With a Master of Science in Dietetics and Exercise Science, 11 years of experience in fitness, and 5 years in nutrition, Hollee Mohni is a professional dedicated to improving individuals' health and confidence through sustainable habits.
For health enthusiasts, weight-watchers, and anyone with a liking for fitness, walking 10 miles a day is one habit that has gained increasing popularity in recent years. If anything else, the rise in popularity of pedometers, and a variety of step calculator apps are proof that walking has emerged as a popular option for the masses. Not only does walking 10 miles a day result in the burning of calories, but it also boasts of several key benefits like weight loss, cardiovascular improvement, and psychological well-being. If you’re considering embarking on a walking journey, it’s essential to be updated about the benefits of this easy, low-intensity exercise. Remember, consistency is vital when it comes to achieving long-term benefits. Here’s everything you need to know about walking 10 miles a day: from the results you should expect, hacks to achieve that double-digit route, as well as the diet needed to keep you motivated toward your goal. That said, have you put on your walking shoes yet?
Generally, walking is considered an excellent way to stay fit and active. Usually available as a free option, walking is much cheaper than other alternatives like purchasing expensive gym memberships, and difficult-to-work-with equipment. Considering as little as a 30-minute walk a day can significantly contribute to better overall physiology, walking 10 miles a day only increases the benefits exponentially.
A research study published by the National Library of Medicine in 2019 states that, “Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States,” whereas “walking may be a way to help adults with CVD prevention and management.” (15)
Walking can help reduce lower back pain and is often prescribed for those individuals who experience chronic low back pain. (11)
Even when it comes to Type 2 diabetes, walking has proved to be an essential exercise that helps in long-term prevention and maintenance. (8)
A reduced body fat and strengthened bones are also some other prominent benefits of walking regularly. (5)
Apart from the physical benefits of walking 10 miles a day, the psychological impact is also remarkable.
Walking every day, especially among nature, is said to help with improving your mental well-being, increase your ability to tackle stress, and lower your cortisol levels assuredly. (7)
The NIH (National Institute of Health) has recently presented a paper that acknowledges walking as the most important factor in the prevention of strokes and mental illnesses. Their results present that while stress and improper sleep negatively impact mental health, adopting a habit of walking can help in the reduction of both mental and physical ailments. Additionally, the paper also noted that a 90-day walking program created a positive outcome on the health of individuals.(14)
Although the benefits of walking are apparent, especially at a distance of 10 miles a day, this routine exercise’s benefits are dependent on a variety of factors like :
Age
Current weight
Fitness levels
Sex
Terrain
Speed of walk
Incline of walk
A frequently searched question is the number of calories burned walking 10 miles. The answer depends on a variety of influencing factors, primary of which are age, weight, walking pace, terrain, sex, and fitness levels. First, we must be able to determine what the typical walking pace of a person is. The walking pace of an individual is the speed with which he or she walks when not attempting to catch up with someone else. It is the natural speed a person falls into when they’re walking their dog or going to the grocery store.
When it comes to determinants in terms of calories burned walking 10 miles, the more you weigh, the more effort your body has to make to propel you forward, which ultimately will increase the amount of calories you burn. The fitter you are, the less your body has to work to get you through a 10-mile walk and the fewer calories you’ll burn. Age also plays a significant role in your fitness levels, in turn impacting your average walking speed and the calories burned walking 10 miles every day.
Betterme will keep you laser-focused on your weight loss journey! Nutrient-packed meal plans, fat-blasting workouts, galvanizing challenges and much more. Try using the app and see for yourself!
When it comes to how speed and terrain impact calories burned from walking 10 miles, the answer is quite straightforward. When you end up walking faster, your heart has to work harder to pump oxygen throughout the body, which in turn, burns more calories. Walking a mile in 15 minutes versus 19 minutes can increase calorie burn significantly over a 10-mile distance. Similarly, the more challenging the terrain, the more calories burned in the end. Simply put, walking 10 miles on a flat surface is comparatively easier than hiking 10 miles. Walking at a 5 percent incline, in fact, burns as many as five extra calories per minute, which over the course of 10 miles could amount to an increase of as much as 750 calories burned.
The Harvard Health Publication provides an easy metric to assess the calories burned from walking. It found that the average 155-pound person will burn about 300 calories per hour walking at a pace of 3.5 miles per hour (about a 17-minute mile). At a pace of 4 miles per hour, that same person will burn closer to 340 calories in 60 minutes, and at an even faster pace of 4.5 miles per hour, he or she can expect to expend about 370 calories each hour.
That’s about 820 to 850 calories over 10 miles. If you weigh more or less, the number will vary slightly. (2) (6) According to a study published in the American College of Sports Medicine, a good rule of thumb is that a 180-pound person will burn about 100 calories when walking a single mile whereas a 120-pound person will burn 65 calories walking the same distance. (3)
With CaloriesBurnedHQ’s calculator, it is estimated that the calories burned by walking 10 miles at 2mph burns 650 to 1,200 calories. The average time taken for this feat is 3 hours and 20 minutes. A person weighing 130 lbs burns 700 calories walking 10 miles at normal pace. A person weighing 200 lbs burns 1,100 calories walking 10 miles at the same speed. The study additionally argues that walking 10 miles 3 times a week will burn anything in the range of 2,100 to 3,600 calories.
If no change in diet is recorded simultaneously, the calories burned by walking 10 miles translates to 0.5 to 1lb fat loss per week. (1) Overall, you can expect to burn 700–1,200 calories when walking 10 miles a day, depending on the above-mentioned factors. (13) If you manage to walk 10 miles a day for 30 days, the calories burned would be a whopping 21,000 to 36,000 calories!
One of the most important factors to consider while walking 10 miles a day is the distance and the time required to complete the task. If general calculations are to be considered, 10 miles is equal to approximately 16 kilometers in distance, and on average comes up to approximately 22,000 steps. For beginners that might seem like a huge task, however, there are a few hacks to being able to walk 10 miles a day.
Some of the best advice for walking 10 miles includes
Building up your distance over time
Breaking up your walking time
Read more: The 28-Day Indoor Walking Weight Loss Challenge Explained
A good starting point would be to build your walking distance over time, where you begin with a distance that is comfortable for you initially. This can be just a single mile. After you continue walking that distance every day for the first week, you add another mile from the second week. For example, if you find that 3 miles is challenging at the beginning, walk 3 miles per day for a week, and then bump it up to 4 miles per day the following week. This increase can even be 0.5 miles if that’s the pace you’re more comfortable with. Feel free to play around with the increments. If you’re feeling strong, adding 1.5 miles or more may be an appropriate challenge. Additionally, taking a day or two non-consecutive days off during your routine per week is a good strategy to avoid any overtraining or overuse injuries.
Breaking up your 10-mile walking routine is another useful hack in being able to complete the task. Especially because we, as adults, are usually so busy with our work, social lives, and families that finding extended time to walk 10 miles a day can be tough. In fact, a study in the National Library of Medicine even suggests that intermittent walking i.e. breaking up longer walks into doable shorter ones, is an effective way to lose weight. ( 12)
If the aforementioned calculations are to be considered, walking 10 miles a day results in anywhere between 700 to 1,200 calories. Although walking 10 miles a day can give you great results, there is no fixed distance of walking that stimulates weight loss. The best way to reap the benefits of walking 10 miles a day would be to accompany it with a sound, customized dietary plan as well as adequate rest.
When it comes to dietary accompaniments to walking 10 miles a day, it is traditionally argued that:
To lose 1 pound (0.45 kg)= Burning 3,500 calories
For example, if you want to lose 1 pound per week, you need to accumulate a 3,500 calorie deficit through burning calories in exercise and eating fewer calories during that week. (9) A more recent study published in the National Library of Medicine projects that although the 3500-calorie count might be an oversimplification in terms of numbers, the rate of metabolic processes change over the course of the weight loss journey, as the body adapts hormonally and neurologically. (10) Thus, if walking 10 miles a day becomes a consistent part of your daily routine, chances are the weight loss you’re expecting is not going to be that consistent.
Tip: A good hack here would be to increase the distance you’re walking or reduce your daily dietary caloric intake in order to shed more pounds.
BetterMe app will kick you out of the mental funk, shake off your extra weight, rid you off your energy-zapping habits, and help you sculpt the body of your dreams. Intrigued? Hurry up and change your life for the better!
Equally important is getting adequate rest. Lack of sleep is associated with weight gain and obesity, possibly due to more awake time spent consuming food. Poor decision making in waking hours on low sleep is also a factor in weight gain. Research shows that it may be an increase of about 385 calories per day. (4) Over the long term, that could lead to weight gain. The Sleep Foundation recommends sleeping for 7 to 9 hours per night. (8)
The simple answer to whether or not you can burn 1000 calories is yes. If your final goal is to increase the calories burned by walking, a good way to incorporate that would be to increase the distance of your route. Walking faster might not impact the calories burned per mile, but it can help in covering more ground in the same time. If you’re able to dedicate only 15 to 20 minutes a day to walking, then it would be advisable to increase your pace as well.
Additionally, other formats of workouts can also be added to your walking 10-mile-a-day routine.
Using a weighted vest or backpack
Opting for a challenging course/terrain
Hiking or increasing incline levels
Running
Brisk walking
Calisthenics
While running and brisk walking increase calories burned by pushing your heart to pump more blood, hiking 10 miles would do the same as it adds intensity to your workout. Adding hills, stairs, or treadmill incline to your walking workout will also burn more calories and add intensity to your workout. You can also burn more calories walking by using fitness walking poles, which add an upper-body muscular effort to your walking workout. If you are curious about how to start calisthenics, especially during your walks, one way would be to introduce walking lunges where instead of bringing your feet back together, you take another lunging step forwards. You can even increase the intensity and do these as jump lunges for more of a challenge. To increase the burn one can utilize a weighted vest or backpack. Another calisthenics leg workout you could include on your walking route is to opt for a challenging course that allows you to perform exercises like box jumps, broad jumps, and step-ups. However, it would be best to do some form of warm up before taking the plunge, instead of going at it unprepared.
If you’re looking to burn north of 1000 calories while walking 10 miles a day, a few tips to consider would be:
Start practically: Begin with a distance you’re comfortable with and build it up from there. This could be 1 mile every day till you reach 10 miles a day in 10 weeks.
Doing a warm-up: Getting your hips warmed up sufficiently before going on long walks is imperative to ensure injury prevention. You can do this by performing a few hip mobility exercises, especially if you’re walking uphill or in very cold weather.
Breaking up your routine: If dedicating several hours to complete your 10-mile goal seems like too much, it is advisable to break the distance into shorter distances and time-frames in a way that works best with your routine. Overburdening yourself will only lead to reduced motivation over time.
Scheduling time off: It is also equally important to take enough rest and get a good sleep in order to maintain the practice of walking 10 miles a day.
Wearing comfortable and supportive walking shoes: The repetitive nature of walking can be detrimental to the health of your feet, ankles, knees, and hips if you do not have the right level of support. Consider getting a pair of comfortable walking shoes with an insert that gives you arch support based on your needs.
Walking amidst nature if possible: The health benefits of walking outside are unmeasurable. It also has restorative qualities and leads to overall improvement of mental health. (7) It’s a good idea to find pleasant outdoor locations that make your walks more enjoyable, and in the long term, easier to keep you committed.
Finding softer surfaces for walking: When starting out, it is ideal to find a softer, more forgiving surface to ensure lesser impact on your body. The impact of walking on pavement, concrete, or other hard surfaces is much higher than walking on trails, grass, or rubberized track surfaces.
Eat before or after walking to lose weight: While many prefer to snack before embarking on a 10-mile walk, others can end up feeling hungrier at the end of the walk. To prevent you from feeling dizzy or low on energy on your 10-mile walk, eating a carbohydrate-based snack could be a win. Overall, it would be best to consider the opinion of a nutritionist or an experienced professional for the kind of diet needed for the perfect recipe for weight loss.
Read more: Walking Treadmill Workout: Exploring the 12-3-30 Routine for Fitness Advancement
Yes, overall walking 10 miles a day has proven to have mostly positive outcomes. Not only is walking advised to patients for a variety of illnesses, it is also generally a great way to stay active. Apart from that, walking 10 miles a day can help you deal with stress in a better way, allow you to lose weight more effectively, and better increase your endurance levels.
However, despite the benefits of walking 10 miles a day, it is always recommended to consult your doctor or physicians before undertaking the journey. For those who suffer from knee, mobility, and other health-related illnesses, this step is absolutely crucial to prevent any further damage.
There is no definite distance that can guarantee weight loss however 10 miles a day is a good starting point. While research exists to show that our bodies adapt to the exercises undertaken, it would be best to increase your walking route gradually to stimulate weight loss. This should be accompanied by necessary changes in diet and 7-8 hours of good night’s sleep.
Although it depends on a variety of factors like weight, fitness levels, age, and more, walking 10 miles a day is estimated to help lose somewhere from 600 and 700 calories to about 1200 calories. If we are to consider walking 10 miles a day for 30 days, the result of the calories burned could range anywhere between 18,000 to 36,000 calories in a month. If we look at the math, that 1 pound of weight loss requires 3500 fewer calories in your diet, then in a month, you can shed anywhere between 5 pounds to 10 pounds.
Walking 10 miles a day is a transformative fitness routine with numerous benefits. Whether you decide to engage in this activity for a month, a year, or even longer, the positive effects are likely to be substantial. Whether your goal is weight loss, better cardiovascular health, or improved mobility, regular walking can help you achieve your desired outcomes. Remember to approach walking and exercise with caution and gradually increase your mileage to prevent injury. Stay consistent, fuel your body with nutritious foods, and enjoy the countless benefits that walking 10 miles a day can bring into your life.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.
You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.
Calories Burned Walking Calculator (2017, caloriesburnedhq.com)
Calories Burned in 30 Minutes of Leisure and Routine Activities (2004, health.harvard.edu)
Compendium of Physical Activities (2011, doi.org)
Does Sleep Restriction Increase Eating in the Absence of Hunger? (2021, doi.org)
Exercise and Bone Health across the Lifespan ( 2017, doi.org)
Exercise and Weight Loss: A Formula for Success ( 2013, Harvard Health)
Health Benefits of Walking in Nature: A Randomized Controlled Study (2018, doi.org)
How Much Sleep Do We Really Need? ( 2020, sleepfoundation.org)
How to Lose Weight Fast: 3 Simple Steps, Based on Science (2018, healthline.com)
Time to Correctly Predict the Amount of Weight Loss with Dieting (2014, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The Effect of 2 Walking Programs on Aerobic Fitness, Body Composition, and Physical Activity in Sedentary Office Employees ( 2019, doi.org)
The Effect of Lumbar Stabilization and Walking Exercises on Chronic Low Back Pain (2019, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Walking 10 Miles a Day: Calories Burned and Weight Loss (2021, healthline.com)
Walking and Activeness: The First Step toward the Prevention of Strokes and Mental Illness (2022, doi.org)
Walking as an Opportunity for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention (2019, doi.org)
Walking for Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review (2020, doi.org)