Any form of exercise, including walking, can eventually result in weight loss. In order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. Your body burns a certain amount of calories at rest each day. This is called your basal metabolic rate, or BMR. Losing weight comes down to basic math: 3,500 calories equals about 1 lb., so in order to lose 10 lbs. in a year, you need to burn 35,000 calories. Your BMR and calories burned through exercise count toward this number, but the number of calories you consume each day is crucial to the weight loss equation as well.
Step 1
Find your BMR. The easiest way is to use an online calculator. For example, according to the BMR calculator at BMI-Calculator.net, a 5-foot-2inch, 45-year-old female weighing 130 lbs. has a BMR of 1,300, meaning her body burns a minimum of 1,300 calories each day with no extra effort.
Step 2
Measure your steps per day with a pedometer, a small, portable tool that attaches to your body and counts the number of steps you take. The most basic models simply record the number of bounces caused by each step, while more advanced models convert the number of steps into approximate distance. The Shape Up America! organization recommends tracking the steps walked during your normal activities in order to set your first goal.
Step 3
Set daily step goals. According to The Walking Site, the average person only takes about 1,000 to 3,000 steps in a day. The Walking Site recommends increasing your daily step amount slowly to avoid injury. For example, if you currently walk about 2,000 steps in a day, a good walking goal for your first week should be about 2,500 steps per day. Increase your steps by about 500 each week.
Step 4
Set daily calorie intake goals based on your BMR and the number of calories you burn through walking. According to MayoClinic.com, 30 minutes of brisk walking burns about 150 calories. For example, if your BMR is 1,300 and you walk off an extra 150 calories per day, aim for a daily intake of about 1,350 calories. This creates a deficit of about 100 calories per day. In one year, this deficit adds up to 36,500 calories lost, or just over 10 lbs.
Tips and Warnings
- Find ways to increase your steps each day, such as parking at the far end of parking lots and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Many people find it helpful to have external motivation, such as walking with a friend or joining a walking club.
- MayoClinic.com recommends several ways to prevent exercise-related injury. Stretch before walking, and do a five-minute slow warm-up walk before increasing your pace. Follow each walking session with a five-minute cool-down by walking slowly.
Things You'll Need
- Pedometer
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