Meg Magazine
Walking is often described as the "gold standard" of accessible exercises. It's a routine for many Pinoys, and it's become a proven way to manage not only stress and body weight, but also anxiety. But how long do you have to walk to see real results on the scale? Recent scientific studies have finally clarified the details — making every step more valuable than ever.
The Calorie Equation and the Power of Walking
When it comes to weight loss, numbers play a big role. Shedding 1 kilo of body fat means burning about 7,700 kilocalories — a figure usually used by health pros. However, how many calories you burn by walking depends on personal factors such as your weight and speed. For instance, if you weigh 80kg, walking at 5 km/h can burn roughly 244 calories an hour, while someone weighing 60kg burns around 180 calories in the same time span.
How Speed Changes the Game
The speed you walk actually makes each step count more. For example, a 70kg person walking at 4km/h burns about 200 kcal per hour. If you bump the speed to 5 km/h, that goes up to 280. Walking at 6 km/h? That’s 350 kcal per hour. When you break down the math, it would take around 27 hours at 5 km/h — or one hour a day for four weeks — to lose one kilo. It may sound tedious, but it’s doable.
Consistency, not intensity, was more crucial in my own weight loss experience. Small, sustainable changes end up beating sudden, intense ones through the long haul.
Winning Strategies: Make Every Walk Count
If walking is your main way of managing weight, mixing things up is your secret weapon. The body adapts with time, and your calorie burn can slow down. Add intervals — short sprints or hills — to keep your metabolism guessing and get that afterburn effect (EPOC), where you keep burning calories after exercise. Changing up your routine can bring about new gains.
- Try routes with hills or stairs
- Do 2 minutes brisk walking then 1 minute easy
- Use light weights or Nordic poles
- Switch up familiar streets with new scenery
- Slowly add to your distance or speed
These tweaks can break plateaus and make walking more exciting. Nothing beats the feeling of trying a fresh route and seeing real improvements in your stamina and mood.
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Pairing Walking With Smart Lifestyle Choices
Walking already delivers a lot of benefits, but mixing it with other forms of movement speeds up fat loss. A moderate calorie deficit paired with brisk walks can set you up for steady weight loss. Add in basic strength moves each week and your resting metabolism — that is, the calories you burn even when you’re just sitting — gets a nice boost. I experienced fewer plateaus after tossing in quick squats or planks during my walks.
Personal Factors: The Real X-Factor
Everybody’s journey is different. Gender, age, body size, and even genetics affect your calorie burn and weight loss. People with more muscle naturally torch more calories even at rest. Tracking your own results helps spot patterns and keeps you motivated, even during plateaus.
The most important thing is to remember that wondering exactly how long you should walk to lose weight is totally normal, but the precise formula depends on you. Adjust your weight, speed, and diet, and you'll start seeing big changes — for your body and your mindset.
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