How much walking you really need to lose weight: Doctor answers
Photo: How much you need to walk to lose weight (pixabay.com)
Walking is a free and simple way to get more movement throughout the day and burn calories. But how much should you walk to lose weight? Woman's World answers.
10,000 steps a day - myth or truth?
We've all heard about the goal of taking 10,000 steps a day. But where did that number come from? According to legend, it was a marketing scheme developed during the Tokyo Olympics in 1964. At that time, a company started selling a Japanese pedometer whose name, in a loose translation, means "10,000 steps." But even if this number is arbitrary, many experts agree that reaching 10,000 steps is an important goal for both your health and weight loss.
Further research has proven that this is a useful marker. For example, the American Journal of Health Promotion reported that people who were mostly sedentary and began to walk more than 9,500 steps daily for 36 weeks experienced significant changes in their bodies.
These individuals achieved a 2% reduction in body fat percentage, lost 2 kilograms of fat, and had slimmer thighs and waist.
However, there is no magical number for counting steps; it is all individual.
How much should you walk to lose weight?
As science shows, to lose half a kilogram, you need to walk approximately 70,000 steps. This is equivalent to 10,000 daily steps over a week.
A meta-analysis of 20,000 older adults who walked between 6,000 to 9,000 steps daily showed that 50% of these individuals had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who walked 2,000 steps daily.
Another study in 2022, published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, found that an average of 12,000 steps per day was effective for weight loss, as it reduced body mass index and waist circumference.
Know that any movement is better than none at all.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
