A New Study Says This Is the Exact Amount of Steps You Need To Take Every Day To Prevent Weight Gain

Kaitlin Vogel
Updated ·5 min read
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Many of us keep track of our steps with our Apple watches and Fitbits and feel a sense of pride when we hit a certain number for the day. We start to realize how much movement we’re doing during the day even in small ways, such as doing chores around the house, taking the dog for a walk and going grocery shopping.

According to a new study, counting steps is directly correlated to maintaining a healthy weight. Participants, who ranged from 41 to 67 years old with body mass index levels ranging from 24.3 (healthy) to 32.9 (obese) wore activity trackers for at least 10 hours a day and researchers analyzed their health information over numerous years.

Results showed that people who walked four miles a day (approximately 8,200 steps) had a lower risk of becoming obese or developing health conditions such as acid reflux, sleep apnea, and major depressive disorder.

If you’re trying to be more mindful of your weight, keeping track of your steps may be the first step (literally).

Why Counting Steps Is Important

Counting the number of steps you walk every day can help keep you accountable. By knowing the number of steps you’re walking, you can set realistic goals to gradually increase your distance over time and also keep track of your progress, Alyssa Wilson, RD and Metabolic Success Coach at Signos, explains.

You should take into account how often you walk, how long you walk and the intensity of your walk. Tracking steps is helpful, but gradually increasing the number of steps and your pace is the key to weight loss. If your goal is weight loss, increase your daily steps by 500, Wilson states. Once that is a habit, try increasing your daily steps by another 500. The goal is 10,000 steps per day (that’s about five miles).

Related: Not Into HIIT? Walking Is Actually a Great Way to Lose Weight—and These Tips Will Help

How To Calculate the Number of Steps You Need To Prevent Weight Gain

The number of steps a person needs to prevent weight gain will depend on factors like daily activity level (is their job active or sedentary?), eating habits (are they eating whole foods and how much?) and how many calories they burn while walking.

There are many factors that determine how many calories you will burn while walking. These factors include your age, gender, height, weight, exercise intensity (METs) and the duration of your walk. How fast you walk, and whether you are walking on a flat surface or on an incline can all impact your walking intensity.

Body weight will also affect how many calories you burn, Wilson adds. For example, a 180-pound person will burn approximately 100 calories per mile, while a 120-pound person will burn approximately 65 calories per mile.

Luckily, there is a formula that can help determine roughly how many calories you burn per mile walking: calories burned = BMR x METs/24 x hour.

Use one of the equations below to calculate your BMR:

Men: BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 x body weight in kilograms) + (4.799 x height in centimeters) – (5.677 x age in years)

Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 x weight in kilograms) + (3.098 x height in centimeters) – (4.330 x age in years)

You can use your speed to determine METS:

  • 2 mph = 2.5 METs

  • 3 mph = 3.5 METs

  • 3.5 mph = 4.0 METs

  • 4.0 mph = 4.5 METs

  • 4.5 mph = 5.0 METs

Related: What Are the Effects of Walking With Weights?

The Health Benefits of Walking

Walking is a great low-impact exercise that almost anyone can do. It doesn’t require any equipment or special preparation (except for a good pair of walking shoes).

Adding 30 to 60 minutes of walking into your daily routine will not only help you burn calories and reduce body fat, but can also help boost your mood and improve energy levels. In addition to weight loss, walking has many other health benefits, according to Wilson. These include:

  • Cardiovascular fitness

  • Insulin sensitivity

  • Blood glucose control

  • Blood pressure

  • Mood

  • Stress and anxiety

  • Endurance

  • Balance

  • Bone and muscular strength

  • Immune function

One study found people who walked 10,000 steps every day for 12 weeks felt better, had more energy, a lower BMI, a smaller waist circumference and lost weight.

Walking can help prevent weight gain in a few ways. First, it burns calories. It can also help with blood sugar stabilization, especially if you take a walk shortly after eating a meal, Allison Sizemore, certified sports nutritionist and online fitness coach, explains. It also helps with cardiovascular health in general. Finally, just making a point to be active in some way every day makes you feel healthier, which will, in turn, likely cause you to make healthier choices about food as well.

Next up: Yes, You Can Lose Weight From Walking Alone—Here's How to Use Walking to Get In the Best Shape Ever

Sources

  • Nature Medicine: “Association of step counts over time with the risk of chronic disease in the All of Us Research Program”

  • Alyssa Wilson, RD and Metabolic Success Coach at Signos

  • Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy: “Effects of 10,000 steps a day on physical and mental health in overweight participants in a community setting: a preliminary study”

  • Allison Sizemore, Certified Sports Nutritionist and Online Fitness Coach