Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

Most likely, you’ve heard that walking 10,000 steps a day will help you lose weight and stay in shape. But how many kilometers are in 10,000 steps, and why is that amount significant?Initially, this concept of walking approximately 5 miles originated as a way to get people to move more. But now, researchers are investigating whether it’s a useful goal.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

10,000 steps a day isn’t a magic number, according to research thus far, but it is a good measure of how much exercise a person gets in during the day. In fact, one study of steps per day and weight showed that people who took more steps per day weighed less, on average.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

For a 170-pound person walking at a brisk speed, 10,000 steps burn around 340 calories, which aids in maintaining weight balance. If getting 10,000 steps per day is your goal, here is what you need to know about getting those steps in.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

How to Get Your 10,000 Steps

How many miles is 10,000 steps? This distance is equal to walking approximately 5 miles. Unless you have an active job, such as a waiter or nurse, it is difficult to log 10,000 steps with daily activity only. An inactive person takes 3,000 steps or less in their daily activity of moving around the house.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

The majority of people walk for 30 to 60 minutes, or one or more prolonged walks or runs, to reach their 10,000 step goal.That equals the minimum daily exercise recommendation from most health authorities to reduce health risks.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

If you’d like to take more daily steps for health and fitness, start by determining your baseline. Track your steps for a week or so using an activity tracker or smartphone app (many phones have a built-in step counter). You don’t have to jump from 3,000 steps a day to 10,000 overnight.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

After you’ve got a feel for your daily average, start by trying to add 2,000 to 2,500 steps a day, or around a mile.4 Walking a mile burns about 80 calories for a 150-pound person. As you get comfortable with this additional exercise, lengthen your walks, or take more short walks, so you get closer to 10,000 daily steps. In adding steps, you may find it helpful to consider wearing ankle support shoes.

How Many Calories Does 10,000 Steps Burn?

One can burn anywhere from 250 to 600 calories walking 10,000 steps, depending on weight.You can use a steps to calories converter chart to estimate this for yourself. You will need to know your approximate steps per mile.

The majority of weight loss plans advise 200–300 calories of moderate–to–intense activity each day. The number of calories you burn by walking depends primarily on how much you weigh and secondarily on your speed of motion.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

Everyone burns calories just sitting and breathing, which you can estimate with this calories per day calculator. You burn more calories per minute when you get up and walk, and even more if you run.

Many activity trackers, such as a Fitbit or Apple Watch, estimate calorie burn based on your step count. These devices also take into account how fast you are walking or running when estimating the calories you burn.

How to Add Steps and Intensity

You should be able to burn off enough calories to lose weight if you walk 10,000 steps a day, three thousand of which should be at a fast walking to running speed.5 If you are already logging 10,000 steps a day and not losing weight or maintaining your weight, then the key is to add another 2,000 more steps per day while eating the same amount or less.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

Increasing the number of steps you take at a fast walking or running speed or incorporating intervals like hills or stairs will help you increase the intensity.Also try to set aside time for dedicated moderate-to-vigorous-intensity exercise, whether that is walking, resistance training, or some other form of exercise that you enjoy. Many fitness trackers and smartwatches detect whether or not your movement is enough to be considered moderate or vigorous exercise.

Aside from cutting out empty calories, make sure everything you eat provides you with healthy nutrients to aid in weight loss.A food and exercise diary can help you spot where to make improvements. Some online programs or phone apps let you track all your data in one place (fitness, nutrition, sleep, water intake, and so on).Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

A Word From Verywell

Gaining a clear understanding of how many steps you now take in a day is the first step towards increasing your daily step count.From there, you can set goals for gradually increasing your steps. Moving in manageable chunks toward your goal is more effective than trying to do everything at once. Plus, there is less chance of getting injured or feeling overwhelmed along the way.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?

Additionally, if you are hoping to achieve your weight management goals by adding more steps, it can help to talk to a healthcare provider first or even a registered dietitian. They can help you put together a plan that works for you.Should You Walk 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss?