How many calories does walking burn?

This isA viable form of exercise, due to its simplicity, free and accessibility, requiring no special training or physical abilities. Weight loss results will be even more optimal when combined with lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet.

Even if you don't need to lose weight, regular exercise will keep your body healthy.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults should get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week (equivalent to 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week) or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous exercise. For people with busier lives, this time can be broken down into smaller chunks, such as 15 minutes x 2 times/day, 5 days/week.

Walking briskly at a pace of 4 to 6.5 km/hour is considered moderate-intensity exercise.

1. Benefits of walking for weight loss

The key to losing fat is to burn more calories than you take in. What you eat is the biggest factor in this equation, but exercise — including walking — can burn extra calories and help create a larger calorie deficit.

If you are overweight, or starting a weight loss journey, walking is an easy and effective way to increase your daily activity level, helping to burn more calories, said MSc. Tran Van Manh, Secretary General of the Vietnam Olympic Committee.

Here are some of the key benefits of walking:

- Lose weight without losing muscle:Research shows that regular walking can help you lose fat. Endurance exercises like walking help maintain muscle mass while losing weight.

- Burn calories:The exact number of calories you burn walking depends on many factors, including your height, weight, speed, terrain, and genetics. An average 150-pound person can burn about 136 calories in 30 minutes of brisk walking.

- Improve mood:A small study of young adults found that just 10 minutes of brisk walking can have mood-boosting benefits.

- Low impact exercise:Walking is low impact, so it's also an ideal activity for people recovering from injuries and unable to do high-intensity exercise right away.

2. How to lose weight by walking

When it comes to weight loss, nutrition is key, but you'll see faster results if you combine healthy eating with regular exercise like walking.

Aim to walk more throughout the day, not just while exercising. To get to at least 10,000 steps a day, don't worry, this includes steps you take during exercise.

Small changes that have a big impact include:Take the stairs instead of the elevator.Walk to your coworker's office instead of emailing them.Take the dog for a walk…

Take every opportunity you can to spend more time on your legs and less time on your butt.

If you notice your results starting to decline, increase the intensity of your aerobic workouts, either by increasing your speed or adding strength training or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to your workout routine.

Remember, walking is a starter exercise, the goal is to increase your activity level and prepare your body for more intense forms of exercise.

3. How to walk properly?

To maximize the results of walking and avoid any aches and pains, there are a few things to keep in mind as you walk:Keep your back straight and breathe evenly.Look straight ahead and don't look down.Walk with a steady gait, rolling your feet from heel to toe.Gently swing or push your arms a little with each stride.Relax your neck, shoulders and back, but don't lean forward.

4. Tips for walking to lose weight

- Fast walking:To burn fat effectively, you need to treat walking as a workout, not a leisurely stroll. It's important to walk briskly, as if you're running late for a flight.

- Wear suitable shoes:Make sure your shoes promote proper foot biomechanics, especially if you walk frequently or for long distances. Choose walking shoes that fit well and comfortably. Your feet should feel snug and secure in the heel and instep, and should conform to your arch type…

- Listening to music:If you don’t feel particularly motivated to walk, create a playlist of your favorite tunes. Music has the power to boost your energy and keep you entertained. Research has found that listening to music while exercising can help delay fatigue and increase performance and endurance.

Listen to songs with a tempo of around 120 beats per minute. This is the optimal tempo to synchronize with your walking speed.

If creating playlists isn't your thing, consider podcasts, audiobooks, or walking meditations to help keep you motivated during your walk.

- Add weight:MaybeAdding weight to your walk by wearing a weighted backpack (dumbbells) will help burn twice as many calories as regular walking. Start with a weight that is 10% of your body weight and gradually increase the weight.

-Walk after meals:Research has shown the positive effects of taking a short walk after meals.

A small study found that people with type 2 diabetes who walked for 10 minutes after meals had significantly lower blood sugar levels than those who walked for 30 minutes every day. Similar results were found in a study that compared three 15-minute walks after meals with one 45-minute walk every day.

Another study found that even a slow walk after a meal can help prevent post-meal blood sugar spikes in healthy subjects.

- Walking on steep roads and stairs:Don't shy away from steep inclines or stairs. Walking up hills and stairs is a great way to work your quads, calves, and glutes, and you can even increase the difficulty by increasing your speed as you climb.

Challenge yourself to walk (or even jog) up the next hill or flight of stairs. Then walk back down and repeat once or twice before continuing your walk.

In the absence of hills or stairs on your route, you can increase the intensity with speed intervals (such as 60-second bursts of walking at maximum effort, followed by 2 minutes of slower walking), to help you burn fat faster.

- Schedule a walk with friends:Walking with a friend not only makes it more fun, but also increases accountability.

If you're overweight or new to exercise, walking can be an effective, low-impact option to lose fat, increase endurance, improve cardiovascular health, and prepare your body for more intense forms of activity.

To lose fat and maintain successful weight loss, you also need to make other lifestyle changes, such as adjusting your diet, getting more sleep, and being more active throughout the day…