The short answer: yes
Walking is one of the most effective and sustainable exercises for weight loss. It's not the highest calorie-burner per minute, but its accessibility, low injury risk and sustainability make it the best choice for most people starting a weight loss journey.
Track your daily walks with Trakon.
GPS route tracking, distance, calories and weekly progress — all free.
What the science says
Multiple studies have shown that regular walking contributes to weight loss, especially when combined with a calorie-controlled diet:
- A 30-minute brisk walk burns 150-200 calories for most adults
- Walking 10,000 steps daily can burn 300-500 calories
- Regular walkers are more likely to maintain weight loss long-term
- Walking reduces visceral fat (the dangerous belly fat)
- Walking after meals helps regulate blood sugar
How many calories does walking burn?
| Body weight | 30 min casual | 30 min brisk | 60 min brisk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 120 | 150 | 300 |
| 70 kg | 140 | 175 | 350 |
| 80 kg | 160 | 200 | 400 |
| 90 kg | 180 | 225 | 450 |
Estimates only. Actual burn varies with terrain, speed and fitness level.
Track calories burned from walking automatically.
Trakon estimates calorie burn from your GPS data — see your daily and weekly totals.
Why walking beats running for many people
- Lower hunger response — running can spike hunger; walking doesn't
- Lower injury risk — no stress on joints, tendons or ligaments
- Higher sustainability — most people can walk daily for years
- Can be done anywhere — no special location or equipment
- Easier to combine with diet — walking doesn't trigger the "I earned this donut" mentality
How to make walking work for weight loss
- Walk daily — aim for 30-60 minutes, even if split into 2-3 sessions
- Walk briskly — you should be breathing slightly harder but able to talk
- Add hills — incline walking burns 30-50% more calories
- Track your distance — use Trakon's GPS to see how far you've walked
- Combine with nutrition tracking — track calories in and out with Trakon
- Gradually increase — add 5-10 minutes per week
How much walking for weight loss?
For meaningful weight loss, aim for:
- Minimum: 30 minutes of brisk walking, 5 days per week
- Optimal: 45-60 minutes of brisk walking, 5-6 days per week
- Step goal: 8,000-12,000 steps per day (not just 10,000 — see our article on step counts)
Track your walks, calories and progress — all in one app.
Trakon combines GPS walking tracking with AI food scanning for complete weight loss support.
Read next: How Many Steps Should You Walk a Day?