While the specific number of calories you burn walking varies, if you walk 5 miles every day, you will burn approximately 3,500 calories each week which may result in one pound of weight loss. If you do this consistently, you could achieve your goal of losing 75 pounds in just under 19 months.
One pound of weight loss is achieved with a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories, so you can increase your rate of weight loss by adding additional exercise and changing your diet.
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You must have a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound of body weight. To burn 500 calories, you need to walk approximately 5 miles per day. If you do this every day while eating only the number of calories your body needs to maintain your weight, you will lose approximately one pound per week and achieve your goal of losing 75 pounds in just under 19 months.
Weight Loss Walking Plan
In order to lose one pound, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume. A safe rate of weight loss is one to two pounds per week, advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means that you can aim to lose 75 pounds in 38 to 75 weeks, or 9.5 to 19 months by burning 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day.
The number of calories you burn walking and the number of miles you need to walk each week varies depending on how fast you walk and your current weight. According to Harvard Health Publishing, a 185-pound individual burns 356 calories per hour when walking at a rate of three and a half miles per hour.
If that same person increased the pace to four and a half miles per hour, she would burn 444 calories per hour. So to burn the required 500 calories necessary to lose one pound per week, you need to walk approximately 5 miles per day.
Tip
To estimate the number of calories you burn based on your speed and body weight, use the ExRx.net Exercise Calories Burned Calculator.
Weight Loss Considerations
You may not be able to walk a full 5 miles per day at first. Challenge yourself, but don't push too hard or you risk injury. If you are just starting an exercise program, start by walking at a brisk pace for just 10 minutes, advises the University of California, Berkeley. Increase your walk by five minutes each week until you are able to complete the goal of 5 miles.
Walking every day is only part of the equation to achieve your goal of losing 75 pounds. Monitor your diet to make sure you are only consuming the number of calories you need to maintain your weight. You can consume fewer calories than needed to increase your rate of weight loss.
Tip
If you aren't sure how many calories you need, use the ExRx.net Estimated Calorie Requirements calculator.
Meet your calorie goals by planning your meals ahead of time and monitoring your portion sizes. Drink plenty of water each day and focus on eating lean proteins, fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates. Avoid emotional eating or mindless snacking in front of the TV as these calories add up fast. Finally, try to squeeze in some extra physical activity with simple changes such as:
- Parking at the back of the lot and walking
- Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
- Do more chores around the house such as gardening or mowing the lawn
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "What Is Healthy Weight Loss?"
- Harvard Health Publishing: "Calories Burned in 30 Minutes for People of Three Different Weights"
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: "I Want to Lose a Pound of Weight. How Many Calories Do I Need to Burn?"
- ExRx.net: "Estimated Calorie Requirements"
- University of California, Berkeley: "Exercise: Starting a Walking Program"
- Clemson University: "Losing Weight Is More Than Counting Calories"
- ExRx.net: "Exercise Calories Burned Calculator"