 3 mph (4.8 km/h). the faster you walk and the heavier you weigh, the more calories you burn.
other factors that affect the number of calories burned include terrain, outdoor/indoor temperatures, and age and gender (2).
summary: the number of calories you burn on your walk depends primarily on your weight and walking speed. walking faster allows you to burn more calories per hour.
Walking can help you lose weight
walking for 1 hour a day can help you burn calories and lose weight.
in one study, 11 moderate-weight women lost an average of 17 pounds (7.7 kg) or 10% of their initial body weight after 6 months of brisk walking each day. (3）。
these women gradually increased their walking time over 6 months to a maximum of 1 hour per day but lost little weight before walking for at least 30 minutes a day.
this result suggests that walking time may be associated with weight loss.
another study noted that obese women who walked 50-70 minutes 3 days a week lost about 6 pounds (2.7 kg) in 12 weeks compared to women who did not walk. (4）。
Combine your diet
while walking itself can help you lose weight, it can be more effective in combination with a calorie-restricted diet.
in a 12-week study, obese people were limited to 500 to 800 calories per day. one group walked 3 hours per week at 3.7 mph (6 km/h), while the other group did not walk (5).
while both groups lost a lot of weight, the walking group lost, on average, about 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) more than those who didn't.
interestingly, weight loss can also be affected by whether you walk continuously or for short periods.
in a 24-week study, overweight or obese women limited their calorie intake to between 500 and 600 per day, either brisk walking for 50 minutes a day or competing for 25 minutes twice a day. (6）。
people who did shorter exercise twice a day lost 3.7 pounds more than those who walked for 50 minutes straight.
nonetheless, other studies have shown no significant difference in weight loss between continuous and intermittent walking (7, 8).
therefore, you should choose the routine that works best for you.
summary: multiple studies have confirmed that walking can promote weight loss, especially when combined with a low-calorie diet.
How much weight can I lose by walking for 1 hour a day?
to lose weight, you must always insist on eating fewer calories per day than the calories you burn.
you can increase the number of calories you burn, reduce the number of calories you burn, or both, through exercises like walking.
it is often said that 1 pound (0.45 kg) of body weight is equivalent to 3,500 calories. according to this theory, you need to reduce your intake by 500 calories in 7 days to lose 1 pound (0.45 kg) per week.
while this rule doesn't take into account people with lower percentages of body fat and the reduction in calorie consumption that comes with losing weight, a calorie gap of 500 calories per day is appropriate for most people who want to lose weight. (9, 10, 11, 12, 13）。
walking for 1 hour a day can partially compensate for this deficiency, while you can also gradually reduce the number of calories you burn.
depending on your calorie intake, a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day can result in a weekly weight loss of 0.5-2 pounds (0.2-0.9 kg) (13).
Summary: For most people who want to lose weight, a calorie gap of 500 calories per day is enough. you can burn some of those calories by walking for an hour a day.
Other health benefits of walking
in addition to losing weight, walking has some other benefits, especially when you walk multiple times a week for 30-60 minutes. these health effects include (5, 14, 15, 16):
- lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol
- increases HDL (good) cholesterol
- improve mood
- blood pressure drops
These benefits translate into a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and overall mortality, as well as improved quality of life. （17, 18, 19, 20）。
in addition, walking for 30 minutes in addition to normal daily activities will reduce weight gain over time. this is noteworthy because adults tend to gain 1.1-2.2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) per year (21, 22, 23).
Summary: in addition to losing weight, walking can provide multiple health benefits, including improved mood and quality of life, as well as a reduced risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
How to start walking
walking is an excellent form of exercise that most people can participate in.
if you want to walk every day, it's important to start slowly and gradually increase your duration and intensity.
if you're just starting out, walking fast for long periods can make you feel tired, sore, and unmotivated.
instead, start by walking at a comfortable pace of 10-15 minutes a day.
from there, you can increase your walking time by 10 to 15 minutes per week until you reach 1 hour a day, or a different length of time that makes you feel good.
after this, you can work to increase your walking speed if you want.
Summary: if you're just starting out walking as a sport, it's important to boost your endurance by gradually increasing the duration and intensity of your walk.
Change your daily life
as with any exercise regimen, it's good to adjust it every once in a while to keep your daily activities attractive and challenging. here are some tips.
- modify your route. walk-on bike paths, in different neighborhoods, or at your local shopping mall, or take the route you usually walk in reverse.
- allocate your walking time. if your goal is to walk 60 minutes a day, split this time into two 30-minute walks.
- change your walking time. if you often walk in the morning, try it at night, and vice versa.
- walk with a partner. walking with a partner can provide a sense of responsibility and can keep you motivated.
- listen to audiobooks or podcasts. stay entertained by listening to audiobooks or your favorite podcasts.
- reward yourself. reward yourself with new walking shoes or clothing every once in a while.
when you lose weight, it's also important to increase your walking intensity. that's because your body needs fewer calories for the same physical activity, and lighter people are heavier than people who are heavier (12, 24, 25).
for example, a person of 150 pounds (68 kg) walking at 3 mph (4.8 km/h) burns nearly 50 fewer calories per hour at the same speed than a person of 180 pounds (82 kg).
while this may seem trivial, a reduction of 50 calories per day is equivalent to a reduction of 350 calories per week.
by increasing your walking intensity, you can burn more calories. try to pick up your pace or walk on steep hills, uneven terrain, or soft surfaces such as sand or grass (26).
while one of the benefits of a walking exercise is that it doesn't require any special equipment, walking with a hand-held weight or weight-heavy vest can also increase intensity (27, 28).
Summary: you can keep yourself motivated by changing your daily routine. when you start losing weight, increase your walking intensity or duration to avoid weight loss stagnation.
Conclusion :
walking is a great form of exercise, and walking for 1 hour a day may help with weight loss and provide other health benefits.
it works because it can help you increase the number of calories you burn.
at the same time, you need to pay attention to your total calorie intake.
remember to strengthen your walking habits to achieve your weight loss goals. changing your regimen can also help you stay motivated.