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How Many Calories are Expended When Walking?

May 22, 2011 | By Toby Pendergrass
How Many Calories are Expended When Walking?
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An expanding waistline equally expands your risk for increased time in the hospital. People who are overweight suffer a greater threat of coronary heart disease and even cancer. Walking represents a convenient physical activity that uses no equipment, as well as a form of aerobic exercise that expends large numbers of calories during a single workout. The total calories you'll use depends on more than your speed, as your weight and distance are also important. Understand how to burn the most calories during walking to meet your fitness goals.

Walking & Calories

Walking is often embraced as an ideal exercise for weight loss, since the activity is appropriate inside or outdoors and can be performed without the purchase of a gym membership. Walking and other aerobic methods burn calories quickly, which is essential for weight reduction. Your body gradually slims down only as you take in fewer calories with food than you use during your daily routine and exercise. Walking also benefits your health through a lessened risk for heart attack, depression and stroke and may extend your life.

Measured Results

The number of calories burned during a walking workout depends more on how long you walk and your weight rather than how fast you walk. Harvard Medical School reports that a person who weighs 120 lbs. typically burns about 85 calories per mile of moderate walking, while a person with a weight of 220 lbs. burns roughly 135 calories. Pace still matters, since walking too slow results in few calories burned.

MayoClinic.com estimates that walking at a speed of 2 miles per hour allows a 200-lb. person to burn 228 calories in 60 minutes, but the same person burns 346 calories in the same workout with a faster speed of 3.5 miles per hour.

Shoes & Stride

Your chance for an effective workout that burns calories -- and limits your injury risk -- increases when you wear shoes constructed for walking. Look for a pair with a padded tongue, shock-absorbent sole and a raised heel wedge. Posture is always important, so walk with your chin up, back straight and shoulders square. Bend your arms at the elbow and allow them to swing with each stride. You'll typically lengthen your steps by swiveling your hips, while people who add in skipping or jumping during a walk may burn twice as many calories per minute, according to CNN.com.

Calorie Considerations

You should get aerobic exercise like walking for at least 30 minutes on most days each week, although adding other activities is a proven method to help you stay on track and enthusiastic. Swimming, aerobic dance, basketball or racquetball typically allow most people to burn more than 350 calories per hour. Start any exercise for weight loss only after speaking with your doctor.

References

Article reviewed by Lauren Fritsky Last updated on: May 22, 2011

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