Walking Threshold for Weight Loss

Often overlooked as a tool for weight control, walking is one of the most effective methods of exercise available.  What often causes confusion is the amount of walking needed for weight loss.

This brilliant review discusses exactly how much walking is needed for weight management.  The usual prescription of 30 minutes of walking a day is shown to have little to no effect on body composition.  However, 45 minutes of walking a day is a sufficient stimulus for a person to lose weight.  At 45 minutes a day, the rate of weight loss wil be slow, roughly 1/2 pound a week or less.  From my earlier post, we know that walking 1 hour each day will lead to a weight loss of about 1 pound a week.

The paper also properly mentions the role of vigorous activity as a component of long-term weight management.  In fact, it states, "a high duration of walking activity and vigorous activity is optimal for weight management."  Walking 45 minutes to an hour each day, along with a couple sessions of high-intensity work each week (sprinting, weightlifting) appears to be a very efficient, logical choice for sensible weight loss.