Walking to lose weight: how brisk, how long, and what to expect

What walking alone really achieves

The honest starting point is the evidence. Richardson and colleagues pooled nine studies, 307 participants in total, in which people used a pedometer to walk more but did not change their diet. The average loss was 1.27 kg over programmes lasting a median of 16 weeks. Small, but real, and growing with the length of the programme.

A broader review by Bravata and colleagues, published in JAMA, found that pedometer users in randomised trials increased their activity by about 2,500 steps a day more than control groups. Their body mass index fell by 0.38 points on average and their systolic blood pressure by 3.8 mmHg. Having a step goal was one of the strongest predictors of success.

These are modest numbers on the scales. They become much more interesting combined with a change in eating. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) position stand found that 150 to 250 minutes a week of moderate activity improves weight loss in studies that combine it with a moderate diet. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adds that regular activity is what helps most to keep lost weight off.

How brisk is brisk enough

Strolling does not do the same job as walking with purpose. The NHS describes a brisk walk as about 3 miles an hour, around 5 km/h, and gives a simple test: you can still talk, but you could not sing the words of a song.

Cadence is another useful marker. A review led by Tudor-Locke concluded that about 100 steps a minute or more is a consistent marker of moderate intensity in adults. You can check it by counting your steps for 15 seconds and multiplying by four: 25 steps or more in 15 seconds puts you in the right zone.

If you have a heart rate monitor, our guide to the zone 2 heart rate gives a range to aim for. Most beginners reach it simply by walking briskly.

How long, and how often

The WHO recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week for all adults. For weight, the ACSM figures suggest aiming towards the upper part of that range, and beyond 250 minutes if walking is your main tool. That sounds like a lot, but it is about 35 minutes a day.

There is no need to do it in one go. The NHS notes that even a brisk 10-minute daily walk counts towards the 150 weekly minutes. Three 10 to 15-minute walks, to the station, at lunch and in the evening, add up as well as one long outing. Our guide to walking meetings shows how to fit some of them into the working day.

A twelve-week walking plan

This plan is an example, to adapt to your starting point. Use the step converter on this page to see what each target represents in distance and time.

1. Weeks 1 to 3: add one 10-minute brisk walk a day to what you already do, five days a week.
2. Weeks 4 to 6: make it 20 minutes, or two 10-minute walks, on five or six days.
3. Weeks 7 to 9: reach 30 minutes a day, including one longer walk of 45 to 60 minutes at the weekend.
4. Weeks 10 to 12: add gentle hills or stairs, or a few faster stretches of one or two minutes inside each walk.

Two strength sessions a week complete the picture. The ACSM notes that strength training does not speed up weight loss, but may increase lean mass and the loss of fat mass. Our guide to toning principles gives a simple structure.

Steps or minutes: which to track

A step count is easy to follow, and the Bravata review suggests that a goal helps. For health, a meta-analysis of 15 cohorts published in 2022 found that the risk of death fell progressively with more steps, levelling off at about 8,000 to 10,000 a day under 60 and about 6,000 to 8,000 from 60 onwards. Our article on 10,000 steps a day explains what that figure is worth.

For weight, minutes of brisk walking are a better guide than total steps, because slow steps around the house use little energy. A practical compromise: count steps for the total, and make sure that a good share of them are brisk.

Making walking work for weight loss

• Pair it with a modest change in eating. Walking alone moves the scales slowly. A small, lasting reduction in what you eat does more, and our guide to calorie needs helps you estimate it.
• Do not reward every walk with food. It is easy to eat back the energy a walk used.
• Measure your waist as well as your weight. Exercise can reduce fat around the waist before the scales show much.
• Protect your feet. Comfortable, supportive shoes matter more than any gadget.

If you have heart disease, diabetes, joint pain or a high body weight, or if you have not been active for a long time, ask your doctor before stepping up your walking. Stop and seek advice if you feel chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness.

Walk with a crew on Never Skip Club

Walking works when it becomes a habit, and habits are easier with company. Create your free account on Never Skip Club, then add two guided strength sessions of 20 or 30 minutes to your walking week, at home or in a hotel room. Invite friends into a crew with a shared rhythm, for example four sessions a week for a month: the ranking rewards regularity, not records, so a beginner can top it. If you want an expert to build your plan around your joints and your diary, find a coach from our network, or sign in to pick up where you left off.