Walking 2 Miles a Day: 5 Benefits You Need to Know About

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Walking can be relaxing and therapeutic, a simple way to get around, or even an effortless tool for losing weight because it is effective and not as strenuous as most other physical activities. This makes it a great introductory exercise for those who have decided to take their health more seriously.

Depending on your lifestyle, walking comes almost naturally as we don’t even think about it as an exercise to begin with – it’s an automatic activity we do to go with our everyday routine.

Still, even as little as 2 miles a day could do wonders for your health and serve as the beginning of a positive habit.

But are 2 miles daily enough, and what can you do to increase your mileage one step at a time?

In addition to burning calories, there are several other health benefits of walking 2 miles, like lowering your blood pressure and improving overall heart health. 

Nonetheless, if you make no additional changes in your routine, diet, or step count, 2 miles a day might not bring the significant weight loss results you want in the long run. However, walking faster, wearing a weighted vest, or extending your walks to 3 miles a day or even 4 miles a day could be game-changers in boosting your exercise and calories burned. 

Is It Enough to Walk 2 Miles per Day? 

The answer all depends on what your activity goals are and what you are hoping to get out of these walks. Is this exercise to lose weight, or are you just trying to be active?

Daily walks can have lasting impacts over time. In addition to small incremental weight loss, you may notice some changes in your body. If this is something you decided to do to start on a fitness journey, this is a great start.

Researchers suggest that 5 miles a day is the optimal amount for consistent weight loss, given that you stick to the recommended calorie intake of 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 calories for men.

So if you are hoping for increased muscle definition, you may want to push yourself a bit further than 2 miles. 

What Are the Benefits of Walking Regularly? 

Every step counts, so even as little as 2 miles can improve your stamina and make it easier for you to increase your mileage. Here are some points you should consider when incorporating walking into your everyday routine.

Increases weight loss

It’s a well-known fact that weight loss enthusiasts turn to exercise to shed extra pounds. This is because you burn calories with each step. Walking 2 miles a day burns an average of 100 calories per hour, or 200 calories total. 

When you burn more calories than you consume, you create what is called a calorie deficit. This deficit in calories means there is a bank of calories that can add up to weight loss. This also means you can consume more calories over the course of the week. 

There are about 3,500 calories in one pound of fat. This means weight loss will be fairly slow but healthy if you cut 140 calories to 240 calories per day. You can burn even more calories by walking a bit longer or adding a more strenuous form and action to your exercise, like using ankle weights. 

If you are able to build healthy habits like not eating as many calories while also walking at least 2 miles a day (and increasing the number as you go), then you can lose extra weight as you will burn more fat stored in your body. 

Boosts your mood 

Walking 2 miles a day might not necessarily bring about visible changes to your belly fat, but walking, in general, is proven to be a great mood booster. Many people turn to walking as a meditative exercise or to reduce stress. 

Walking outside can bring even more benefits to your mental health. The sun and fresh air you get by making your walking route outside can also help curb seasonal affective disorder. 

Improves digestion 

Another reason walking regularly is great exercise is it can enhance your gut health and improves digestion. By increasing your activity and keeping to a schedule, food can move more quickly through your body. 

As a result, increasing your metabolism and digestion can have great benefits for your digestive tract. Healthy eating habits, like a diet with plenty of fiber and whole grains, will benefit your digestive system even further. 

Reduces blood pressure and health risks 

Even light exercise such as walking can help lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular fitness as it gets your blood pumping and your heart muscle working a bit harder.

By lowering your blood pressure, walking also reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, walking every day can help reduce your risk of stroke and even lower your chances of developing certain types of cancer.

In order to get the most out of these disease control benefits, you should try to turn your normal walk into a fitness stride. This involves brisk walking and having a better posture. If you walk taller with a bend in your elbow, you will get the best results.

Increases cognitive performance 

Aside from being a great mood booster, there is evidence that walking every day can increase your cognitive performance. There are some studies that link walking regularly to a lowered risk of dementia and other cognitive impairments. 

It’s clear that even light exercise could bring some advantages to the table, but what if you’re ready to increase the distance and gain even better results?

How to Prepare for a Long Walk?

Once you have committed to walking 2 miles a day, the next step is taking the steps to get ready for the exercise itself. It is important that you walk with intention and improved posture when you start to take walking seriously.

Your phone has useful tools like the step counter, and you can even use a walking calorie counter. The most important walking gear, however, is your walking shoes. There are all sorts of directions you can go when choosing your footwear. 

You can find great online resources to help you find the right shoes and even guide you on all aspects of walking. There are even sites that can give you one-on-one advice in order to shape you into a great walker.

Walking.Diet is one great tool you can use if you are looking to start out on this walking journey. This program does way more than help you find the right walking shoes, though. Walking.Diet offers personalized walking training plans that even include warm-up and cool-down routines.

The app offers a personalized journey with the help of a private email consultation with a personal trainer or nutritionist. There are also recipes that are customized to a variety of diets, whether you want to make sure you can keep it keto or get enough protein on a plant-based diet.

Conclusion

Sometimes, getting your body in shape, or even trying to retain muscle mass, can feel like a full-time job. It does not have to be that hard. In fact, it can start with small gradual steps. If the concept of fitness and health overwhelms you, just start walking.

You will burn fat and will definitely be doing your body a favor. It has so many benefits you will likely be motivated to push yourself even further. But for now, whether it is walking briskly or casually, just put one foot in front of the other and know you are making your body and mind happy.

In case you need guidance, remember that there are plenty of great tools that could ease your journey into fitness.