Yes, walking can help you lose weight. Walking is an aerobic activity that burns calories. If not replaced, this can lead to weight loss if the body is in a calorie deficit.
We are in the age of the fitness tracker. It seems like, out of nowhere, we are being encouraged to get 10,000 steps in a day. But, people get fixated on this figure and think that hitting this magic number will guarantee the pounds falling off… people feel great about hitting this number for a short while… then disappointment slaps you in the face when the needle doesn’t move, or worse, it moves the wrong way.
Don’t get me wrong, fitness trackers and the obsession for some people to get their 10,000 steps is only a good thing. It has enabled a lot of people focus on some form of exercise, which in my mind is a great thing. But, if weight loss is your goal then you need to know that walking is a slow burner.… fact.
Walking is great, but….
Walking is a great form of exercise; it does burn the calories. But, it does so VEEEEERRY slowly! The average person burns 100 calories per mile walked. For most people, this could take around 15-20 minutes. Generally, the average person will burn the same amount running a mile. If you’ve got legs like Roger Bannister, then it will take you 4 mins to burn the same amount of calories!
Knowledge is power. And, knowing these small details can help you to understand the calorie needs of your body. Do you know whether that cake you are about to eat will cancel out the 4 miles you have spent the last 80 minutes walking?
I have fallen prey to this trap on many occasions. In fact I still do! Luckily, all you need is some simple math and a calorie tracker such as My fitness pal.
An easy mistake to make
I’ve cycled for years, it’s my thing. My general schedule is an hour most days in the week. At the weekends I go for at least 2 hours each day. For a long time, I had it in my head that because I do loads of exercise, I can pretty much eat what ever I like. To be honest, this is generally true. In fact, in the early days when I had a lot of weight to lose, it was never an issue.
As I closed in on my ideal weight (and as I’ve gotten older) losing a few pounds here and there has become much harder. What I found was, after a big session on my bike, I’d come back eat some cake. I’d then have a curry, washed down with a load of beer. All on the understanding that I’ve done 60 miles on my bike, so it will be ok.
I started to observe (obsess over) the calories i was taking in vs the calories expended. It was clear why it was difficult to shift those last few pounds. I was eating far more than i was burning off. I would try to make up for it in the week, but it never put me in a deficit to make a difference. Not only that, it started to impact the training I was doing.
I now pay close attention to the amounts that I eat after a big bike ride. If I need to shift a few pounds after Christmas this is the way to do it . Instead of gorging on refined sugars and carbs for the rest of the day, what’s been the game changer? Understanding I am satisfied with having a normal meal.
Walking can help you lose weight!
So to wrap it up, walking can help you lose weight. There is a place for walking in your regime. It’s relaxing, its a great social event, its indoors or outdoors.. best of all its free! But, don’t forget, it’s important to pair the walking with the knowledge. Understand the calories that it burns and adjust your calorie intake to match. If you are time crunched, then a run will hit the mark in less time!
Want to know more about how I approach weight loss? Check out this post I wrote on how it’s easy to lose weight!