Can I lose weight if my only exercise is walking?

You may be able to lose weight by walking, depending on the duration and intensity of your walking and what your diet includes.

The key to weight loss is burning more calories than you consume. Because 3 500 calories equals about 0,45 kilogram of fat, you need to burn 3 500 calories more than you take in to lose this amount of fatty tissue. So if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you'd lose about 0,45 kilograms  a week. 

If you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn about 150 more calories a day. At that rate, you'd lose about 0,15  more kilograms a week. The more you walk and the quicker your pace, the more calories you'll burn. While any physical activity is good, you'll get the most benefit in terms of weight loss from activity that is moderately intense. So aim to walk about 4,8 kilometres per hour. You can gradually build up to that pace if necessary. 

Once you've lost weight, exercise is even more important as it is what helps keep the weight off, even more so than calorie restriction. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over the long term get regular physical activity. So keep walking, but make sure you also follow a healthy diet. 

 

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