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Article Walking 10,000 Steps Per Day for Weight Loss

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Losing weight can be difficult for anyone – you have to get your head in the right place and you have to be mentally ready for it. But for new mums, it can be even more difficult – suddenly, you have to look after a whole new person, your house and your family. This can make losing weight fall right back on the list of your priorities, but luckily, there is one thing you can do to lose weight that’s easy, free and you can do it with your baby. All you have to do is walk – 10,000 steps per day.

The average person walks between 900 and 3,000 steps per day – so you might think that getting up to 10,000 steps per day is a bit of a challenge. However, you can do it – you just need a pedometer so you can track your steps.

How much weight could I lose?

Walking 10,000 steps every day will burn off roughly 3,500 extra calories per week. And burning off 3,500 calories per week burns off half 500g of fat – so combine your walking routine with a healthy and sensible diet and you can easily lose between 500g – 1kg a week. This weight loss is healthy, sustainable and easy – and it will help you to maintain your weight in the long term.

Generally, you need to create a calorie deficit of up to 700-800 calories per day – this will make your weight loss even more sustainable. So if you eat 2,000 calories per day, reduce your intake to around 1,700 or 1,800 – this calorie deficit probably won’t even be noticeable, but in conjunction with the 500 calories you’ll be burning off every day through walking, it’s an excellent way to melt away the weight.

Why is walking good for me?

Walking is good for you in other ways, too, aside from helping you to lose weight – it helps reduce the risk of obesity, and with it, the risk of heart disease and liver disease. Walking regularly also halves your risk of certain diseases and cancers, and it also helps you to feel fit and healthy – and the endorphins it releases will make you feel happier, too!

Walking also improves your energy levels – the more you walk, surprisingly, the more energetic you’ll feel. It also improves your posture.

How quickly should I walk?

Research has shown that if you walk your 10,000 steps in a brisk half hour or hour, it is better for you than if you take those steps leisurely instead. A brisk walk gets your cardiovascular system working, which reduces the risk of heart disease and heart attack – it also reduces the risk of high blood pressure later on in life. Walking briskly also burns more calories, so the faster you walk, the more effective the exercise. However, if you can’t get your steps in just half an hour, that’s fine too – any exercise is much better than none.

How Can I Increase the Number of Steps I Take?

It might seem a scary prospect to increase your steps to 10,000 per day, but there are a few ways to do it at home with your baby.

  • Put your baby into a pram and pound the pavements – and the hills, as you’ll burn off twice as many calories if you walk up a big hill. The pram also creates resistance, making the exercise more effective.
  • Hold baby tightly in your arms or put them in a sling and have a boogie around the house!
  • You’ve got floor space – so use it! When your baby is napping, run up and down the stairs, do laps around your living room or run round the garden.
  • Use your spare time. You might not think you have any spare time, but take periods such as television commercials as an opportunity to exercise – jog on the spot or run round your house and you can really increase your step count for the day in just a few minutes.

If you’re new to exercise, speak to your doctor or midwife before starting.

This article first appeared on Mouths Of Mums.

Planning on walking more this year? Share your goals below!

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Comments

  • I use to do well over 10,000 steps every day but then life got challenging and got away from me. I have this year been prioritising my health again and have been making a big effort to ensure i do 10,000 most days. There are still days where this is too hard to achieve as i have a desk job but i try my hardest. I have been known to do laps around my kitchen to get my steps up and i always feel so good after i do it.

  • I came back to re read this article and really love the breakdown of how much walking is needed to burn off x amount of calories. I have now printed this article off and popped it on my whiteboard as daily inspiration/motivation to pop the runners on and go for a walk 🥰

  • 10 000 steps a day will only lead to weight loss if your are obese. If you are at a healthy weight, 10 000 steps a day is only enough to maintain the weight loss

  • It’s amazing how easy it can be to rack up those steps too! Sometimes just going about your day, if you have chores and things to do, you can complete them in no time. The important thing is to not remain sedentary for too long. Get up off the couch! It helps to have a fitness tracker too.

  • I always feel so so much better when I actively include walking into my routine. I am lucky enough that I am only a 15 minute drive from a beautiful beachside track that has a 10,000 step walking track right along the water. Walking with he view and meeting pups along the way makes the task a lot less daunting and enjoyable.

  • Losing weight is not the only hard part. Keeping it off if you do manage to lose it is also tough

  • I try and walk about an hour each day and find that it helps with my energy levels. I find that it also increases my appetite so although I do feel better I find that I am not losing weight probably because my calorie intake is too high. I do enjoy walking.

  • Moving the body everyday is such a great way to keep active and stay healthy. It’s free to do and every step helps. Luckily i have an automatic step counter on my phone that tracks how well i do when im out and about, interesting to see how many steps i take without even realising!

  • I think the 10,000 steps per day is a great initiative for us all to take on and most people seem t
    o know about it. My watch really makes me aware of how easy it is to be slack and not notice how little I am doing. It’s a great goal to set.

  • I think walking for weight loss is only effective if you are considerably overweight. Once you’re at your goal weight, walking can help maintain it

  • When I was in my 20’s I would walk too and from work each day (around 3 hours per day) as well as a walk around the river in my lunch break. I loved it! Such a great way to get fresh air, sunshine and see what is happening around your neighbourhood.

  • I do about an hour of walking each day but I have no idea how many steps that is. I love that it is gentle exercise that I can maintain without pushing my body too hard and causing joint or muscle problems. Getting fresh air and vitamin D is another benefit.

  • I love walking. You can go on a nice nature hike, walk along the coast, or even around the local oval or streets when you’re short of time. It’s a free and easy way to move the body and boost the endorphins. I also love going for walks with friends for a social catch up- a great way to do two things at once, and when you’re chatting away you often don’t even realise your exercising.

  • I have struggled with my weight since childhood and as soon with PCOS I have found that hardcore vigorous exercise routines just stress my nervous system out even more. I have found that walking is what makes me feel good and helps me shift the weight a bit. Nothing beats a nice brisk walk along the water with the pups for body and mind.

  • I struggled to lose weight for years. Then I was evicted and the stress of finding a place to live….I dropped 17kg without trying, without realising. Now, although I’m exercising daily (which includes 10 000 steps) I’m gaining weight. I dont know how I lost it and now I don’t know how I’m putting it back on

  • Walking is definitely easy, free and a great way to get the body moving. Ive made it a mission this year to focus more on health and do little things like this that can help my health journey and keep me as active as i can with the limitations of work and family

  • Walking is such a great activity for so many reasons. It gets you out of the house, getting your vitamin D and helps with your mental health as well. I find the true secret to losing weight is to reduce your food intake mostly. I lost 30 Kgs with fasting for half the day and it was quite easy actually.

  • I find walking clears my mind and changes my mood especially out in the fresh air listening to my favourite songs. I just blank out bad vibes and focus more on gratitude and my surroundings. Walking gives me comfort in knowing that this present time I am healthy enough to take in all the wonderful and memorable experiences I have shared.

  • It’s amazing the difference that exercise makes. I generally like to get in about 30,000 steps per day at least 3 days in the week. I see 20,000 as being more of an average, but I never do less than 10,000. It makes a huge difference in health. I rarely get sick and I find it easy to maintain my weight.

  • I don’t love the wording of this article!
    “You have to look after a whole new person, your house and your family” and exercise?! Come on. You don’t have to do any of those things except keep the baby and yourself alive! Moving is great. When you’re ready. When you have more energy than it takes for a shower, you’ve sleep 7 nights in a row and you feel like fresh air.

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