Walking in place: is it useful, how many calories are burned?


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A calorie is a unit of energy that is produced by the body from food. For example, the calorie content of 1 gram of protein and carbohydrates is 4 calories, and 1 gram of fat is 9 calories. Calories are necessary for the human body to function properly. Even at rest, the body consumes energy to keep organs in working order. An adult needs an average of 1800–2600 kcal, an athlete – 3500 kcal per day.

Calorie consumption per kilogram of weight

Let's take walking for an hour as a basis. Let's calculate how many calories you can spend per kilogram of body weight. Driving on a flat road at a speed of 4 km/h will give an effect of 3.2 calories. If you increase the speed to 6 km/h, you will burn 4.5 calories. The fastest walking pace of 8 km/h will give the best result - 10 calories.

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Climbing up an inclined road at a speed of 2 km/h, a person spends 6.4 calories per kilogram of body weight. If you take a casual walk in the fresh air, you can burn 6.4 calories in an hour. By doing race walking, you will be able to burn 6.8 calories.

How much weight can you lose?

If you set a goal to lose the maximum number of kilograms, then try to walk everywhere: park the car in the garage, refuse to travel on the bus and tram. How many calories you burn depends on several factors:

  • initial body weight;
  • age;
  • specified load rate;
  • the presence of additional load (weights, sticks, hand movements).

If possible, choose not a straight route, but a winding road, where there are hills and any other irregularities, then it will be more difficult to move, and, therefore, you will have to spend more calories. Even just 1 hour of walking at a calm pace can burn 200 kcal or more. The faster your speed, the more intense your weight loss will be. The dependence of the spent energy reserve on the intensity of movement is presented in Table 1.

Table 1 How many calories can you burn while walking

Travel speed, km/hNumber of kcal burned
3170-180
4225-240
5260-270
6305-325
7380-410
8525-540
9640-670

These indicators are given for a person with a body weight of 70-80 kg. If your weight is slightly less than the suggested value, then you will lose 30-40 kcal less than indicated in the table. To estimate your speed correctly, you will need a pedometer, fitness bracelet or smart watch. The devices even allow you to control the amount of energy spent, which is very convenient.

We lose weight during a simple walk

Take a brisk walk through the park; in half an hour of such activity you will be able to burn about 130 kcal. If you move with heavy hands, for example, taking with you a bag of groceries or a bag of books, then the additional weight will only increase energy consumption, which means losing kg will occur more intensely than usual. A backpack would be a good attribute; fill it with sand, plastic bottles of water and go for a walk.

Important!

Choose a fast pace, do not look around while walking.

If you have a pet, feel free to take it for a walk. A couple of hours outdoors with your dog will benefit both of you, and you'll burn about 450 calories, especially if you're active. Walking with a stroller will add weight to your arms, because when moving you will have to expend more effort than during normal walking, so in an hour of walking with a child, the number of kcal consumed is 300.

By the way, find out how you can quickly lose weight in your stomach and waist at home.

Nordic walking

One of the best methods for losing weight without effort is walking with poles. All people can do it, regardless of age and physical fitness. During this type of exercise, all muscles in the body are used, and calorie consumption increases by almost 40% than during normal walking. If you walk at a speed of 6-7 km/h, you will lose about 350 kcal in an hour.

On the simulator

You can walk not only in pairs or on the street, but also in the gym on a treadmill. The trainer will show you how fast you are moving, and you can increase the intensity and load as desired. When moving at a speed of 6 km/h on a treadmill, you will spend about 300 kcal per hour of walking. Increase your pace if you want to lose more, but don't start running.

On a note!

Do not forget to drink clean water during training, it helps burn fat reserves.

What energy costs when walking - review

In order to understand how many calories are burned when walking 1 km, you need to take into account your weight and speed of movement.

  1. A regular walk at a speed of 2-3 kilometers per hour will require 200 calories for the average body.
  2. Race walking requires greater speed and, accordingly, leads to more serious energy expenditure. At a speed of 5 km per hour, a person will spend 300-400 calories.

There is also the option of using different walking methods, which allow you to burn more calories and keep your body toned. This increases the overall physical development of the body.

Energy expenditure for different lifestyles

Walk around the city

The type of work, as well as his gender and age, determine the energy requirements per day. The norms for men and older people are always lower.

  • For those engaged in mental work, 1800-2000 kcal are required for women and 2100-2500 kcal for men per day.
  • If the work can be characterized as light physical, then the energy requirement is 2100-2200 for the fair sex and 2500-2800 for the stronger sex.
  • For average physical labor, you need 2500-2600 kcal for women and 3000-3300 for men daily.

There are quite detailed studies that show exactly how many calories are burned in a particular type of activity.

Energy consumption for different activities is shown in the table.

For example, during sleep and rest without movement, 1-1.5 kcal are spent every minute, and when washing floors and windows, 4-5 kcal are already spent. From here we can draw a simple conclusion: the more a person moves, the more energy he spends. If the body receives less “fuel” per day than it needs, it takes it from reserves - it uses up fat deposits. Therefore, when running or dancing at home, doing push-ups and other exercises, a calorie deficit appears if you do not increase your food intake. This way you can lose weight.

Types of walking

Steps or climbs in the mountains will be useful. This technique perfectly develops the muscles of the body and burns much more calories. Monitoring your heartbeat is a prerequisite.

Excessive strain on the heart can have a detrimental effect on your health.

Nowadays Nordic walking is very popular. It involves the use of special sticks, which must fully correspond to the person’s height. Nordic walking burns 40% more calories than regular walking and is the safest method for losing excess weight.

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Cleaning and vacuuming the house is a tedious job. But if the incentive is to burn excess fat, then it will bring pleasure and a good mood. Cleaning and cleaning is physical work in constant motion. And this is a really effective and simple way to burn calories.

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Benefits of walking

It turns out that walking is a wonderful sport. Yes, yes, walking is a sport. The benefits from it are special. After all, it trains all the same muscles as running. At the same time, it does not have a negative effect on the knee joints. Plus it improves heart function and saturates our cells with oxygen. Everyone can walk: fat and thin, old and young.

Many people care about the topic of weight loss. It is very difficult to fight the hated kilograms while sitting. Forcing yourself to play sports is even more difficult. But going for a walk in the evening after work is as easy as shelling pears!

Sleep well

This isn't technically a calorie burn, but it is critical in helping you reap the benefits of other activities. When we are tired, there is a great desire to skip workouts. Healthy sleep leads to better performance in everything, including training.

Has Terry convinced you? Now the path to health is open! Without sports and diet. But if you regularly visit fitness centers, don't quit. Just when you are at home, remember the good advice of this wonderful girl. Do you have similar tricks to burn calories while lying on the couch?

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How long should you walk?

Nowadays, it has become fashionable to lead a healthy lifestyle and visit the gym, or simply play sports on the street. Some people don’t want to exhaust themselves with diets, and not everyone can afford to go to a sports club, so most people prefer race walking. It can be performed in the fresh air and does not require additional funds.

Before you start exercising, you need to know how many calories are burned. According to research, it has become known that in order to have a healthy and beautiful body, you need to walk at least 10 kilometers a day.

How many calories are burned during Nordic walking?

Nordic walking

Nordic walking differs from regular walking in that it uses special poles. Relying on them reduces the load on the joints, but at the same time 95% of the muscles are included in the work. This is more than when running.

Its advantages:

  • more intense fat burning;
  • walks are always in the fresh air, often in company;
  • pumping up the abs and buttocks if you follow the steps correctly;
  • less risk of injury;
  • a good alternative to running if it is contraindicated;
  • improves posture, coordination, sense of balance.

It's always a fast pace, otherwise you won't be able to keep the rhythm. For every minute the body loses 5.2 kcal, per hour 350 kcal. Training should be at least 30-40 minutes. Nordic walking can combine movement through the forest, slopes, and snow in winter, which only enhances its effectiveness up to 700 kcal per hour.

Distance for effective weight loss

One of the most important questions I asked myself at the beginning was how many calories are spent walking 1 km, since this route is the most optimal option. It will take a little time, but after the walk you will have enough energy for everyday activities. At the same time, heart function is normalized, many muscle groups are strengthened, and blood circulation improves.

Important parameters for calculating calorie consumption are the pace of the walk and the weight category of the exerciser. On average, the cost is 200 calories, but if the speed is higher, then the number doubles (approximate speed - 5 km/h). Today, you can choose from a wide variety of walking techniques that allow you to control your weight without feeling exhausted. One of the most popular and effective is Nordic race walking. In this case, it is important to take into account the athlete’s growth indicators. Energy costs are almost 40% higher than during regular walks, and the process itself is completely safe. In 7 days you can lose about 3 kg.

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Nutrition

A very important point, if you decide to lose weight, then your diet should be appropriate with a minimum amount of fat, a sufficient amount of slow carbohydrates and high-protein foods. Roughly speaking, if you eat haphazardly, then all the calories burned while walking will come back at the table, what’s the point of training?

Throughout the day, it is necessary to create a deficit of calories entering the body, i.e. consumption during the day should be greater than receipt. The difference should be about 300-400 kcal.

Over time, you will learn to understand approximately how many calories you spend (unless, of course, you use special devices) and then you will wonder whether it’s worth going to the bakery next time, because a decent piece of cake will force you to walk extra kilometers to create a slim figure.

Times of Day

When is it better to exercise in the morning or evening? When are calories burned more efficiently in the light or dark of the day? The question is individual. Go when you have free time and feel comfortable. The main thing is that walking brings pleasure, and does not make you wonder when it will end. Walk for fun, go shopping without using a car or public transport, this will only be a plus for you.

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How to walk correctly

Walking, even at a slow pace, stimulates blood circulation and makes organs work harder. To get the most benefit from exercise, you need to do it right. You can’t walk vigorously for 3 hours straight away. The body is under stress, and instead of the desired weight loss, weight gain will begin. You need to start with easy walks at a moderate pace. After about 1 hour of walking, you should increase the pace, walk for 5 minutes, and return to your usual speed. You need to increase the acceleration by 5 minutes every day. Gradually, the slow pace will turn into an average one, and the mileage will increase in 1 hour.

Calories begin to be burned after 40 minutes, so for one walk you need to walk for at least 1 hour. To see significant results in weight loss, at least 2 hours pass per day. Sports should not be done immediately after eating. Half an hour should pass. You should not eat immediately after a walk. It is recommended to wait 30 minutes. But you can drink. A glass of water or a fruit cocktail wouldn't hurt. For sport to bring benefits, pleasure, and moral satisfaction, you need to buy yourself comfortable sneakers and a comfortable suit. And even better - special slimming breeches that create a sauna effect.

How many calories are burned when walking up stairs?

Walking up the stairs

Climbing stairs requires much more effort than climbing a flat road. The effectiveness of such exercises depends on the height of the step, intensity and time of movement. On average, up to 550-700 kcal are lost per hour, but it’s difficult to hold out for that long.

It is best to refuse the elevator and walk up to the apartment. You should start small, adding only 1 floor per week, so that there is no severe shortness of breath and palpitations, and harm to health. You can walk up the stairs to the 5th floor at a good pace in 5 minutes. One such “race” is minus 50-60 kcal. For more information about walking on stairs for weight loss, read the link.

What muscles work when walking?

At a slow walking pace of less than 5 km/h, muscle activity is minimal. Power walking starts at 6 km/h. At this pace, the legs, hips, and knees are actively strengthened. The abdominal and arm muscles are used to a lesser extent; the core muscles act as a stabilizer.

When walking uphill, a good load is placed on the quadriceps, gluteus maximus and calf muscles.

Nordic walking, in addition to those already mentioned, uses the muscles of the cervical-brachial region, pectoral and scapular muscles, triceps and biceps.

What are the benefits of walking?

The benefits of walking:

  • prevention of colds;
  • strengthening the muscle frame;
  • improving sleep quality;
  • pressure stabilization.

You can also use the calorie burning of walking as a way to save money. A walk to work or the metro will save your budget and help clarify your morning thoughts.

Expending calories while walking is not the same as doing serious strength training in the gym.

Using the table, you can easily calculate how many calories are consumed during each walk. In order to increase calorie burning, some experts recommend using leg weights.

Despite the disadvantages, many strive to make the most of their workouts and use weights. Rules:

  • for walking, initially it is better to use a backpack as a weight;
  • the backpack should be filled evenly;
  • An orthopedic backrest is required, which will reduce the load on the spine and wide straps;
  • weight gain should be done gradually;
  • if additional weights for the legs are needed, then their weight should be minimal.

Race walking

It is this that, at a speed of 100 steps per minute, will allow you to break down fat in the subcutaneous tissue. You need to start with 10 minutes and gradually increase your daily walk at a sports pace to 40-45 minutes. Along with calories, you can get rid of extra centimeters on your waist and hips and in return get health, lightness and moral satisfaction.

To quickly tighten your buttocks, make your legs slender and remove belly fat, it is recommended to take dumbbells up to 1 kg with you for a walk or wear weights on your arms. During the first half of the distance, the left arm with a weight and the right leg are actively thrown out, then the right arm and left leg.

When walking quickly over a distance of 1 km, a short person (1.5 m tall) weighing 45 kg burns approximately 0.88 kcal per 1 kg of body weight, and with a height of 1.8 m and a weight of 86 kg - 0.74 kcal. Then, for example, walking 5 km, the first will spend 4.4 kcal/kg (198 kcal in total), and the second will spend 3.7 kcal/kg (318.2 kcal in total).

When walking at a brisk pace, you can burn more calories than at a leisurely pace, as can be seen in the table.

Walking in place: is it useful, how many calories are burned?

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