Walking should take home the gold medal for its long list of benefits and low danger. It’s effortless (imagine not having to bring any equipment). It is a great way for people of all ages and backgrounds to exercise.
It is an excellent kind of exercise that can assist you in achieving your fitness and weight-loss goals. It helps to burn calories, is suitable for your cardiovascular health, and is also prohibited in a very small number of illnesses and health risks.
A daily fitness plan consists of walking a set number of steps or covering a given distance for many people. Many specialists even recommend walking as a fantastic strategy to maintain well-being, calories, and BMI. That’s just how important walking is for your health.
Let us first understand what BMI is before moving on to our main topic.
What is Body Mass Index (BMI), And How To Calculate It?
In simple terms, a person’s BMI (body mass index) is a numerical representation of their weight in relation to their height.
Its principal application is in the medical field, where it is used to make an objective weight evaluation of a patient.
How Do I Calculate My Body Mass Index?
As we stated above, a person’s BMI is calculated by dividing his weight in pounds by height in inches, and it is the same for children and adults. The formulas used in the calculation are as follows:
BMI = Weight in kilograms/ height squared in meters. You can also calculate your body mass index using a BMI calculator.
Now that you know what BMI is and how to calculate it let’s move on to the next section, i.e., how much you should walk based on your BMI.
Walking According To My BMI
Physical activity like walking has a lot of health benefits, particularly losing body fat. It is also one of the simplest and least expensive types of exercise an individual can perform. Many people could benefit from being more active by walking daily.
So, how much walking do you need to lose weight and obtain a healthy BMI?
To start with, first, determine your current BMI and how much bodyweight you need to shed to reach your desired BMI.
Walking 5 miles per day is the recommended weight-loss goal; this will burn approximately 3,500 calories every week, or one pound of fat.
Gradually increase your walking distance to 5 miles every day. Your calorie burn level will be significantly higher if you have a high BMI and are carrying a lot of extra weight. Losing weight may be as simple as walking 1-2 kilometers daily.
It’s not necessary to walk 5 miles in one sitting. If you don’t have much time, divide the walk into two or three short walks.
How much should I walk every day to lose weight?
Brisk walking all days of the week for every 30-60 minutes will help you burn excess calories. You can walk for longer or shorter periods depending on the day, but the overall time for the whole week should at least be two and a half hours.
Remember to brisk walk and keep your workout at a reasonable level of effort.
Even though you can cut your walking time into 10-minute intervals, walking at a brisk walking pace for more than 30 minutes continuously after warming up has the additional advantage of losing calories.
Try shorter walks at an easy pace and gradually increase your walking duration if you’re just starting. Initially, you might prefer to go for longer walks every so often.
Make an effort not to miss more than one day in a row. Stability is beneficial for calorie burning, metabolic improvement, and the development of new behaviors. Hopefully, you will get your ideal weight if you continue walking daily.
What Are the Health Benefits of Walking?
Apart from losing excess weight, walking also helps in several other ways. Some of the benefits are listed below-
It Burns a Lot of Calories And Helps in Losing Body Fat.
Walking helps in burning calories. The number of calories you burn will be determined by how fast and how far (and where) you walk, as well as your body weight. For example, walking rapidly for 30 minutes burns approximately 150 calories.
Lifts Your Mood
Walking causes the body to produce natural pain-relieving endogenous opioids, which is one of the psychological advantages of exercise.
It is excellent for your mental health, according to studies.
Walking, like other cardiovascular exercises, can help alleviate anxiety, despair, and general malaise.
Reduces Blood Sugar Levels.
Even brief walks might have a significant impact. For example, an analysis revealed that walking for 20 minutes after every meal improved blood sugar levels more effectively than a single 45-minute stroll! That’s fantastic news for people who are always on the go.
It Improves the Health of Your Heart.
We already know that walking makes your heart healthier. It is beneficial to your heart to walk for 30 minutes or more every day. Walking is so helpful that one 2009 research suggested that it be “administered” to avoid coronary heart disease. Risks were lowered by about 20%!
It Can Help to Relieve Joint Pain.
Walking not only keeps your joints lubricated and strong, but it also strengthens the muscles around them. So walking might be a win-win situation if you don’t like running.
Makes Your Legs Stronger
Do you want your legs to be stronger and more muscular? Begin with walking, then increase your pace or seek a steep route to maximize the strength-building advantages. Walking strengthens your legs and stomach muscles, as well as your forearms, if you pump them while walking.
It Strengthens the Bones.
Walking is considered a weight-bearing activity. It encourages your body to function against gravity, which is beneficial to bone health, particularly as you become older.
Final Thoughts
We recommend you seek professional medical advice before starting your walking workout.
You should strive to improve the regularity of your walking and also the number of kilometers or steps you do each day. Walking briskly or on higher inclines can be included a few times per week to add extra effort.
So what are you waiting for? Put on your walking shoes and get ready to walk!
Next, you should read, how much should I run according to my bmi.
