How To Lose 50 Lbs. By Walking

Lose 50 lbs. by adhering to a low-calorie diet and using various methods of walking to burn more calories than you consume. Walking is a low-impact exercise that can be done anywhere at any time. A healthy weight loss is usually no more than 2 lbs. per week, according to MayoClinic.com. Walk every day and follow your diet to lose 50 lbs. in about seven months.

Step 1

Burn 3,500 calories more than you consume daily to lose 1 lb. per week, according to the resource manual for "Exercise Testing and Prescription" by the American College of Sports Medicine. For example, cut 500 calories from your diet and walk to burn 500 calories per day to lose 2 lbs. per week.

Step 2

Walk for at least 60 minutes every day. An hour of walking can burn more than 400 calories, depending on your weight, according to Health Status Internet Assessments. Walk several times a day to burn more calories. For example, walk for an hour in the morning, during your lunch break and before or after dinner. You may need to walk for 60 to 90 minutes, most days of the week to lose weight, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Step 3

Walk on different surfaces, such as the treadmill, the track, on beach sand and on pavement. Different surfaces will engage different muscles groups and help you burn more calories. For example, a Belgian study shows that walking on dry sand requires 2.1 to 2.7 times more energy compared to walking on a hard surface at the same speed, according to "The Washington Post." Unlike firmer surfaces, sand provides no rebound.

Step 4

Walk up and down stairs to add resistance and to gain muscle strength. People with muscles burn more calories per day, even at rest, according to MayoClinic.com. Walking up stairs at a moderate intensity should burn eight or more calories a minute, depending on your weight, according to Dr. Cedric Bryant, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise, in an article for "The New York Times."

Step 5

Use interval training during your walks. Interval training is alternating between low- and high-intensity through the duration of the exercise. For example, alternate between walking a lap and speed walking a lap until you complete a mile. Vigorous activity burns more calories even if it's for a short period of time, according to MayoClinic.com.