Because it is so easy to do, many people undervalue walking as a means of exercise and weight loss. It turns out, however, that walking is a great way to get in shape, especially for those who are in need of a low-impact way to get in shape.
In this article, I will discuss the benefits of walking 10 miles per day, as well as providing suggestions on how to incorporate a 10 miles daily walk at a regular pace into your lifestyle.
The Benefits of Walking 10 Miles Per Day
Walking is something that we can all do, so there is no learning curve involved in this form of exercise. It is also free of cost and doesn’t require any exercise equipment, apart from a good pair of walking shoes. That makes it easily accessible to everyone.
Walking can be done outdoors and, if you have a treadmill, indoors. That means that it can be done in all weather conditions. Walking is always an activity where you can adjust your intensity simply by speeding up or slowing down.
Walking will burn calories at the rate of 70-100 calories per mile, depending on your weight, age, and the speed of your exercise. That means that a 10 miles walk can get rid of between 700 and 1000 calories.
Walking is a very low-impact form of cardiovascular exercise. It is far less impacting on your ankles, knees, and hips than running. To keep the joint impact of walking as low as possible, try to walk on grass or a dirt track rather than concrete or asphalt.
Walking will improve your cardiovascular fitness. It will get your heart pumping to make it a stronger pump. As a result, you will more effectively be circulating blood flow, to push oxygen and nutrients around your body. Your resting heart rate and blood pressure will come down, as will your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level. This will make you less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease.
Walking for exercise will also increase bone strength, helping to prevent age-related bone loss.
There is also research that shows that regular walking exercise has mental health benefits. Walking is a calming and relaxing activity that has the ability to improve the symptoms of depression and to help calm anxiety and stress. The very act of walking in nature is in itself a calming experience that allows us to slow down and smell the roses.
How Much Weight Can You Lose From Walking 10 Miles Per Day
Assuming that you can lose 800 calories from a 10-mile walk, which is about average, you will churn through a total of 5600 calories in a week if you were to walk for 10 miles a day 7 days per week.
If you walked 5 days a week and had the weekends off, you would burn through 4000 calories over the course of the week.
In order to burn off a single pound of fat, you will need to get rid of approximately 3,500 calories. You will do that in both of the above scenarios. In fact, if you were to walk for 10 miles per day, seven days a week, you would burn off about a pound and a half of stored body fat.
Of course, to lose that weight in reality, you must ensure that you do not replace those burned-off calories with food. That means that you need to be controlling your food intake in order to make that weight loss stick.
How to Walk 10 Miles Per Day
Walking 10 miles per day is a challenge. To cover that 10 miles, or 16 km, will take between 2 and 3 hours. That’s if you are walking at the rate of 15-20 minutes per mile. That takes a decent chunk out of your day. So, how can you get it done?
The first way to achieve your 10 miles per day walking program is to start at a lower rate and then build gradually. For example, you could walk for one mile in the first week and then add an extra mile per week over the next 9 weeks until you achieve 10 miles in the 10th week.
Another strategy is to break up your 10 miles walking routine throughout the course of the day. Research reveals that it is just as effective to break up walks as it is to do the walk in one long session. So, consider breaking your 10 miles walk into 2 or 3 shorter walks of 3 or 4 miles each. You could do one walk first thing in the morning, another at lunchtime and the last one in the evening after your dinner.
What Is Not So Good About Walking 10 Miles Per Day
While there are many benefits to walking 10 miles per day, as stated already in this article, there are a couple of downsides to the activity. The first of them is the time factor. I’ve provided you with a strategy to break up your walk in order to fit it into your day but, even then it is a real challenge to walk for around 3 hours per day, especially if you are a working person or a parent.
If you have got a treadmill in your home, it will make things a little easier in terms of finding the time to get your 10 miles walk in. In general, however, chunking out 3 hours to walk for exercise every day may not be a realistic proposition.
The other problem with walking for exercise is that you are unable to generate the intensity level required to make significant gains in your aerobic fitness and your muscular strength. To make continual improvement in your fitness level you will have to walk faster until you reach the point when you are running.
Conclusion
Walking 10 miles per day will allow you to burn between 700 and 1000 calories while getting fitter and minimizing the risk of heart disease. Do that consistently and you will begin to lose stored body fat and get fitter. This is a good aerobic activity for people who are obese or elderly. For younger people, it may not provide enough intense exercise to make consistent progress in their fitness level. They should seek out more intense exercise options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need special running shoes to walk 10 miles per day?
No, you do not need special running shoes to walk 10 miles per day. So long as you are wearing shoes that are comfortable, have a good level of cushioning and heel support, you will be good to go.
