How Many Steps Should You Take To Lose Fat? (HIT THIS NUMBER!)

Jeremy Ethier

26 Apr 202009:30

Summary

TLDRWalking is an underrated yet effective way to burn fat and manage weight. The video discusses how walking, compared to other forms of cardio, helps burn calories without triggering excessive appetite or fatigue. Increasing step counts to 8,000 or 10,000 steps daily can significantly boost fat loss and long-term weight management. Simple habits like post-meal walks, drinking more water, and short activities can help achieve this. For optimal results, pairing walking with proper nutrition and weight training is key to success. Tracking steps via a pedometer is also recommended.

Takeaways

🚶‍♂️ Walking is an effective and underrated form of activity for fat loss, helping to burn calories without exhausting the body.
💪 The speaker found walking to be more sustainable and less appetite-inducing compared to other forms of cardio like fake cardio and circuit training.
🌍 Walking can be done anywhere, making it an accessible form of exercise for increasing daily step count.
🔢 The common goal of 10,000 steps per day originated as a marketing tool but has since been supported by research for its health and fat loss benefits.
⚖️ Hitting around 8,000 steps a day translates to meeting public health recommendations for moderate physical activity.
📉 Increasing daily step counts from 6,000 to 10,000 steps can help burn extra calories and lead to an estimated 1-2 pounds of fat loss per month, if diet remains the same.
📊 Research shows that adding 2,000-3,000 steps per day, like brisk walking, can result in significant fat loss compared to a diet-only approach.
📈 A sedentary lifestyle with fewer than 5,000 steps a day can reduce daily calorie expenditure by 700, leading to weight gain if eating habits aren't adjusted.
🧠 Increasing step count also helps with better appetite control and energy balance, improving overall weight management.
📱 Tracking steps with a pedometer or phone app increases motivation and accountability, making it easier to achieve daily step goals.

Q & A

What are the benefits of walking as a form of cardio compared to other forms?
-Walking is an effective, low-impact form of cardio that burns calories without over-stressing the body or spiking appetite, unlike other forms of cardio. It can be done anywhere, making it accessible and easy to incorporate into daily life.
Where did the idea of taking 10,000 steps a day originate?
-The concept of 10,000 steps a day originated as a marketing tool for early pedometers in Japan. However, research now supports that aiming for 10,000 steps can be effective for fat loss and long-term weight management.
How does walking 10,000 steps a day help with fat loss?
-Walking 10,000 steps a day helps increase calorie expenditure, which can lead to fat loss over time. An average person burns approximately 60 calories per 1,000 steps, so increasing step count can help create a calorie deficit necessary for fat loss.
How many extra calories are burned by increasing steps from 6,000 to 10,000 per day?
-If a person currently walks 6,000 steps and increases to 10,000 steps per day, they can burn an additional 240 calories daily (60 calories per 1,000 steps), potentially leading to about 2 pounds of fat loss per month.
What was the result of the 2017 study on walking and fat loss?
-A 2017 study showed that individuals who followed a low-calorie diet and added brisk walking lost 3 pounds more fat than those who only followed the diet. This emphasizes the importance of adding walking to a fat loss routine.
What happens when someone significantly reduces their step count?
-When active individuals reduce their step count to below 5,000 steps a day, they may burn around 700 fewer calories per day, leading to weight gain if they don’t adjust their calorie intake accordingly.
What are some easy ways to increase your daily step count?
-You can increase your daily steps by taking a 10-minute walk after each meal, walking while brushing your teeth, drinking more water to trigger frequent bathroom trips, and setting small habits like walking around your home more often.
How many extra steps can be added by incorporating small daily habits?
-By tying walking into daily habits like post-meal walks, bathroom trips, and walking while brushing your teeth, you can easily add an extra 4,500 steps per day, which can increase calorie expenditure by 270 calories daily.
Why is tracking your steps beneficial for fat loss?
-Tracking your steps helps you stay motivated and accountable, ensuring you meet your daily step goals. This consistent activity promotes fat loss by increasing calorie expenditure and supporting long-term weight management.
Should walking be combined with other types of exercises and nutrition plans?
-Yes, for optimal fat loss results, walking should be combined with a balanced nutrition plan and strength training. This combination accelerates fat loss and builds a sustainable foundation for long-term success.

Outlines

00:00

🚶‍♂️ The Power of Walking for Fat Loss

Walking is an underrated yet highly effective method for fat loss. The speaker shares personal experiences, explaining how walking helped burn calories without overexerting the body or increasing appetite, unlike other cardio exercises. Walking can be done anywhere and can significantly boost daily calorie burn. The 10,000-step benchmark, while initially a marketing strategy, has been supported by research. It’s suggested as a goal for overall health and long-term fat management, though individual needs vary based on diet and current activity levels. The speaker discusses calorie expenditure calculations, illustrating how increasing step counts can lead to notable fat loss.

05:00

🏃‍♀️ Benefits of Active Lifestyles and Appetite Control

Physical activity, such as walking, not only burns calories but also helps regulate appetite and food intake. Active individuals naturally maintain better control over their hunger, further aiding in fat loss. The speaker encourages setting realistic step goals (8,000–10,000 steps daily) and integrating movement into daily routines to increase activity levels without overwhelming oneself. Small habits, such as walking after meals or during other daily activities, can lead to a significant increase in steps and help maintain calorie balance for sustainable fat loss.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Walking

Walking is presented as an underrated but highly effective form of physical activity for burning fat. In the video, walking is favored over more intense exercises like cardio or circuit training due to its ease of implementation and minimal impact on the body. The speaker highlights how increasing daily step counts, even at moderate paces, can significantly contribute to calorie expenditure and fat loss.

💡10,000 steps

The concept of walking 10,000 steps per day is mentioned as a widely accepted goal for general health and fat loss. Although it originated as a marketing tactic for pedometers, research now supports its effectiveness in helping individuals maintain long-term weight loss and meet public health activity guidelines. The video suggests aiming for 8,000-10,000 steps to achieve a healthy, sustainable fat loss strategy.

💡Calorie expenditure

Calorie expenditure refers to the number of calories burned through physical activity. The video explains that walking can lead to significant calorie expenditure, estimating around 60 calories burned for every 1,000 steps. This incremental calorie burn contributes to fat loss over time, especially when combined with other healthy habits. The speaker emphasizes the connection between increasing step count and the potential to burn more fat.

💡Fat loss

Fat loss is a central theme of the video, with the speaker focusing on how walking and increasing daily step counts can aid in reducing body fat. The video explains that walking is an effective, low-intensity method to create a calorie deficit, which is necessary for fat loss. This method is less likely to trigger increased appetite compared to more intense workouts.

💡Calorie deficit

A calorie deficit occurs when an individual burns more calories than they consume, leading to weight and fat loss. The video emphasizes the importance of creating a calorie deficit through physical activity, particularly walking, to help shed extra fat. The speaker explains that additional steps per day can help achieve this deficit without requiring drastic changes to diet.

💡Sedentary lifestyle

The video touches on the risks of a sedentary lifestyle, particularly in relation to weight gain. It discusses how individuals who reduce their daily steps to fewer than 5,000 burn significantly fewer calories, leading to fat accumulation if they do not adjust their food intake. The speaker uses this to illustrate the importance of maintaining consistent physical activity levels for long-term fat management.

💡Metabolism

Metabolism refers to the body's process of converting food into energy. The video discusses how increasing step counts can boost metabolism by increasing daily calorie burn. The speaker also notes that simple habits like walking after meals or drinking more water can support higher metabolic rates, leading to greater fat loss over time.

💡Pedometer

A pedometer is a device used to count steps. The video recommends using a pedometer or fitness tracker app, like the Health app on iPhone or Google Fit on Android, to monitor daily step counts and maintain accountability. This tool helps individuals track progress toward their goal of 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day.

💡Appetite control

Appetite control refers to managing hunger and food intake, which is influenced by physical activity. The video suggests that individuals who increase their step count and become more active can better control their appetite, making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit. The speaker highlights research that shows active individuals tend to experience physiological changes that regulate hunger.

💡Brisk walking

Brisk walking, defined as walking at a moderate pace, is highlighted as a form of activity that can effectively increase calorie expenditure. The video refers to a study that showed participants who engaged in brisk walking in addition to a low-calorie diet lost more fat than those who only followed the diet. This underscores the importance of adding moderate activity to improve fat loss results.

Highlights

Walking is an effective yet underrated form of activity for burning fat.

The speaker has tried various fat loss methods like HIIT and circuit training but found walking to be the most sustainable.

Walking doesn't destroy the body or trigger appetite increases like other cardio methods do.

10,000 steps a day was initially a marketing tool for pedometers, but research now supports its effectiveness for fat loss.

Aiming for 8,000 steps daily is recommended to meet the public health goal of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity.

For weight loss, increasing steps to 10,000 per day can help with both fat loss and long-term weight management.

For an average 180-pound person, every 1,000 steps burns about 60 calories.

Increasing from 6,000 to 8,000 steps per day can lead to an extra pound of fat loss per month, while 10,000 steps can burn two pounds.

A 2017 study found that those who added 25 minutes of walking a day lost 3 pounds more fat over 12 weeks than a non-walking group.

Research also shows that when active people reduce their steps to below 5,000, they burn 700 fewer calories and gain weight.

Walking after each meal for 10 minutes can add 3,500 steps daily, making 10,000 steps easier to achieve.

Other habits like walking while brushing teeth or drinking more water can further increase daily steps.

Simple changes, like using the farthest washroom or doing jumping jacks in hallways, can add up to 4,500 steps.

Tracking steps with a pedometer or smartphone can provide motivation and accountability.

Walking not only helps burn calories but also positively impacts appetite control and long-term fat loss.