Walking For Weight Loss: Is It Enough?

Whether you're just starting your weight loss journey or you're focusing on weight management, regular physical activity is one of the best ways to support your long-term health. And, if you can, walking is a free and easy way to add more movement into your daily routine.

But how effective is walking for weight loss? Is there a 'right' or 'wrong' way to get your steps in? And is walking enough on its own for better health? Our MedExpress experts are here to help.

Article Summary

• Walking is an effective way to add low-impact exercise into your daily routine. It can support your physical and mental health, and help prevent the onset of some chronic conditions.
• The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, spread over several days. Aim to walk for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
• If you’re building up to this goal, start slowly and listen to your body. Gentle, steady progress is best for long-term success.

Does walking count as exercise?

In short, yes. According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, low impact but dynamic activities like walking can be highly effective at supporting sustainable weight loss. In fact, walking for 30 minutes could burn around 125 calories. [1] So, if you walk for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, you could burn over 32,000 calories within a year. However, the exact number of calories you could burn depends on several factors, including your age and current fitness level.

Walking is also a great way to build up to more high-impact activities like aerobic exercise and interval training.

How can walking support my health?

Walking regularly can support long-term weight loss and weight management when combined with diet, as it creates a sustainable calorie deficit without high injury risk. However, it has several other benefits which can improve our overall wellbeing:

Prevents chronic conditions: Walking regularly improves fitness. This can prevent the onset of conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. [2]

Promotes long-term strength and mobility: Walking is a great way to exercise at any age. But as we get older, taking regular walks can help to maintain mobility and functional independence, support joint health and keep our muscles strong. [2]

Improves mental wellbeing: Getting out and about (especially in nature) can help to reduce stress. [2] Over time, it can also reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. [3] Taking regular walks has also been linked to better sleep quality, which is important for both physical and mental wellbeing. [4]

How many steps should I walk each day?

A 2017 study revealed that people in Canada walk an average of 4,819 steps a day. [5] However, anything less than 5,000 steps per day is classed as 'sedentary', meaning ‘limited activity’. [6]

So, how many steps a day should we be aiming for?

You've probably heard that 10,000 steps a day is ideal. While this could be a number to aim for in the long term, it's not realistic for everyone. Various factors, including physical and psychological limitations, work schedules and even environmental factors (like whether or not you live in a walkable neighbourhood) can affect a person's ability to switch from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one.

In fact, a 2025 review suggests that walking 7,000 steps a day can provide almost identical health benefits to reaching 10,000. [7]

If you're wondering how many steps to take each day, it's best to work out what's achievable for you and then build your way up gradually. Slow, steady and sustainable progress is what's best for your body. In other words, try to focus on the quality of your exercise over the quantity.

How to walk for weight loss

As we've seen, it's good to focus on how you're walking, rather than how far.

The walking speed most often recommended is about 90-110 steps per minute, or 4-5 km/hour. [1] So, if you can, aim for a brisk walking pace (in time, you could build up to power walking.)

It's also worth analyzing your form and posture. When walking, try to keep your head and back straight and your shoulders and arms loose and relaxed. Try to engage your core muscles, too. This will help to improve your strength and posture in the long term.

Once you feel ready, you could even try wearing a weighted vest on walks. These vests enhance your walking workout by improving your cardiovascular fitness, building strength and improving bone density. [8] It’s best to start with a light weight, and progress slowly over time. Always be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions and consult a doctor if you have any joint or back issues. As with any exercise equipment, misuse may lead to strains or falls.

And, most importantly, listen to your body. How is it responding to the exercise? Remember that it's better to walk for shorter distances every day, than to walk for a longer distance once a week. This will help your body to build up strength, and enable you to walk further for longer over time.

Walking for weight loss: top tips

Monitor your progress: Wearable devices like a step counter can help you keep track of your progress. Most smartphones feature built-in pedometers, making it easy to monitor your health on the go.

Set specific and realistic goals: The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend adults aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, spread over several days. [9] Begin by focusing on your goal and start slowly (it could be as little as 10-15 minutes of walking a day.) Build up to your goal gradually, over a few weeks or months. What matters is that you know what success looks like to you.

Share your goals: If you feel comfortable sharing your fitness journey with others, support can make a real difference to your motivation levels. Try meeting up for walks with a friend, or join a walking club to keep your goals on track.

Make it part of your routine: Small swaps can lead to big wins. If you can, take the stairs instead of the escalator. Or, if you can use public transport, alight a few stops before yours and walk the rest of the way.

Is walking enough for weight loss?

Walking can be hugely beneficial for your health. However, it's helpful to think of weight loss and weight management as a jigsaw. While low-impact exercise like walking is an important piece of the jigsaw, it forms part of a much bigger picture.

Complement your physical activity with a balanced dietary intake, 6-8 glasses of fluids a day and around 7-9 hours of sleep each night. [10]

And, where possible, try to integrate different types of physical activity into your routine. Weight-bearing exercises are great for building muscle mass while losing weight. When you feel ready to try a more high-intensity workout, aerobic exercise classes can be a fun way to get moving with friends. Exercising in speed intervals (short bursts of high-intensity physical activity, followed by low-intensity recovery periods) can also be an effective way to work out if you have limited time.

However, any form of exercise that raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster counts. This could include things that are already part of your daily routine, like household chores.

If you're exploring your options for weight loss treatment, we're here to help. Find out what treatment is suitable for you with MedExpress.

References

1. Government of Canada CC for OH and S. Walking - Still Our Best Medicine : OSH Answers [Internet]. www.ccohs.ca. 2020. Available from: https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/walking.html
2. Government of Canada. A Common Vision for increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary living in Canada: Let’s Get Moving - Canada.ca [Internet]. Canada.ca. 2018. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/lets-get-moving.html
3. Xu Z, Zheng X, Ding H, Zhang D, Peter Man-Hin Cheung, Yang Z, et al. The Effect of Walking on Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. 2024 Jul 23;10:e48355–5.
4. Sullivan Bisson AN, Robinson SA, Lachman ME. Walk to a better night of sleep: testing the relationship between physical activity and sleep. Sleep Health. 2019 Oct;5(5):487–94.
5. Average Steps Per Day by Age, Gender, Occupation, and Country [Internet]. Healthline. 2018. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/average-steps-per-day#country
6. Tudor-Locke C, Craig CL, Brown WJ, Clemes SA, De Cocker K, Giles-Corti B, et al. How Many steps/day Are enough? for Adults. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity [Internet]. 2011 Jul 28;8(1):79. Available from: https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5868-8-79
7. Ding D, Nguyen B, Nau T, Luo M, del Pozo Cruz B, Dempsey PC, et al. Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. The Lancet Public Health [Internet]. 2025 Jul;10(8). Available from: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(25)00164-1/fulltext
8. Golen T. What are the benefits of walking with a weighted vest? - Harvard Health [Internet]. Harvard Health. 2025. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/what-are-the-benefits-of-walking-with-a-weighted-vest
9. Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults Aged 18-64 years: an Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep [Internet]. 24 Hour Movement Guidelines. 2021. Available from: https://csepguidelines.ca/guidelines/adults-18-64/
10. Government of Canada SC. Catching zzz’s on World Sleep Day [Internet]. www.statcan.gc.ca. 2024. Available from: https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/5786-catching-zzzs-world-sleep-day