How many calories are burned with one’hour of walking?

The moment you think about what physical activity to perform to lose weight the first one you think of is almost always running, but it is not always the best solution, particularly for those who are untrained and cannot stretch longer in exercise. So why train by walking?

Walking may be better than running

A good alternative to running is walking, because although its pace is much lighter than running, but it allows you to burn a lot of calories. It is suitable, moreover, for non-athletes and can be done at the speed you prefer, and the higher it is, the more calories will be consumed. However, this should not be your first goal because what really makes a difference in slimming is, in particular, being able to maintain the same pace for as long as possible.

How much is consumed by walking

An adult should perform about 150 minutes of physical activity per week, basically a little more than 20 per day, and walking is a good way to do this. Calories burned are calculated over the course of a walk, and this is not easy because they vary depending on certain parameters of people such as weight, metabolism, and nutrition; and, then, other external ones such as stride speed and slope of the terrain. On average, an adult of average weight and proportionate to his or her height, going at a normal gait for an hour on a flat surface, consumes roughly 150 to 190 calories. If the walking becomes fast, these gradually increase to as much as 250 to 300, and this is also when going uphill. A running-type stride consumes about 500 calories.

Is distance more important than time

To figure out how many calories are expended by walking, the most important figure to consider is the distance you walk because time alone, not considering possible slowdowns or hiccups, can be deceiving. Also the number of daily steps, which you calculate with your smartphone, smartwatch or other state-of-the-art fitness tools. Ideally, you should take at least 10,000 steps each day to increase cardiovascular endurance.

Can help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol

One study showed that taking a walk at the end of each meal for 15 minutes helped improve blood sugar levels and limit cholesterol buildup.

Good for the heart

This type of activity reduces blood pressure and also has a beneficial effect on thecardiovascular system. Performing running has been found to decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by nearly 20 percent and doing it for 20 minutes a day reduce mortality by 25 percent.