10000 steps a day for weight loss- good or bad?
10000 steps a day! It seems like such a lofty goal to achieve but it's actually not that hard to do.
But before we get into how to achieve that goal, is 10000 steps really the goal for you?
If you've been leading a sedentary life or if you're recovering from an illness, it's best to listen to your body's needs and slowly ease into activity. And walking is the perfect activity which is low in impact to your joints and will help you ramp up your fitness in no time.
So based on your current activity level, try to increase your step count 10 to 20% until you feel comfortable with your walking level.
Here are some commonly asked questions around how many steps a day to walk.
How many steps a day should I walk to lose weight?
If you have a fitness tracker, it's easy to track your steps for the whole day. You could do a fasted cardio walk of 30 minutes in the morning. This should be about 3000 steps.
Do a walk in the evening for about 30 to 40 minutes which should be another 4000 steps.
Try to accumulate steps throughout the day (about 3000 steps).
All of this adds up to 10000 steps.
Is 10000 steps a day good for weight loss?
If you are sedentary most of the time and don't exercise, you will clock only about 2000 to 3000 steps a day which will lead to weight gain eventually and will result in your metabolism slowing down.
You can get good weight loss results from walking 7500 to 10000 steps a day combined with a calorie deficit in your diet.
If you find your weight loss results stalling from a plateau, try to up your step count in increments of 2000 steps like 12000 steps to 15000 steps a day for some time.What are the benefits of walking?
Walking offers a plethora of benefits. It helps many conditions of the body and of the mind. It prevents heart conditions, reduces blood pressure and helps to reduce the risk of diabetes. It also helps to lift your mood and prevent depression.
Walking also helps you sleep well at night. It stimulates your blood circulation and gives your skin a lovely glow.
It's an effective exercise to lose your belly fat and to reduce bloat.
What's the best way to lose weight by walking?
There's no right or wrong way to track your walking for losing weight.
You can base your walking plan on duration (minutes), distance (miles or steps).
Let's break it down here and answer some of the commonly asked questions.
How much should I walk to lose weight?
Form
a walking plan for the week and break it up like this, for example. One
day of the week can be assigned as rest but try to do some light
activity such as Yoga/ Pilates.
2 days a week- 30 to 40 minutes of walking a day + 20 to 30 minutes strength training exercise
2 days a week- 60 minutes of walking a day
2 days a week- 30 minutes of interval walking (alternate between fast walks/runs and normal pace)
If
you don't have the time or energy to commit for longer walks, you can
break it down throughout the day in intervals of 10 minute walks. It can
be as simple as taking a walk to the next station or a short walk
during your lunch time. You can plan your workout in the morning or evening.
How many miles should I walk to lose weight?
If you prefer to count how many miles, this is the approximate number of steps. Try to complete at least 4 to 5 miles per day.
1 mile = 2000 steps
5 miles= 10000 steps
7 miles = 15000 steps
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