Can you walk to lose weight? It’s a moderate physical activity that requires no equipment (apart from shoes) and is accessible. What’s more, you can easily incorporate it into your daily routine! But is walking enough to lose weight? In this article, we’re going to answer that question. Spoiler alert: the answer is yes, but there are some things you need to watch out for. We’ll explain everything!
Is walking enough to lose weight?
The answer is yes, but you have to do it properly. If you want to lose weight by walking, you need to create a calorie deficit. This means you have to burn more calories than you consume. Walking alone can help you burn more calories, but it’s rarely enough to lose weight. What’s more, it largely depends on your current weight and metabolism. That’s why it’s essential that you also adapt your diet if you want to lose weight. If you want to lose weight over the long term, we strongly advise you to learn more about nutrition. You can also consult a nutrition therapist, who will be able to help and support you throughout this challenge!
How many hours a week should I walk to lose weight?
The key to success is regularity! To lose weight, we recommend that you run for between 30 and 60 minutes three to five times a week. Depending on your fitness level, you should be able to cover around 2km in half an hour. Of course, this depends on your pace and the intensity of the effort. Although you can incorporate these minutes into your day, it’s best to do them consecutively: your body will draw on the fat and you’ll develop your lung capacity.
How do you know how fast to walk?
You don’t need to put yourself in the red if you want to walk to lose weight. In fact, the best thing is to follow these few guidelines:
- Walk a little faster than your comfortable speed
- Be able to talk without getting out of breath
- Don’t have difficulty breathing
- Sweat slightly
- Feel your body working
It’s also important that you enjoy yourself! You’ll be much more motivated and regular if you enjoy the activity and get satisfaction from it. So don’t hesitate to listen to music, a little podcast or something else to give yourself a boost.
And remember: you don’t have to be in pain and completely out of breath to feel the effects of your walk!
The benefits of walking
If you put our advice into practice, you should soon feel the positive effects of your walk. Not only will it have a beneficial impact on your body, but also on your mind: it helps to reduce anxiety and stress. If you’re trying to lose weight, walking will not only help you lose weight, it will also help you gain muscle. As a result, you’ll lose weight but tone up at the same time. And that’s what we want, isn’t it?
The advantage of building muscle when you want to lose weight is that muscles consume a lot of calories. It’s a virtuous circle: the more muscular you are, the more calories you’ll burn. And don’t forget that muscles have a certain weight. So you may not see any difference in weight on the scales. So remember to measure your thighs and waist, for example.
