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Walking 5 Miles a Day: 5 Benefits You Need to Know About
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Here we discuss the physical and mental health benefits of walking and how it may be an effective method to reach your weight loss goals.
Many people view walking as a gentle exercise that is unlikely to impact weight loss significantly.
We’re here to tell you that walking is an excellent fitness tool for young and older adults. Whether you want to shed pounds or strengthen your leg muscles, walking a few miles can improve your overall health.
If you want to embark upon a regular exercise routine as part of a weight loss program, walking 5 miles a day can help you shift stubborn fat, improve heart health, and promote good mental health.
In this article, we look at the effectiveness of walking 5 miles daily for weight loss and the positive effects that walking brings.
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How Long Does It Take to Walk 5 Miles?
It can take anywhere from about an hour to one hour and fifteen minutes for a healthy adult to walk 5 miles.
According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), a person with reasonable fitness can walk one mile in approximately 15 minutes (4 miles per hour) at an average walking pace.
The BHF also states that the average walking speed on country footpaths is 20 minutes per mile, which equals 3 miles per hour.
A person may cover one mile in 12 minutes (5 miles per hour) with a brisk walk.
Of course, everybody walks at a different pace, so the time it takes to walk 5 miles differs from person to person.
The primary factors that impact your walking include your stride length (the distance between steps), height, legs, fitness level, and the surface you’re covering.
Whether you’re a beginner or a walking expert, the Walking.Diet program can assist you in your fitness journey with a customized walking routine. It includes warm-up and cool-down exercises, plenty of recipes, and educational content regarding food and nutrition to help you reach your ideal body weight.
How Many Miles to Walk to Lose Weight?
If you start walking five miles every day, you can soon lose extra weight and reap all the benefits of this great exercise.
Losing weight depends on how many calories you burn when walking. The number of calories burned by walking depends on distance, speed, and your current weight.
Per the CDC, a healthy weight loss goal is to lose one or two pounds of fat per week. To lose one pound a week, you need to burn approximately 500 calories a day.
The average person walking 5 miles a day will reach a calorie burn of 350–600 calories.
Remember, walking at a faster pace will help you burn more calories.
Calories Burned Walking 5 Miles
According to some statistics, a 155-pound individual walking at 4 miles per hour can burn 175 calories in 30 minutes.
A 185-pound individual walking at the same pace can burn approximately 189 calories in 30 minutes.
A person weighing 155 pounds can burn up to 350 calories an hour, covering a 4-mile distance based on the above data. In 5 miles, they could burn approximately 438 calories.
Walking 5 Miles a Day: 5 Positive Effects
Longer walks bring plenty of health benefits. It’s an essential exercise regardless of whether you want to shed pounds or reach your fitness goals. Here are 5 advantages of walking:
#1 Helps reduce stress
Walking every day can reduce stress and anxiety, as physical activity may increase endorphins in the brain.
Any form of exercise can contribute to better mental wellness. Walking, simply getting outside in the fresh air, can bring stress relief and improve your mood, even with shorter walks.
#2 Effective calorie burn
Walking is highly effective for calorie burn. Burning calories is essential for weight loss as you need to create a calorie deficit to drop fat.
A brisk pace burns more calories than strolling. Taking a long walk will also promote calorie burning, as the greater the distance, the more you burn.
#3 Improves heart health
Walking gets your heart rate going, improving your overall heart health.
According to the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of walking per week at a lively pace decreases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Other benefits include improved blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
#4 Increased energy levels
Exercise provides you with an energy boost as it increases oxygen flow throughout the body when your breathing increases.
It also boosts hormone levels in the body that make you feel energized. Regular walks can produce a great feeling.
#5 Good for joints
Walking keeps your body moving. Therefore your joints remain active, alleviating stiffness and joint pain. You can experience hand swelling, but this is nothing to worry about.
It’s a fantastic low-impact exercise for those with arthritis.
A Word From Coach
Walking 5 miles a day is a fantastic exercise program if you want to lose weight and improve your general health without home workouts.
It’s a popular exercise because it is incredibly accessible. 5 miles a day might seem like a big commitment as it’s time-consuming, but the great thing about walking is you can easily incorporate it into your everyday life.
You don’t need to spend your entire day walking. You can spread it out, whether heading to work on foot in the morning or getting out for a short walk on your lunch break.
Your step count will quickly add up over the week, reducing your risk of certain health conditions. Plus, as your fitness level improves, walking will feel easier too and you may even reach 8 miles a day effortlessly.
If fat loss is your goal, combine your new walking regime with a reduced-calorie intake to make a calorie deficit, where you burn more calories than you take in. Focus on whole foods and whole grains and cut out highly processed foods.
If you’re new to exercise, you can always discuss your weight loss goals with a fitness expert, such as a personal trainer. A registered dietitian can also create a diet plan for you to achieve weight loss.
The Bottom Line
Walking 5 miles a day could be the perfect exercise program to reach your desired weight. Aside from reducing your waistline, you’ll also gain better cardiovascular health and a greater sense of wellbeing.
If you’re not familiar with physical activity, talk to your doctor before taking long daily walks.
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