Walking: The Underrated Exercise
Many people don't count walking as exercise. But it's the safest, most sustainable, and genuinely effective cardio, with low injury risk and open to everyone.
Calories Burned Walking
| Pace | Per hour |
|---|---|
| Slow walk (3km/h) | About 150kcal |
| Normal walk (5km/h) | About 250kcal |
| Brisk walk (6.5km/h) | About 350kcal |
| Interval walking | About 400kcal |
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10,000 steps ≈ 7-8km ≈ 300-400kcal burned. Walk 10,000 steps daily and you could lose about 1kg a month!
How to Walk Effectively
- •Posture: eyes 15m ahead, shoulders back, core engaged
- •Pace: fast enough that you can talk but not sing
- •Arms: bent at 90 degrees, swinging purposefully
- •Stride: 10-15% longer than usual
- •Duration: at least 30 continuous minutes
Building the Walking Habit
- •Get off one stop early on your commute
- •Take the stairs instead of the elevator
- •A 10-minute stroll after lunch
- •Walk while on phone calls
- •Plan a park walk on weekends
Double the Effect with Interval Walking
Alternating 3 minutes fast with 3 minutes slow burns 20-30% more calories than steady walking.
“The best workout is the one you actually do. Start with walking.”
Sources · Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety food composition database