When walking, how many calories are burned per km? There are several types of walking. Factors influencing weight loss

Walking can be used to effectively and safely get rid of excess ballast on the body, since not every person can exercise active species sports

When walking, everyone selects the optimal load for themselves, so as not to feel “broken” later. Even with a sedentary lifestyle, a person moves on his feet a distance of 1-10 km per day without noticing it.

If you make walks in a green area for the same distance more intense, you can improve your mood, replenish your cells with fresh oxygen, strengthen your heart muscle, blood vessels, improve lung function, and also lose weight by burning calories and develop endurance... while race walking.

How many calories are burned when different types walking, you will find the answer to this question in our article.

Race walking

the more meters you walk, the more impressive the number of calories you will burn

It is this that, at a speed of 100 steps per minute, will allow you to break down fat in the subcutaneous tissue. You need to start with 10 minutes and gradually increase your daily walk at a sports pace to 40-45 minutes. Along with calories you can get rid of extra centimeters on the waist and hips and get health, lightness and moral satisfaction in return.

You need to walk in a straight line, using small and frequent steps with your elbows bent and your buttocks tense.

How many calories do we burn during normal walking?

with fast walking you can burn about 200-300 kcal in an hour

If a walk takes place in an urban area on pavement or asphalt, then fewer calories are spent than in a park area with hills and depressions. On average, you can get rid of 200-300 kcal per hour when using a fast pace. With a weight of 60 kg and a speed of 4 km/h, you can lose an average of 250 kcal, and at a speed of 6 km/h - 320 kcal.

at a speed of 4 km/h on a flat road per 1 kg of weight in 1 hour - 3.2;
at a speed of 6 km/h on a flat road - 4.5;
at a speed of 8 km/h on a flat road - 10;
at a speed of 2 km/h uphill - 6.4;
during a regular walk in the park - 6.4;
during race walking - 6.8 kcal.

3 km/h is 50 steps;
4.5 km/h is 75 steps;
6 km/h is approximately 100 steps.

Skiing

When skiing, not only the arms and legs actively work, but also all the organs and muscles of the body

If a person prefers skiing in winter, it helps strengthen blood vessels and the heart, lungs and spine, vestibular apparatus and nervous system and improves metabolic processes in the body.

How many calories are burned when walking? This question worries many men and women who want to lose weight. Running, of course, is more effective in this matter, but can lead to health problems. Fast walking is a safe way to make your figure slimmer, improve the functioning of your heart and lungs, and at the same time have a good time.

Usually a person walks from one to ten kilometers a day and doesn’t even notice it. Fatigue appears if you do it intensively and without preparation. Walking in the fresh air quickly lifts your spirits and gives you strength.

In one hour of brisk walking you can burn an average of 200 to 300 kcal. But you should not take this indicator as a standard, because the calculation takes into account a large number of factors: weight, age, metabolism, duration of the walk, etc.

If you walk on a flat paved road, you will burn fewer calories than walking through a forest with undulating terrain. Take man's best friend with you - a dog - and then the cost per hour will be even higher. A little general information, and it's time to move on to specific numbers.

So how many calories does walking burn?

We provide data based on 1 kg for one hour:

flat road 4 km/h – 3.2 kcal;
the same, speed 6 km/h – 4.5 kcal;
the same, speed 8 km/h – 10 kcal;
walking uphill 2 km/h – 6.4 kcal;
walks in nature (forest, sea or river banks, parks with dirt sloping paths) – 6.4 kcal;
race walking – 6.8 kcal.

Knowing this data, you can easily calculate your walking time in such a way as to create a negative energy balance. We'll make the speed calculation a little easier. On average, a walk of 3 km/h takes 50 steps/min, 4.5 km/h takes 75 steps, and 6 km/h takes 100 steps. Further, according to the proportion, it will not be difficult to reach the desired value. If you count “by eye”, then 5 km/hour is an average walking pace, and 3-4 km is a regular walk.

How to train?

Rule No. 1 for losing weight and getting healthy - walking should take at least an hour. In the first 40 minutes, energy will be consumed from carbohydrate reserves that have not yet been transformed into fat.

It is better to walk a few hours after eating. After the process, eat something light in small quantities. Allow yourself a full meal after 1.5-2 hours.

How many calories does walking burn? If you walk every day for two hours at an average pace, which is 7-10 km, then you will “kill” 2000 kcal in a week, which is equivalent to 200 g of fat. The ideal duration of training is 2 hours in the morning and the same in the evening.

So in a month you can lose an average of 2-3 kg. A good effect will come from combining physical activity with proper nutrition and cosmetic procedures.

An easy walk will not give the expected results. The walking pace should be average so that you do not get tired quickly. Take equal steps and do not swing your arms straight. It’s better to bend them and sway them in time with your steps.

Step smoothly, moving the emphasis from heel to toe. Steps don't have to be long. Always keep your legs toned, even on the rise. Do not straighten your knees, on the contrary, bend them slightly and spring a little when lowering your heels. Tighten your abs and buttocks. If you carry out walking according to all the rules, it will replace full-fledged fitness training.

Walking up the stairs

Climbing upward significantly increases the load, and therefore energy consumption. In urban environments, the best way to “get closer to heaven” is to walk up flights of stairs. How many calories are burned when walking up the stairs?

Climbing upward at a speed of 60-70 steps per minute will allow you to spend 0.14 kcal/kg during the same time. That is, in half an hour of training a person weighing 70 kg will spend 294 kcal. As you can see, to tighten your figure, it is better to walk rather than ride the elevator.

Often the usual ascents and descents are not enough. It is necessary to arrange additional classes, then the results will appear very quickly.

Training will begin to have a clear effect when its time reaches at least 25 minutes.
You can’t immediately put a heavy burden on yourself. Start with 10-15 minutes a day and gradually increase to half an hour. Once you have good endurance, increase your workouts to 40 minutes.
Any staircase with more than three flights will do.
Be sure to warm up to avoid injuring yourself. Pay special attention to the knee joints, because they bear the maximum load.
Take a break when your muscles start to ache.
Over time, you can pick up small dumbbells, then energy consumption will increase.
If you have problems with your heart or blood vessels, it is better to give preference to walking on a flat road. Climbing upward overloads the circulatory system.

Hands should be kept down. Start moving at an average pace, and if possible, accelerate as much as possible. When you reach the top, do not pause, but continue descending. At the bottom, rest for two minutes and then repeat the circuit. By the end of the third round, the legs will be difficult to control. We can finish here. Just keep in mind that this workout is for people with a good level of endurance.

Now you know how many calories walking burns, and you can plan a full-fledged weight loss program!

Contents [Show]

Hello my dear readers! Many people don't have enough time for sports. And not everyone is physically capable of jogging on the street or lifting weights in the gym. But if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, the extra pounds will not leave you alone. Just don't despair. Better take up walking! How many calories are lost when walking? Let me tell you.

It turns out that walking is a wonderful sport. Yes, yes, walking is a sport. The benefits from it are special. After all, it trains all the same muscles as running. At the same time, it does not have a negative effect on the knee joints. Plus it improves heart function and saturates our cells with oxygen. Everyone can walk: fat and thin, old and young.

Many people care about the topic of weight loss. It is very difficult to fight the hated kilograms while sitting. Forcing yourself to play sports is even more difficult. But going for a walk in the evening after work is as easy as shelling pears!

Of course, to lose weight it’s not enough to go shopping. How many calories are burned per hour of walking depends on:

presence/absence of additional equipment (walking poles, weights);
your weight;
your age;
level of physical fitness;
pace;
duration;
roads (it’s harder to walk uphill);
intensity of hand movement.

It is clear that if you walk quickly, you will burn more calories than if you walk at a slow pace. Plus, it is better to conduct classes in a park or forest. The load will immediately increase due to unevenness on the road.

In 1 hour of walking you can burn 200 kilocalories or more. You can independently calculate how many calories your body will burn.

For one kilogram of weight, each person spends an hour walking:

at an average pace (4 km/h) 3.2 kcal;
at a fast pace (6 km/h) 4.5 kcal;
almost running (8 km/h) 10 kcal;

There is also a convenient sign where you can see how much you will spend depending on your body weight and walking speed.

3 km/h	126	138	150	163	175	187	201	213	226
4 km/h	160	177	192	209	224	240	257	272	288
5 km/h	184	202	221	239	258	276	295	312	331
6 km/h	217	238	262	283	304	326	349	369	392
7 km/h	291	321	351	379	409	439	467	496	526
8 km/h	374	410	449	487	523	562	598	636	673
9 km/h	480	530	577	625	674	722	769	818	866

That is, if you weigh 55 kg and walk at an average speed, you will lose 202 kcal in an hour.

Considering all this is completely inconvenient. After all, you still need to correctly estimate the speed. If you know exactly the distance traveled, calculating the speed is easy. And if not? Count steps per minute? This will make you more tired than walking itself!

I recommend using a fitness bracelet. You put it on your hand, and he counts how much time has passed. For me, this is a convenient and simple electronic pedometer.

Although there are, of course, many applications on a smartphone - download it for free, install it and use it. They write that it counts the distance traveled, speed and number of calories lost. But is it really that convenient? No matter how many programs I tried, they produced a huge error. I walk 10 steps, and he counts 7 or doesn’t even understand that I’m walking. So you have a choice - toil with a free program, or purchase a specialized device.

You don’t need to immediately start walking quickly for 3 hours a day. Especially if you are no longer 20 years old and do not weigh 50 kg. Start with hour-long walks at a slow pace. Then increase the pace for 5 minutes, then for 10 minutes and so on. Gradually you will begin to walk for 1 hour at an average pace. Want to spend more energy? Then increase the pace again and add time.

The main rule is to walk for at least an hour. When walking, fat begins to be burned no earlier than forty minutes later. Our body is extremely thrifty and first spends available carbohydrates.

Also remember not to exercise immediately after eating. The optimal time for training is an hour after eating. And when you finish your classes, don't rush to eat. Drink some water. You can indulge in an apple or a banana smoothie.

While walking, remember to breathe. Inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. It is also important to quit smoking. It negatively affects breathing and the cardiovascular system. Shortness of breath and even dizziness will appear.

Give yourself a nice gift. Buy nice sportswear and comfortable sneakers. Better yet, buy special clothes that help burn fat. For example, breeches for weight loss. They create a sauna effect and help you lose weight much faster.

There are several ways to increase the load. Race walking will make you sweat. But this is a super-effective way to get rid of extra centimeters. The tummy will be flat, and the buttocks will be a sight to behold.

To work your upper body, swing your arms. This will increase the load and walking speed.

Bend your elbows at an angle of 90° and make amplitude swings of your arms back and forth.

Is it easy for you to walk and don’t you get tired? Try adding weight. This will increase the intensity and challenge your muscles. Avoid wearing weights on your wrists and feet. They can change your gait and posture and increase your risk of injury.

Instead, grab a backpack or weighted vest. If you decide to wear a backpack, fill it with water, sand, or simple cat litter. This will distribute the weight evenly.

If the weather does not allow you to go outside, take the stairs or stay indoors. Do a short warm-up first. How many calories are spent during these types of training, read the article “training options for losing weight.”

It is one of the best ways to increase the number of calories burned. It is suitable for all ages and skill levels. The result is incredible. Nordic walking uses 90% of the muscles in our body and increases calorie consumption by up to 46% compared to normal walking. Poles help reduce stress on the ankle, knee and hip joints.

I recently purchased these sticks myself. I noticed that the load on my legs doubled and the muscles of my arms and upper back became involved.

Girls, everything works, the main thing is not to be lazy. After training you feel like you have run several kilometers. Even my back with my osteochondrosis began to hurt less. I really recommend this walk to everyone. For more information on how many calories are spent and how to train correctly, read a separate article about Nordic walking with poles for weight loss.

If it is not possible to walk outside, then walking on a treadmill is the most optimal. On average, a person walks at a speed of 4-5 km per hour. To lose weight and get in good physical shape, you need to increase your pace and walk from 5.5 to 6.5 km per hour. By increasing the pace, you burn about a third more calories. It’s just not worth increasing it any further, because... It will no longer be walking but running. And this is another story, which I wrote about in the article how many calories are lost when running 😉

Walk on uneven surfaces such as grass, paths, gravel, sand or snow. For example, walking in the snow increases calorie consumption by 2-3 times.

And with fins, even more effective training :)

You can also walk up the stairs or just uphill. You can walk backwards. Or change the pace. Maybe you know some other ways? Be sure to write comments. And subscribe to my blog. Bye bye!

Sincerely, Olga Sologub

PS: If you want variety and increased calorie consumption, I recommend finding out how many calories cycling burns :)

People who are losing weight are usually interested in how many calories are spent when walking, since walking itself is usually undertaken with the aim of increasing energy expenditure.

From the point of view of common sense, such an activity should seem ineffective, but for people with extreme degrees of obesity, this type of physical activity may be the only acceptable one.

Calorie expenditure when walking

Walking will allow people who are unable to run due to health reasons to expend a certain amount of calories in excess of normal household and production costs. At the same time, walking can be combined with the road to work, the store, etc. You should not count on walking as an indispensable attribute of losing weight and, moreover, as a guarantee of indispensable weight loss.

Walking, as a means of losing weight, should be considered only in combination with a diet., while all types of energy expenditure (basal metabolism, industrial, household activity and walking) must ensure that the calories consumed exceed those received from food.

At the same time, in order to achieve stable and long-term weight loss, this excess, or imbalance (sometimes called a calorie deficit), should not exceed 400 kcal for women and 500 kcal for men (due to higher muscle mass).

Then any change in physical activity (including additional walking) should entail a corresponding increase in food consumption. This circumstance is usually perceived with distrust and even rejected, but these are the laws of physiology that cannot be argued with. Too much imbalance soon leads to a decrease in metabolic rate with a subsequent decrease in the rate of weight loss. As a result, there will be a lot of movement, little food, and no plumb lines.

However, walking will not be “superfluous” - more food will ensure the supply of sufficient nutrients, vitamins, macro- and microelements, dietary fiber, the enzyme system will work perfectly, and you will be guaranteed excellent digestion.

Let's look at what actually leads to energy consumption when walking. When a person lies motionless (but is awake), and yesterday’s food has already been digested, energy is spent only on vital processes (the work of the heart, liver, kidneys, muscles and other organs), and the consumption is close to the basal metabolic rate (BMR), about 1 kcal/kg/min (this means that for every kilogram of body weight per minute, energy expenditure is 1 kcal). At the same time, the pulse rate and breathing rate are minimal. When a person gets up, energy consumption increases and will exceed the BVR by 40% - additional energy is spent on pumping blood upward, keeping the body in balance, etc. This is accompanied by an increase in heart rate by about 15 beats per minute, frequency and depth of breathing to ensure increased air oxygen requirements.

And now attention - the person brings one leg forward and transfers his body weight to it (takes the first step). The height of the center of gravity (CG) of a person (located at the level of the II sacral vertebra) decreases. Anyone who has not forgotten school geometry remembers that the height of an isosceles triangle is always less than the length of two equal thighs. In our case, the length of the base of the triangle is the length of the step, and the length of the hip is the length of the leg. (As an extreme case, imagine a person sitting in the splits - here the CG is the lowest).

As a first approximation, lowering the CG does not require energy consumption. But when a person pulls up his second leg, at this moment the height of the CG increases, which requires work to be done against the gravity of the Earth, and for this one has to pay - with energy, i.e. calories. With a constant step length, the CG makes a down/up movement for each walking cycle; when moving down, the accumulated energy is spent uselessly; when moving up, energy must be expended from the body’s reserves.

You can walk at different speeds– from a walking step of 3.5-4 km/h to fast walking at a speed of 7-7.5 km/h, while the average pedestrian speed is considered to be 5-5.5 km/h. As walking speed increases, step frequency increases and, accordingly, energy consumption per minute or hour increases. But what's interesting is energy consumption per kilometer of travel remains virtually unchanged. This is not a paradox - this follows from the reasons for energy consumption when walking discussed above.

This ratio is violated only with very fast walking, but very fast walking (at a speed above 7-7.5 km/h) is irrational - running at such a speed turns out to be more economical than walking per kilometer of distance. (And cycling is even more economical - there is no cyclic increase in CG, you only have to overcome friction and air resistance).

It is usually customary to determine how many calories are burned per hour of walking using tables. Based on the above, there is no special need for tables - it is enough to know your weight and the distance traveled. Moreover, the tables will mislead you regarding the number of calories you are interested in expended. The fact is that in the tables, energy expenditures are given based on the results of instrumental measurements of the energy expenditure of people of different weights at different walking speeds, i.e. These values include basal metabolic rate. Having walked 5 km in an hour, a person weighing 60 kg will spend about 210 kcal, while 60 kcal will be the main metabolism, and the consumption for walking itself will be 210 - 60 = 150 (kcal). Having “counted” 210 kcal as a reward for walking, he will count the hourly exchange of 60 kcal twice - once as part of the daily exchange of 60 x 24 = 1440 kcal, and the second time for an hour of walking.

Tables of energy consumption for different types of activities were compiled for a completely different purpose than helping people lose weight.

And now the numbers for calculation are very simple. For each kilometer of distance, a person spends an amount of energy in kilocalories when walking that is numerically equal to half of his weight in kilograms. In this case, the weight should not be the one that you measure in the morning on an empty stomach and without clothes, but the real weight while walking, in clothes, shoes and with additional load, if you decide to make walking heavier or this happens (for example, you need to carry a backpack). So, the formula for calculating calories burned while walking is:

0.5 x person's weight (kg) x distance (km) = Kcal burned

Example: A person weighing 80 kg, walking 1.5 km every morning to his place of work, spends 0.5 x 80 x 1.5 = 60 (kcal) energy.

When walking uphill, energy consumption increases at the rate of 0.09 kcal/kg/km for each percentage of the steepness of the climb (these percentages you saw on road signs before the climb or slope).

Example: A person climbs a 12% climb. When calculating calories burned, instead of the coefficient of 0.5 kcal/kg/km, you should use the coefficient (0.5 + 0.09 x 12) = 1.58 (kcal/kg/km).

The level of basal metabolism mainly depends on the temperature and humidity of the air, which we do not include in the calories consumed when walking. Of course, these factors influence the comfort of walking.

If you count your steps with a pedometer, you can either convert your steps into meters based on your step length, or calculate the energy cost of 1000 steps, again based on your energy cost per km. The length of a step can be determined experimentally by walking, for example, a distance of 100 m, marked at any stadium, or the entire circle (400 m).

The stride length of a person of average height is usually 0.6-0.8 m, smaller values refer to slow walking, larger values to fast walking. You can also calculate the step length based on your height as 41% of your height, or take it equal to 0.7 m. As a result, the formula for calculating calories by the number of steps:

(Number of steps x step length (m)) x 0.5 x person’s weight (kg) = Kcal burned

Example: A person (80 kg) walked 10,000 steps per day using a pedometer. In kilometers this is 10,000 steps x 0.7 m = 7,000 m = 7 km. Based on a distance of 7 km and a known weight, calorie consumption is calculated: 7 km x 0.5 x 80 kg = 280 Kcal.

It must be said that a pedometer, if it is in good working order and accurately records steps, will be more accurate than calorie consumption calculators that calculate energy expenditure based on heart rate. The pulse rate from walking speed very much depends on the degree of fitness of the person, which the device simply cannot know. Although the accuracy of the pedometer is also limited by ignorance of the true efficiency of the muscles involved in walking, i.e. their ability to convert metabolic energy (obtained from food) into physical energy. Usually this coefficient is not higher than 20-30%, the rest of the energy is converted into heat - you will be hot when walking quickly.

During operation, the pedometer must be fixed in the place where it most accurately perceives movement, i.e. counts step by step, not two as one or one as two.

Typically, the pedometer is attached to the belt on the left side of the thigh.

Calorie counters are built into treadmill machines at fitness centers, which can be used for walking if for some reason it is impossible to walk in a park, forest belt, etc. These counters, as a rule, require preliminary setup (entering weight and age), and when walking they take into account how many calories are burned, according to the above rule (0.5 kcal for every kilogram of body weight when walking 1 km), but again plus the resulting value of basal metabolism (also calculated by weight).

The fitness bracelet has a built-in motion sensor – an accelerometer. The smartphone, on which a special application should be installed, receives sensor readings via the Bluetooth wireless network and converts them into steps. And then the steps are recalculated into kilometers and calories according to the user’s weight, height and age specified when launching the application. It is clear that in this case, the accuracy of estimating calories burned is very low.

An accelerometer can also be built into a smartphone, but here the error is even greater, since the smartphone should be worn in a place where the accelerometer can well sense the vibrations caused by walking, for example, in a trouser pocket. All such devices are designed for walking or running, and in fitness training mode their readings are even more unreliable.

In a state of rest while lying down, a person’s pulse is minimal and is called the resting pulse. When performing physical work, to meet the body's increased need for oxygen, the heart begins to beat faster, and the increase in heart rate is, to a first approximation, proportional to the power of the work performed (at the same time, at low loads, the heart rate is restrained by an increase in the volume of blood ejected by the heart into the aorta per contraction, and only then, when the stroke volume reaches its limit, does the load increase only due to increased heart rate).

E = 0.002 x M x T x (P - PP)

where E is energy expenditure in kcal, M is body weight in kg, T is walking time in minutes, PP is resting pulse, and P is pulse during movement in beats per minute. The interesting thing about this formula is that it does not include the distance traveled, the speed, or the steepness of the climb - all this is taken into account by the heart rate.

The pulse rate can be measured by manual counting or with an electronic heart rate monitor, several times along the way, and take the average.

Example: A person weighing 70 kg walked a certain distance in 15 minutes, with a pulse of 90 beats/min, a resting pulse of 65 beats/min. Energy consumption is equal to 0.002 x 70 x 15 x (90 – 65) = 52 (kcal).

Such a calculation is also approximate, since the loss of calories when walking depends on the degree of training of a person (in trained people, compared to less trained people, performing the same work requires a lower heart rate), and the heart rate monitor is not able to evaluate it, and some information is lost.

There are also online calculators that allow you to calculate how many calories are burned when walking in an hour or other time. These walking calorie calculators usually require you to enter your weight, walking time, and distance traveled, and can be based on different algorithms since there is no single method for calculating how many calories you burn while walking for the reasons described above.

Carrying a stroller forward or backward with a child or walking with a child Walking a dog Loading and unloading cargo from a car Climbing up stairs Marching, fast, military march Bird watching Carrying a load up stairs, general load Carrying a load from 0.5 to 7 kg upward up stairs Carrying 11 to 22 kg up stairs Carrying 23 to 33 kg up stairs Carrying 7 to 10 kg up stairs Carrying over 34 kg up stairs Carrying a baby or 7 kg load (e.g. briefcase) ), on level ground or down stairs Hiking Hiking, off-road Uphill climbing with a load from 0 to 4 kg Uphill climbing with a load from 4.5 to 9 kg Uphill climbing with a load from 9.5 to 19 kg Climbing uphill with a load over 19 kg Rock climbing or mountaineering Nordic walking Stepper Push a wheelchair, non-professional activity Walking 6.6 km/h Walking for pleasure Walking down stairs Walking from home to a car or bus, from a bus or car to different places, from the car and bus to the workplace and back Walking on crutches Walking in place Walking, 3 km/h, slow pace, on a flat, hard surface Walking, 4 km/h, on a hard surface Walking, 4.5 km/h, down Walking, 4.5 km/h, moderate exercise, on a flat, hard surface Walking, 5.5 km/h, up Walking, 5.5 km/h, on a hard, level surface, walking for exercise Walking, 6, 4 km/h, on a flat, hard surface, at a very fast pace Walking, 7 km/h, on a flat, hard surface, at a very fast pace Walking, 8 km/h Walking, for pleasure, work break Walking, to outbuildings and back Walking, less than 3 km/h, on a level road, strolling, very slowly Walking, to work or school Walking, around the house Walking, along a path in the grass Walking to neighbors or houses, social work

Calorie consumption when walking (online calculation)

Health Benefits of Walking

While walking, the main muscle groups are involved, so this process has a positive effect on your health and helps you stay in good shape. The more and faster you move, the more energy you expend and the blood flow becomes more active. Read more about the benefits of walking below.

Walking is the best way to get rid of unnecessary thoughts and improve your overall well-being. If you do them regularly, then:

Strengthen three vital systems: muscular, respiratory and cardiovascular;
Increase the speed of blood movement through the veins, which protects against varicose veins and promotes the removal of toxins;
You will be able to stay in excellent physical shape, because after walking just one and a half kilometers at a moderate pace, you will spend 100 kcal;
Avoid the occurrence of stagnation in the pelvis;
Eliminate the possibility of developing somatic diseases and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

In addition, walking makes the body more resilient, helps strengthen the immune system and guarantees healthy sleep.

If you decide to make walking an integral part of your life, then it should be based on 3 principles:

No harm. The duration of your walk and its speed should be appropriate to your physical fitness. Don't overpower yourself;
Gradually. Walks should be made progressively longer and faster;
Regularly. Compliance with the regime is mandatory! To do this, it is best to create your own walking schedule.

If you care about your health, then walk whenever you can. For example, avoid public transport if your place of work is close to your home. As for time, even a short morning walk can give you energy for the whole day, and an evening walk is a reliable guarantee of sound sleep.

When choosing a type of walking, it is necessary to take into account your health status and level of physical fitness. In addition, a combination of several types is possible.

Of course, walking is the most accessible sport for people of all ages. At the same time, modern research proves that the relationship between walking and the calories spent on this activity makes it possible to use it not only for health in general, but also for weight loss in particular.

How long to walk to lose weight

To lose weight by walking, you need to know exactly how many calories walking burns. In the process of walking, breathing deepens, the lungs are trained, and muscles, including the heart, are strengthened. Burning calories and walking are not always synonymous, so you shouldn’t focus on immediate results.

The slower you walk, the fewer calories you burn. For example, at a speed of 7 km/h, you burn twice as many calories as at a speed of 4 km/h. Obviously, to walk and lose weight you will need to move at a fairly fast pace.

The relationship between walking and calories is constantly being studied. Thanks to this, today there are many devices that calculate energy costs: sports watches, pedometers, etc. Moreover, in the absence of such devices, it is not difficult to independently calculate how many calories walking burns in each specific case. To do this, use the metabolic equivalent of calorie expenditure while walking - MET:

Calories burned = (MET * workout time (minutes) * weight (kg) * 3.5)/200.

For walking at a speed of 7 km/h MET=5. A person weighing 70 kg who spends 40 minutes walking can calculate calorie consumption using this formula as follows:

(5*40*70*3.5)/200=245 (kcal).

Maximum calorie burn when walking

Obviously, as walking speed increases, MET increases, which, in turn, leads to an increase in energy expenditure. In addition, there are a number of rules, following which walking will help you more effectively reduce body weight. Thus, calories are burned more intensely when walking quickly.

In the absence of special devices, it is convenient to focus on the heart rate - pulse. You need to move at such a speed that you are a little out of breath, but at the same time maintain the ability to speak clearly. In a similar way, you can control the efficiency of walking using a special simulator.

Walking up an inclined plane leads to an increase in energy costs - at an angle of 5° by about 50%. Thus, to increase the calorie burn while walking, you should alternate it with walking up an incline. Also, to increase energy costs, it is effective to change the surface coating while walking. To burn more calories when walking, moving with weights is recommended. They can be purchased at sports stores, and can also be replaced with a regular backpack with a load.

Today, special Nordic walking with poles similar to ski poles is gaining increasing popularity. During such exercises, calorie expenditure increases by 50% due to the greater number of muscles involved in the process. A lighter version of Nordic walking can be considered walking with sweeping arm movements. In addition to burning calories, such walking helps to form correct posture. It is also useful during exercise to periodically draw in and relax your abdominal muscles, as well as tense your buttocks. In this case, you should step on the entire foot.

Changing your stride when walking helps you lose weight. This maneuver is also effective in the fight against cellulite. Calorie consumption and the number of muscles involved in the process increases when walking backwards. While walking, it is useful to perform simple exercises - swinging your arms, turning your body, and others.

People who are losing weight are usually interested in how many calories are spent when walking, since walking itself is usually undertaken with the aim of increasing energy expenditure.

From the point of view of common sense, such an activity should seem ineffective, but for people with extreme degrees of obesity, this type of physical activity may be the only acceptable one.

Burning calories by walking: how does it work?

Calculate calorie consumption when walking