If you’re looking for a simple, low-cost way to lose weight and improve your health, walking is an excellent place to start. For many, the idea of losing weight can feel overwhelming, especially when juggling a busy schedule, family responsibilities, and the emotional weight of life’s challenges. But walking provides an accessible and effective solution that can fit seamlessly into your day.
Why Walking Works for Weight Loss
Walking is a low-impact activity that engages multiple muscle groups, burns calories, and boosts your mood. Unlike high-intensity workouts, walking doesn’t require expensive equipment, gym memberships, or a steep learning curve. It’s a natural movement your body is designed for, making it sustainable for the long term.
Walking also offers mental health benefits, including reducing stress, improving mood, and helping manage symptoms of depression. For Black women navigating challenges like chronic low mood, life transitions, or caregiving stress, incorporating walking into your routine can be both healing and empowering.
But how many steps do you need to take daily to see weight loss results? Let’s break it down.
The Magic Number: 10,000 Steps?
The idea of walking 10,000 steps daily has become a popular fitness goal, but does it really lead to weight loss? While 10,000 steps can be a helpful benchmark, the optimal number varies depending on factors like your current weight, fitness level, and diet.
On average, walking 10,000 steps burns around 300-500 calories, depending on your pace and body weight. For weight loss, besides clean nutrition so your elimination organs are working optimally and your metabolism is also optimized nutritionally, walking is helpful in creating a calorie deficit—burning more calories than you consume. Adding 10,000 steps to your daily routine can contribute to this deficit, but even smaller step goals can yield results over time.
If 10,000 steps feels daunting, don’t stress! Start with a manageable goal and gradually increase your step count. Research suggests that walking as little as 7,500 steps per day still offers significant health benefits, including weight management.
How to Calculate Your Step Goal for Weight Loss
- Determine Your Baseline: Use a fitness tracker or smartphone app to measure your current daily steps. If you’re averaging 3,000 steps, aim to add 1,000-2,000 more steps per day.
- Set Incremental Goals: Gradually increase your step count over weeks or months. Jumping from 3,000 to 10,000 steps overnight can feel overwhelming and may lead to burnout.
- Balance with Diet: Remember, weight loss isn’t just about movement. Pairing your walking routine with a whole food plant based diet will amplify your results.
Hormonal Changes and Exercise
Hormonal changes significantly affect women’s physical and mental health. Did you know the average woman experiences nine straight years of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) over her lifetime? That’s nine years of navigating mood swings, cravings, and pain—a reality I describe as purgatory stemming from Eve’s great fall in the book of Genesis.
For 14% of women who suffer from PMS, the symptoms are severe enough to cause missed work or school. Craving carbs during PMS is a normal part of this phase because the body seeks nutrients to meet its high metabolic demands. Since all plant foods are carbohydrates, this is your body’s way of asking for high-fiber, nutrient-rich foods to support it during this time.
Aerobic exercise, such as walking, can alleviate PMS symptoms. It fine-tunes the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which helps the body manage stress more effectively. For women, especially those in demanding life phases like pursuing higher education, running a business, or balancing multiple responsibilities, exercise can be a game-changer.
Exercising during PMS may feel like a challenge, but it’s an addiction worth cultivating. The key is to make it enjoyable and accessible. Budget-friendly options, like walking outdoors or in local parks, ensure that anyone can participate.
In my family, PMS is a common struggle. My mother experienced severe symptoms, and now I do too. As I age, I’ve noticed my symptoms intensifying, making it essential to prioritize my hormonal health. While adopting a raw foods diet has dramatically reduced my PMS symptoms, I’m not fully committed to being 100% raw at this time. However, I’ve found that focusing on raw foods during the follicular and ovulation phases helps significantly. For years, integrating exercise into my routine has been my go-to solution.
Tips to Increase Your Step Count
Incorporating more steps into your day doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Here are some practical ways to make walking a natural part of your routine:
- Take Walking Breaks: Use your lunch break or coffee break to take a short walk around your neighborhood or office.
- Park Farther Away: Choose parking spots that require a bit more walking to reach your destination.
- Walk While You Talk: Take phone calls or virtual meetings on the move. If you’re catching up with a friend, suggest a walking chat instead of sitting down.
- Set Reminders: Use alarms or app notifications to remind yourself to get up and walk every hour, especially if you work at a desk.
- Invest in a Pedometer or Fitness Tracker: Seeing your step count throughout the day can motivate you to move more.
How to Maximize Weight Loss While Walking
Once walking becomes a consistent part of your routine, you can enhance its weight loss benefits by adding these strategies:
- Increase Your Speed: Walking at a brisk pace (around 3-4 mph) burns more calories and strengthens your cardiovascular system.
- Incorporate Intervals: Alternate between a slower pace and a faster, more intense pace during your walk. This interval training approach increases calorie burn and boosts metabolism.
- Add Resistance: Carry light weights or use a weighted vest to engage more muscles and burn additional calories.
- Take Advantage of Inclines: Walk uphill or use stairs to increase intensity and target different muscle groups.
- Stretch Before and After: Stretching improves flexibility, reduces muscle soreness, and helps prevent injury, ensuring you can maintain your walking routine.
Walking and Mental Health: A Dual Benefit
Beyond its physical benefits, walking can have a profound impact on your emotional well-being. Studies show that walking boosts endorphin levels, reduces stress, and combats symptoms of depression. For Black women facing unique stressors, walking can serve as a powerful form of self-care.
To make your walks more enjoyable and therapeutic:
- Walk in Nature: Spend time in parks or green spaces to enhance feelings of relaxation and connection.
- Listen to Music or Podcasts: Choose uplifting playlists or inspiring podcasts to keep you motivated.
- Practice Mindfulness: Focus on your breath, the rhythm of your steps, and the sights and sounds around you. This mindfulness practice can help ground you in the present moment.
Realistic Results: What to Expect
Consistency is key when it comes to weight loss. While walking won’t deliver overnight results, it’s a sustainable way to shed pounds and maintain your progress. Most people can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week by combining regular walking with a high raw vegan diet.
Keep in mind that weight loss isn’t just about the number on the scale. Pay attention to other positive changes, such as:
- Increased energy levels
- Improved mood
- Better sleep quality
- Enhanced endurance and strength
Final Thoughts
Walking for weight loss is more than just a fitness goal—it’s a pathway to greater health, resilience, and self-love. By setting realistic step goals, staying consistent, and embracing the mental health benefits of walking, you can create a healthier, happier life.
For me, walking has become a spiritual practice as well. I’ve started incorporating morning and evening walks with God into my daily routine. This helps me reach my 10,000 steps a day goal, especially during seasons when walking isn’t as naturally integrated into my day-to-day life—like living in Orlando, Florida, where driving is more common than walking. I use a two-and-a-half-mile walking path twice daily to hit my step goal, and I’ve added some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for extra mental health benefits.
Walking and other forms of aerobic exercise can fine-tune the HPA axis, improve energy, and even protect against cognitive decline. Since women are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s than men, these protective effects are crucial. Whether you’re balancing school, work, or family, prioritizing walking and exercise is a practical way to maintain hormonal balance and long-term health. Let’s lace up our sneakers, step outside, and take the first step together.
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