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Integrating regular walking into your daily routine may enhance physical fitness, minimize the risk of chronic diseases, and support weight loss.
Walking serves as an accessible and low-risk form of exercise that may assist in shedding excess fat. You don’t require any special equipment or gear; a comfortable pair of shoes is sufficient to commence your walking regimen.
Brisk walking positively impacts mood, reduces stress, and enhances mental well-being. Taking a brisk walk as part of your routine may elevate your fitness levels and increase energy expenditure, promoting a healthier lifestyle.
But how much walking can help lose belly fat? This article will discuss the recommended duration of your walking sessions. It will also provide practical ways to burn more calories while walking and mention its various health benefits.
General recommendations suggest people walk at least 10,000 steps each day to lower body weight and target fat reduction. However, this range may vary based on age, activity levels, dietary habits, and overall health.
You should aim to walk briskly for 30-90 minutes multiple days a week. Doing so could help you burn around 100-300 calories, helping create a caloric deficit necessary for weight loss.
Remember to ensure your total weekly walking time is at least 150 minutes to maintain consistency and see results. Gradually raise your walking time as your fitness improves, starting with shorter periods if you are new to walking.
Alternating between higher and lower-intensity walking paces could help you burn more calories than with a steady lower intensity for the same duration.
The variation exists due to the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) effect, where your body continues to burn calories post-workout.
A simple interval workout may involve alternating between 30-60 seconds of speed walking and 60 seconds of normal-paced walking. Such variation challenges your body, increasing calorie burn and boosting overall fitness.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned walker, adding intervals may add a new dimension to your routine, keeping things exciting and effective. Interval training is time-efficient, making it easier to fit into a busy schedule.
It also helps prevent workout plateaus and keeps your body continuously adapting and improving.
Monitoring your heart rate may help you work out at the right intensity to burn calories effectively. Doing so allows you to adjust your walking pace or incline to maintain the desired intensity level.
Equipping a fitness tracker or heart rate monitor for a few workouts may help establish your average heart rate during walking sessions. Aim to increase your heart rate by 5-10 beats per minute above your baseline during your walking sessions to boost calorie burn.
Tracking your heart rate and ensuring it stays within the target range could help maximize the number of calories burned during each session.
Walking uphill requires more muscle effort, leading to a higher calorie burn than walking on a flat surface. The increased intensity could help you burn more calories in the same amount of time.
It engages different muscle groups, such as your glutes, hamstrings, and calves, more intensely than walking on a flat surface. Such effects may help tone and strengthen these muscles, contributing to a better physique and increased fat burning.
Opting for walking uphill may add variety and challenge to your walking routine, preventing boredom and plateauing. It may also help break through weight loss plateaus.
Walking uphill elevates your heart rate, turning your walk into a cardiovascular workout. It may enhance heart health, improve endurance, and boost overall fitness.
Walking poles (trekking or hiking poles) provide additional support and stability, particularly on uneven terrain.
Adding poles into your walking routine may help increase the intensity of your walks without significantly increasing perceived exertion. The increased arm movement while using the poles may boost your walking speed, leading to a higher calorie burn.
Research suggests that walking with poles may increase calorie expenditure by up to 20% compared to walking without poles. The added calorie burn might contribute to fat loss and overall fitness goals.
Using walking poles may help improve posture and minimize the strain on your knees and joints. The poles allow for a more upright position, supporting better spinal alignment and mitigating the risk of strain or injury.
Here are some tips to help you create an effective walking schedule:
The following tips could help you select the right time for your walks:
Fitness trackers or pedometers provide real-time feedback, motivating you to increase your movement throughout the day. It could evaluate and monitor information, such as your heart rate, total distance covered, number of steps taken, sleep patterns, etc.
These devices help monitor and enhance physical activity levels, providing valuable data about your psychological and physical activity. The ability to sync fitness trackers with smartphone apps allows for easy access to personal activity records, helping you monitor your progress.
Setting a step goal ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 steps per day is a standard recommendation if you are looking to improve your health and fitness. Fitness trackers are a constant reminder to stay active and find opportunities to add more steps to daily routines.
Walking helps burn calories and specifically targets the stubborn fat around the midsection. Brisk walking for longer durations may help boost calorie expenditure and reduce belly fat.
A study found that walking could help burn fat and reduce waist circumference. The study participants lost an average of 1.1 inches around their waists and 1.5% of body fat after walking for 50-70 minutes three days per week for 12 weeks.
Walking uphill or using resistance bands during walks may engage more muscle groups, intensify the workout, and promote greater belly fat burn. Alternating between periods of brisk walking and slower recovery walks also helps enhance fat loss.
During a walk, the body experiences increased oxygen flow and release hormones like norepinephrine and epinephrine. These effects may contribute to steady and increased energy levels naturally.
Brisk walking, in particular, helps increase fitness levels and energy expenditure, increasing your energy throughout the day. It helps deliver oxygen and vital nutrients to your muscles and tissues, thus combating fatigue and increasing alertness.
Walking outdoors exposes you to natural light and fresh air, which may invigorate your senses and improve overall well-being. Sunlight exposure helps regulate your body’s internal clock, potentially improving sleep quality and overall energy levels.
Walking is a form of physical activity that elevates heart rate, improves fitness, and burns calories. Physically active people burn more calories than those who remain sedentary, and walking helps do just that.
A study monitored the number of calories burned by people of average fitness level after walking at a brisk pace of 5 km (3.2 miles) per hour. The results found that brisk walking helped them burn an average of around 90 calories per mile.
Walking 1.6 kilometers (or a mile) could help burn around 100 calories, depending on your gender and weight. Wearing a weighted vest during walks may help you burn significantly more calories than walking without it.
Incline walking or taking an uphill walk may also contribute to increased calorie burn.
Adding resistance exercises during walks, like squats, pushups, or lunges, may boost calorie expenditure and muscle growth. Resistance training intervals help build and strengthen muscles, contributing to a toned physique and improved strength.
Combining resistance training with walking may assist in weight loss by enhancing muscle mass, which in turn boosts metabolism and calorie burn even at rest.
Mixing resistance exercises with walking could make your exercise routine more dynamic and engaging, preventing monotony and keeping you motivated.
Studies found that taking a 30-minute brisk walk three days a week may help lower anxiety, improve mood, and mitigate signs of depression. The release of endorphins during physical activity, such as walking, may enhance mental well-being, reducing negative emotions.
Walking may provide an opportunity for social interaction and connection with others. Joining walking groups or taking a stroll with a friend or family member may combat feelings of social withdrawal or isolation, fostering a sense of belonging and support.
Engaging in regular walking routines may boost self-esteem and confidence levels. Accomplishing walking goals, like increasing distance or duration, may instill a sense of achievement and empowerment, leading to a more positive self-perception.
Walking in nature or green spaces could help reduce stress levels and improve relaxation. Combining physical activity and exposure to natural environments may help calm the mind, reduce tension, and enhance overall mental clarity.
Regulating blood sugar levels may help control food cravings, support metabolism, and boost energy levels. These effects could support fat loss and healthy weight management.
Taking a 15-minute walk after breakfast, lunch, or dinner may help lower blood sugar levels more effectively than a 45-minute walking session. It helps enhance the body’s ability to regulate glucose levels and reduce insulin spikes.
Consistently managing blood sugar levels is vital, especially for people with conditions like diabetes or those looking to improve their overall health.
Regular walking could improve bone health and soothe joint pain, including in the knees and hips. It may help lubricate the supporting muscles and minimize discomfort associated with arthritis, contributing to joint pain relief.
When you walk, the movement helps increase blood circulation to the joints, delivering essential nutrients and oxygen. Such effects could aid in reducing inflammation and stiffness, improving joint mobility without experiencing as much pain.
Walking is a low-impact physical activity that induces lesser strain on your joints than high-impact activities like running. This makes walking a safe and accessible option for those looking to manage joint pain while still engaging in physical activity.
Walking could help reduce belly fat by promoting caloric expenditure, preserving muscle mass, and improving overall health. However, the extent of fat loss might vary based on walking pace, rest intervals, duration, age, and overall health.
Adding resistance exercises to your walking routine, switching between walking intensity, using walking poles, or using pedometers could help enhance the calorie-burning potential of your walks.
Consistent walking, combined with proper form and posture, may lead to fat loss and improved physical fitness. Creating and adhering to a consistent walking schedule alongside proper nutrition may support your belly fat reduction goals.
Tyler Read earned an undergraduate academic degree from Sonoma State University, California and is a certified personal trainer (CPT) with NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). With over 16 years of experience, Tyler has trained clients both online and in-person.
He is passionate about helping others turn their love for fitness into a career. Tyler has worked with many local and commercial gyms before establishing his successful private personal training business, which he continues to operate.
