Do you know how many calories you burn from walking?
If not, no worries ... you are not alone. Many don’t realize how a walk a day can benefit you.
In this article, we’ll answer this question and we’ll talk about the benefits of walking.
Why Walking Is Good For You
When most people talk about fitness and working out, they’re usually talking about lifting weights, running, or playing sports of some sort.
But one of the best forms of exercise you could do every day is walking.
That’s right, walking.
Walking is great for many reasons. Here are a few that are the most beneficial.
It’s an easy form of exercise
One thing that’s great about walking is that it’s easier to do than many other forms of exercise.
It’s almost always easier to walk a mile than run it.
Likewise, it’s easier to walk for an hour than hit the gym for an hour.
So, if you’re newer to fitness, or just looking to add extra activity on top of your workouts without overdoing it, walking is a great way to do so.
IT’S PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY YOU ALREADY DO
You walk everywhere. You walk to your car. You walk to the bathroom. You walk to the kitchen. You walk around your office.
The fact is, for most people, walking is the most common way you get from Point A to Point B.
That means it’s also easy to find ways to walk more.
YOU CAN DO IT ANYWHERE
Whether you’re on a treadmill, at home, or out on a hiking trail, you can walk wherever and whenever you want. In that way, walking is one of the most versatile exercises that you could be doing.
Regardless of whether you just finished lifting weights, just woke up to your alarm, or even on lunch ... it’s likely that you can still get up and start your walk at any time.
IT’S A GOOD WAY TO DO CARDIO
We could all benefit from stronger cardiovascular health.
Well, if you’re looking to get more cardio in your life, walking is a great way to do it. You can even do it before or after you lift weights or do any other physical activity as your cardio!
Walking helps actively work the entire body over a long period of time.
It’s a great way to burn some extra calories all while encouraging your body to take some deep, oxygen-rich breaths of fresh air.
THE CALORIES YOU BURN WILL DEPEND ON MANY FACTORS
A lot of people have asked the question, “How many calories do you burn from walking,” and of course, there is no straight answer.
That’s because the number of calories changes depending on a variety of factors.
Here are just a couple of reasons why you might burn more or fewer calories than someone else you know.
DISTANCE
In the end, you burn calories based on how much effort you put out, so the number of calories you’ll burn when you walk will partially depend on how far you walk.
The terrain that you walk on will have a huge impact as well.
You’ll burn a lot more calories if your path has a lot of uphill walking as opposed to flat stretches.
WEIGHT
Next, how much you weigh will also determine how many calories you can burn from walking.
The more you weigh, the more calories you’ll burn while walking.
That’s because your body has to do more work to get and keep itself in motion.
This can be advantageous for people looking to drop 20, 50, even 100 pounds or more, but aren't sure how to get started.
As stated earlier, walking is easier on the body than many other forms of exercise.
In addition, you can do it almost anywhere you have space to get up and move around!
HOW TO BURN MORE CALORIES WHEN WALKING
There are lots of ways you can increase the total number of calories your body burns during a long walk.
Here are some tips we have to help maximize the benefits of your next walk.
Change your terrain
Go take a walk on a hiking trail or find a hill to climb. The more resistance you face, the more calories you’ll burn.
Go a little bit faster
Since the total calories you burn is determined by the work you’re putting in, by just simply increasing your pace slightly, you can start to burn a few more calories each walk. Walking even half a mile per hour faster can make a big difference over time.
Turn it into a competition
If you are like us, you may be competitive, and that is a great way to stay motivated.
There are quite a few apps that can help you and your friends compare and contrast how far you’ve each walked, if walking together is not an option.
The 1st Phorm App has a step counter right on the home screen of the app!
INVEST IN A VEST
Look into things such as a weighted vest or a ruck. Both of these can add weight and increase the difficulty of your walk.
Thus, increasing the calories you burn.
TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT YOUR DIET
The fact is, you can’t out-walk a bad diet.
I know, I too have tried outworking a bad diet myself, and it never yields the results I want.
You need to be consuming fewer calories than you’re burning if you’re hoping to lose weight while walking.
Make sure to reduce calorie-heavy foods and opt instead for nutrient-dense foods/meals.
Making sure to consume adequate amounts of protein can also help improve fat loss efforts, while helping you build lean muscle.
At this point, I hope you have a better understanding of the answer to, “How many calories do you burn from walking?” … because while I can’t give you an exact number, you now know a few considerations on what will determine the number of calories you burn from walking.
Plus, although the calories burnt will vary from person to person, we can all agree that walking is a great way to exercise and can be performed almost anywhere.
If you have any questions about walking, working out, or anything else to help you reach your goals, don’t hesitate to reach out.
No matter what your fitness goals are, we can help.
Here at 1st Phorm we have a team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers that can answer your questions and help you all for free.
And we’ll help you even if you don’t shop with us or use any supplements.
So if you have questions, feel free to send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com or give us a call at 1-800-409-9732.
