In today’s world, almost half the population spends more time sitting or leads a sedentary lifestyle. The effects are worse because of changes in diet, where most of us eat highly processed and sugary foods. For that reason, the global burden of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer is on the rise.

A wealth of evidence shows that walking daily is good for your health and reduces your risk of lifestyle diseases. And the best part is that it can be done from anywhere, even at home, if you don’t have a place to walk in your neighborhood. But is walking good for weight loss?  And how much walking do you need to do daily to get results?

In this article, we examine the health benefits of walking every day, whether you can lose weight by walking, and share tips for creating a consistent walking routine.

Can You Lose Weight by Walking 30 Minutes Every Day?

The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, every week for good health. That means you should aim to walk 30 minutes at least five days a week. Most people ask, “Is walking good for weight loss?”

It is possible to lose weight by walking 30 minutes every day, depending on your speed, distance covered, and diet. Walking is a simple workout that burns calories and can help you lose inches on the waist. According to Harvard Health, brisk walking for 30 minutes burns between 100 to 180 calories daily, depending on your speed and weight, which accounts for about 3000 calories or more per month.

The more you walk and the quicker your pace, the more calories you burn. To increase the calories burned while walking, you can do intermittent jogging or running every 10 minutes for 5 minutes or better results. To get the most out of walking, ensure you are consistent and don’t skip walking for more than one day in a row.

Also, don’t rely only on walking to lose weight. Incorporate strength training exercises, such as squats, planks, push-ups, lunges, and crunches, to build muscle and burn fat. Also, ensure to eat a healthy diet rich in whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fruits and vegetables to burn more calories and help you lose weight.

10 Health Benefits of Walking Everyday

If you are not sure whether you should start a walking routine, here are ten benefits of walking everyday that should know.

#1. May help you lose weight

According to a 12-week study, regular walking burns calories and may help you lose weight. The study, conducted with 35 overweight participants who walked for 10,000 steps every day using a pedometer-based walking program, revealed that the participants lost weight and had better health outcomes.

Getting 10,000 steps every day (1 hour 40 minutes walk) can help you burn at least 400 calories a day and about 12,000 in a month, which equates to losing 3.4 pounds and 1.5 kilograms per month.

Start with a 30-minute walk (3000 steps) and slowly add more steps every day to build your confidence to do more. In no time, you’ll be able to do 10,000 steps and lose more weight. To lose more weight, incorporate walking uphill, stairs, or incline on a treadmill about twice a week or do jogging intervals while walking.

Also Read: How to Maintain a Healthy Weight: 3 Simple Tips

#2. May lower your risk of heart diseases

Walking is a moderate-intensity exercise that improves heart function. Research shows that it decreases blood pressure and cholesterol levels and can lower the risk of hypertension, stroke, and heart disease.

It also increases your breathing rate and improves the VO2 max, which is a measure of how much oxygen your body uses during exercise and is a measure of heart health.

Also Read: How Weight Loss Can Transform Your Life (6 Top Ways)

#3. May lower blood sugar levels

Walking helps your body use the energy in food better, may improve the function of insulin, and prevent type 2 diabetes. As a form of exercise, walking may also reduce anxiety and stress levels, which tend to affect blood sugar control.

According to research, adults over 60 years who had previously been inactive and walked for 15 minutes three times a day were able to control their blood sugar levels. Walk after meals to help your body manage the blood sugar spikes that occur after eating.

#4. May strengthen immunity

A brisk walk for 30 minutes every day improves immune function and helps the body fight illness. Research studies have shown that exercise reduces inflammation caused by stress, strengthens the immune system, and reduces the risk of infectious diseases. Walking every day for at least 30 minutes five days a week can reduce the risk of getting sick.

#5. Improves your mood and enhance mental well being

Exercise has immense benefits on your mental health. According to Mayo Clinic, regular physical activity is beneficial in preventing and treating anxiety and depression. Walking triggers your body to release the natural “feel-good” brain chemicals called endorphins, which improve your mood and reduce cortisol, which is a stress hormone.

To reap the benefits of walking everyday, add a regular walking routine to your life and see how your mental health improves.

Also Read: How Does Exercise Improve Mental Health? (9 Surprising Ways)

#6. Better sleep quality

Regular walk is beneficial for your sleep. Regular physical activity reduces insomnia, helps you sleep faster and longer and have better sleep quality. According to research people who walk daily reported better sleep than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

#7. Boost energy levels

Have you ever noted how good you feel after a workout? A daily walk makes you feel more energetic because it promotes circulation and a better flow of oxygen to the cell. If you’re consistent you will not have to rely on a cup of coffee to keep you energized.

Also Read: Why is My Metabolism So Slow? 9 Causes of Slow Metabolism

#8. May reduce the risk of death

Did you know that sitting for 6 to 8 hours every day significantly increase your risk of death and is responsible for about 3.8% of death worldwide? According to research walking about 4400 steps significantly reduced the risk of death for older women. Furthermore walking for just 15 minutes every day could reduce your risk of death by 14% and increase your life expectancy.

#9. Easy on the joints and strengthens bone

Walking is a low-impact workout that does not strain the joints. It can also help reduce the aches and pains caused by prolonged sitting. Furthermore, as you age, bone strength starts to decline, increasing your risk of osteoporosis.

According to Harvard Health, walking can help slow bone loss and strengthen the bones in your lower body due to the tugging and pushing as you walk which stimulates your body to deposit extra calcium on the bones. However, activities such as jogging, running, and weight lifting put more stress on the bones and have more effect than leisure walking, and you need to alternate them for extra benefits.

#10. Improves muscle strength

Walking works the muscles of your lower body and midsection. Thus, it strengthens your leg muscles because they are active when you walk. It may not be as effective as lifting weights, but over time, walking has similar benefits. Furthermore, it also boosts muscle power and endurance.

To get more benefits from walking every day, add an incline on a hill or a treadmill to force the muscles in the calves, glutes, and hamstrings to work harder and become stronger.

How to Adopt the Daily Walk Routine

The health benefits of walking everyday cannot be ignored. It is possible to lose weight by walking for 30 minutes daily. But how do you build a daily walk routine? Here are five simple tips to get you started:

1. Start small

Set realistic goals that are easy to achieve in the beginning. A simple goal like a 5 or 10 minute walk is easy to achieve than deciding to start with a one hour walk. You can do three short walks of you can manage a one walk interval to maintain your exercise and be more consistent.

Also Read: 10 Smart Health Goals Examples and Easy Steps to Achieve Them

2. Make walking part of your daily routine

The best way to make a habit stick is to add it into your daily routine. You can walk during lunch break or after your meals. Also, take the stairs instead of the life, walk to work, park at the farthest corner and alight one stop before home and walk the rest of the way to add more steps into your day. After a few weeks of walking you’ll be motivated to add more health habits like healthy eating into your routine.

Also Read: How to Make Time for Exercise with a Busy Schedule (9 Easy Tips)

3. Track your progress

It is important to have a record of the duration of your walk, the steps and distance to keep track of where you started. It will be a source of inspiration just thinking about how far you’ve come. Use a fitness tracker, such as Fitbit or Google Fit apps, to calculate the distance or steps.

4. Stay motivated

The problem for most people is not how to start walking but how to continue walking every day. Keep yourself motivated by making it something you look forward to. Use the time to listen to your favorite music or podcast or walk with a friend or your family. Ensure to reward yourself for being consistent to make you more motivated. You can also vary your walking paths and take different routes to avoid monotony.

Also Read: How to Hack Your Brain to Make Healthy Habits Stick: 10 Healthy Habits for A Better You

5. Don’t give up

Life happens, and you may miss walking some days. Instead of beating yourself up, remind yourself that this is a lifelong journey and you can always start again. Just try not to skip more than one day in a row so that you don’t have to start afresh every time.

FAQs

• What happens to your body when you walk for 30 minutes every day?

There is scientific evidence that if you walk for 30 minutes every day you can lose weight, improve your heart health, boost your mood and energy levels and reduce stress. It is a transformative habit that will improve all aspects of your health

• How long does it take to see results from walking daily?

You can start to see results from walking daily for 30 days. You will notice that you have lost some inches on the waist a may have gone down a size of clothing, but that also depends on the intensity and duration of your walks.

• Will I lose belly fat if I walk 30 minutes a day?

Walking is a form of aerobic exercise which is effective to lose belly fat and maintain a healthy weight. Walking helps to burn fat and can help you lose some inches on the waist.

• How much weight can I lose in 1 month by walking?

If you commit to walking for 45 minutes every day (approximately 4500 steps) you may burn about 300 extra calories every day, which is about 2100 in a week and about 9000 in a month. That equates to losing 2.6 pounds or 1.16kgs.

Final Thoughts

Walking daily is a good way to be fit and prevent the risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Is walking good for weight loss? Some of the health benefits of walking every day include losing body fat, improving heart health, strengthening immune function, boosting your mood, and lowering stress levels.

The faster and longer you walk the healthier you become. Strive to walk for about 30-60 minutes every day to get more health benefits of walking. If you can’t get time to do the whole exercises break it down to 10 to 15 minutes sessions and be active throughout the day. Ensure to seek guidance form your doctor before you start the walking routine.

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