Will You Lose Weight Walking for an Hour a Day?
Walking can be an effective way to burn calories and can help you manage your weight. It's important to establish an active lifestyle during weight loss because regular physical activity is a primary factor in weight maintenance. An hour long daily walk, in combination with a healthy diet, can help you reach your weight goals.
Exercise Burns Calories
You lose weight when you burn more calories than you consume. The primary factors in weight loss are diet and activity level. If you increase the amount of time you spend exercising and maintain your normal caloric intake, you're likely to experience a modest amount of weight loss.
Get Moving
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Weight loss requires a higher amount of activity than weight maintenance. Walking at a speed of 3.5 mph is considered a moderate-intensity activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you're power walking at a speed of at least 4.5 mph, you're getting a vigorous-intensity workout and are burning more calories.
Vigorous Walking
Walking at moderate intensity for an hour a day burns approximately 280 calories in a 154-pound person. An hour's walk at vigorous intensity burns an estimated 460 calories. As long as you don't increase your caloric intake, a moderate daily walk produces a weekly deficit of approximately 1,960 calories, and a more vigorous walking routine leads to a deficit of 3,220 calories. You can use the American Council on Exercise physical activity calculator to get a personalized estimate of calories burned during walking.
- Walking at moderate intensity for an hour a day burns approximately 280 calories in a 154-pound person.
- As long as you don't increase your caloric intake, a moderate daily walk produces a weekly deficit of approximately 1,960 calories, and a more vigorous walking routine leads to a deficit of 3,220 calories.
You Can Lose Weight
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You need to establish a 3,500-calorie deficit to lose a pound of body fat. Depending on the intensity of your workouts, you can lose 2.2 to 3.7 pounds in a month by walking for an hour a day. If you increase the duration of your workouts or take days off, the potential for weight loss adjusts accordingly.
Eating Habits
Altering eating habits accounts for most weight loss, according to the CDC. However, exercise can help you reach your weight goals if you stay consistent and monitor your food intake. If you change your diet to reduce your caloric intake, you can boost your weight loss efforts. Aim for a maximum loss of 2 pounds per week to improve your chances of maintaining your weight loss over time.
- Altering eating habits accounts for most weight loss, according to the CDC.
- However, exercise can help you reach your weight goals if you stay consistent and monitor your food intake.
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References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Balancing Calories
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight
- Ndahimana D, Choi YJ, Park JH, Ju MJ, Kim EK. Validity of predictive equations for resting energy expenditure in Korean non-obese adults. Nutr Res Pract. 2018;12(4):283-290. doi:10.4162/nrp.2018.12.4.283
- United States Department of Health and Human Services. DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS 2015-2020 EIGHTH EDITION. 2015.
- Mcmurray RG, Soares J, Caspersen CJ, Mccurdy T. Examining variations of resting metabolic rate of adults: a public health perspective. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014;46(7):1352-8. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000232
- Sumithran P, Proietto J. Safe year-long use of a very-low-calorie diet for the treatment of severe obesity. Med J Aust. 2008;188(6):366-8.
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Writer Bio
Pam Murphy is a writer specializing in fitness, childcare and business-related topics. She is a member of the National Association for Family Child Care and contributes to various websites. Murphy is a licensed childcare professional and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of West Georgia.