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Home » Lose Weight Safely » Walking 10 Miles a Day: Benefits, Tips, and Walking Shoes – Greatist

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Dude, Vanessa Carlton had it all wrong. Why walk 1,000 miles (which will probably result in you being pretty dead) when walking 10 miles a day can have a ton of health benefits?

Walking is free and has great effects on your physical and mental health. Plus you get to see, and possibly even pet, random peoples doggos! There really is no downside, especially when theres the COVID-19 pandemic going on and you need that change of scenery.

But is 10 miles too much? Do you really get a significant health boost for walking that much? And if so, whats the best way to go about it?

Walking 10 miles a day might sound pretty intimidating. But as the saying goes, no pain, no gain.

When you look at the health benefits, youll probably discover that a good long walk offers more gain than pain for both physical and mental health. Research suggests that walking helps with:

Walking 10 miles a day is a good exercise that you can measure (plus, according to a small study, walking a set distance is often better than a set time when youre trying to lose weight, as its more intense plus, if you know youre exercising only for a set time, its easier to slack off a little).

It gets you a good distance from home, meaning that your brain is engaged by all the new, shiny things its seeing. Plus you can bring a friend and gossip about how your favorite RuPauls Drag Race contestant was totally robbed.

We hear ya. These are the crucial deets.

Well, the straight answer is that it depends on what you weigh. According to Harvard Medical School, you can calculate a rough calorie-burn figure from your weight and the speed of your activity. Depending on your current weight and how fast youre walking (having a larger body and walking faster both burn more), you could probably expect to burn between 500 and 800 calories on a 10-mile jaunt.

Its widely believed that youll burn more calories the faster you walk. So, if you power through those 10 miles, youll have burned off more calories and be home faster to get on with all the other stuff you need to do in your day.

However, if you have a bit of a larger body and walking fast is hard right now? Dont sweat it. Even a slow walk is going to be better than no walk at all!

Lets say that you fancy losing a pound per week off your waistline. Sounds hard, doesnt it?

If you walk 10 miles a day, not so much! To lose a pound of weight per week, women should keep their calorie intake to 1500 per day, and men should stick to 2000 calories a day.

Getting a good amount of exercise can make your job much, much easier. Using our example above, a 10-mile walk can make 500 to 800 calories burn harder than that really mean insult you threw at your co-worker. So, if youre not snacking on food with low nutrients in the meantime, you could totally achieve that pound per week.

If youre following a specific diet or eating plan, just make sure that a dietitian or healthcare professional has recommended it. Theres no point harming yourself by following some faddy diet which makes you feel like crud. Otherwise, youre not going to have the energy for that walk.

As awesome as those health benefits are, theres no denying that 10 miles is a pretty long-ass walk. So, youre going to want to follow some strategies, lest you get despondent and quit before youve even begun.

Theres two main ways to beat the doubts, and prove to yourself that youre going to boss this:

OK, so not everything about walking 10 miles a day is awesome. There are a few drawbacks. And its a good idea to get acquainted with them before you commit to strutting on the sidewalk.

Youve probably already worked this one out, but walking 10 miles a day can take a long-ass time. Its a significant chunk of your day, whether youre doing them all in one go, or breaking them up into shorter walks. You can make them go faster by more intense walking, or make time fly with some favorite tunes, but its still a time-sink.

The American Heart Association recommends activities such as running, swimming, and fast cycling as intense exercise. So, if youre wanting to improve your aerobic fitness or strength, walking is not the droid youre looking for.

They recommend getting 150 minutes of moderate-to-high intensity exercise every week. Going for a gentle amble just isnt going to cut it, even though you will feel improvements in both at first (although at 10 miles, youll likely be walking for *way* longer than 150 minutes).

If intensitys what youre going for, running might be a better fit. Alternatively, add some kind of weight (like ankle weights, which are available online) so you have to work harder on your walks.

Looking to pile on some major gains and look like a passable successor to Arnold Schwarzenegger? You might want to try something else. Walking can be great for weight loss, but it just doesnt have the power to really boost those muscles.

Weight training is probably going to be better for your goals, as the higher-intensity exercise strengthens your muscles much more than a simple stroll. Come with us if you want to lift.

Want those health benefits? Then youve got to walk those 10 miles in a way thatll keep you fit, healthy, and uninjured (as well as motivated, because this is gonna be a lot, and you may be tempted to quit).

Make sure that you:

Want the gains without the pains? You can go a long way toward realizing that dream simply by investing in a good pair of walking shoes before you start out! Itll help protect your feet, ankles, and knees, and generally make those 10 miles much easier to deal with.

We included a little price guide as well prices fluctuate, so:

Some ranges to check out include:

So, youre eagerly looking up your house on a map and seeing where you can walk that covers those 10 precious miles. Thats great! Your body is gonna thank you for it.

But its also important to factor in the time its going to chomp out of your day, the potential boredom of the route, and the risk of injuring your lower body if youre not suitably prepared. Mix it up, be flexible, and prep accordingly.

Just remember not to push yourself too hard. Walking is about taking one step at a time, in every sense. Build yourself up to 10 miles, instead of throwing yourself in at the deep end. And be sure to supplement your efforts with a nutritious diet.

Prepare properly, and the trail will be your territory!

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Walking 10 Miles a Day: Benefits, Tips, and Walking Shoes - Greatist

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Home » Lose Weight Safely » Walking 10 Miles a Day: Benefits, Tips, and Walking Shoes – Greatist