Can walking help with weight loss?
Disease description:
My wife wants to lose weight recently, but she doesn't want to engage in overly strenuous exercise because she's worried her body won't be able to handle it. She heard that walking can help with weight loss, but she's concerned the effects might not be significant. I'd like to ask, can walking really help with weight loss? If so, how long should she walk each day to achieve weight-loss results?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Bai Hongmei
Walking is a mild form of exercise that can help with weight loss. If practiced consistently over the long term and combined with proper dietary control, it can achieve effective weight-loss results.
The principle behind weight loss through walking primarily involves increasing physical activity, raising the basal metabolic rate, and promoting fat burning within the body. Additionally, walking helps improve cardiovascular and pulmonary function and enhances physical endurance, providing overall health benefits.
Generally speaking, walking for 30 minutes to one hour per day is considered an appropriate duration. If physical condition allows, the walking time can be extended or the intensity increased, such as by brisk walking or walking uphill, which may lead to more noticeable weight-loss effects.
However, consistent long-term adherence is necessary to see results from walking as a weight-loss method. Dietary control is also an essential component of the weight-loss process. It is recommended to adjust dietary habits while walking, reducing the intake of high-calorie and high-fat foods, and increasing the proportion of foods rich in dietary fiber, such as vegetables and fruits, to achieve more effective weight loss.
