Losing belly fat is a common goal for many people looking to get healthier and improve their physique. Accumulating excess fat around the midsection has been linked to an increased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers (1).
While spot reduction of fat from a specific body part is not possible, overall weight loss results in losing some belly fat as well. Walking daily can be an easy and accessible way to burn more calories and lose weight.
How Many Calories Does Walking 2 Miles Burn?
The number of calories burned while walking depends on a few key factors:
- Your weight – Heavier people burn more calories for the same exercise
- Intensity – A brisk walk burns more calories per minute than a leisurely stroll
- Terrain – Walking uphill burns more calories than walking on flat ground
For a 155 lb (70 kg) person, walking 2 miles (3.2 km) briskly would burn around 150 calories. Here’s a more detailed look at calories burned per mile based on weight and walking pace:
| Weight | Calories burned per mile – Casual pace (2.5 mph) | Calories burned per mile – Brisk pace (3.5 mph) |
|---|---|---|
| 120 lbs (54 kg) | 62 | 88 |
| 150 lbs (68 kg) | 77 | 110 |
| 180 lbs (82 kg) | 92 | 132 |
| 210 lbs (95 kg) | 106 | 154 |
As you can see, at a brisk walking pace of 3.5 mph, most people will burn 100-150 calories per mile walked, depending on their body weight.
How Many Miles Should You Walk Daily to Lose Weight?
To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. A calorie deficit of 500 calories per day can result in about 1 pound of weight loss per week.
So if walking 2 miles per day creates a calorie deficit for you, then it can absolutely contribute to weight loss over time. But the exact number of miles needed for weight loss varies between individuals:
- A 120 lb person would need to walk 6-7 miles daily to burn 500 calories
- A 180 lb person would need to walk 4-5 miles to burn 500 calories
- A 240 lb person would need to walk 3-4 miles to burn 500 calories
The more you weigh, the fewer miles you’d need to walk daily to lose weight. But even just 1-3 miles of brisk walking per day can help burn extra calories and contribute to weight management for most people.
Will Only Walking Help Lose Belly Fat?
Walking daily can absolutely help you lose fat all over, including around the belly area. However, keep in mind that spot reduction is a myth – you can’t pick where on the body you lose fat from first.
When you lose weight by creating a calorie deficit through exercise, the fat comes off proportionally all over the body. But walking can help strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles underneath the belly fat.
To maximize fat loss from the midsection area, it’s important to also follow a reduced-calorie eating plan focusing on whole foods. Targeted abdominal exercises such as crunches or planks can also help tone the stomach area.
How Quickly Can You Lose Belly Fat by Walking?
The speed of weight and belly fat loss through walking depends on a number of factors:
- Calorie deficit – The bigger the daily calorie deficit, the faster you’ll lose weight. A deficit of 500-1000 calories per day results in 1-2 lbs (0.5 – 1 kg) of weight loss per week.
- Starting weight – People who have more excess weight tend to lose fat quicker at the beginning than those closer to their ideal weight.
- Diet – To maximize fat loss, pay close attention to your food intake and reduce calorie consumption. Focus on protein, fiber and complex carbs.
- Exercise – Combine walking with strength training, cardio intervals, yoga and other workouts for best results.
- Consistency – Stay persistent with your daily walking habit and healthy eating. Fat loss results take time to appear.
With consistent brisk walking for 30-60 minutes 3-5 days per week and a good diet strategy, you can expect to lose 1-3 pounds of fat, including from the belly area, every week.
Tips to Maximize Fat Loss from Walking
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your new walking routine for weight and belly fat loss:
- Walk with good posture – keep your back straight, chin up and chest out.
- Swing your arms and engage your core muscles as you walk.
- Mix up your walking routes and terrain to add variety.
- Wear a weighted vest or backpack to burn more calories.
- Incorporate uphill climbs or intervals of fast walking.
- Track your walks with a fitness tracker or app for motivation.
- Walk early in the day before you get busy or tired.
- Schedule walking dates with friends to stay consistent.
Sample 2 Mile Walking Routine for Weight Loss
Here is a sample routine to help you log 2 miles of walking daily for weight loss:
Morning Walk
- 1 mile brisk walk outside before breakfast
- Listen to music or podcast during your walk
- Aim for a pace of 3.5 – 4 mph
- Finish with some leg swings and hamstring stretches
Evening Walk
- 1 mile walk around your neighborhood after dinner
- Walk with a friend or family member as quality time together
- Incorporate some hills into your walking route
- Cool down with calf and quad stretches when finished
Make sure to fuel up with a protein and fiber-rich breakfast and dinner around your walks to promote fat burning and muscle building.
Additional Exercises To Complement Walking
While walking is great for steady-state cardio, adding some other workouts into your routine can help accelerate fat loss:
Strength Training
- Build muscle and boost metabolism through total body strength workouts 2-3x per week. Squats, lunges, planks and push-ups are excellent options.
HIIT Workouts
- Get your heart rate up and burn more calories with short bursts of high intensity interval training (HIIT). Try 30 seconds of high knees, jumping jacks or sprints followed by 30 seconds of rest for 10-15 minutes.
Yoga
- Improve flexibility, balance and mental focus with relaxing yoga flows. Holding certain yoga poses can also help strengthen core muscles.
Abdominal Exercises
- Target your midsection directly by adding stomach crunches, planks, sit-ups or oblique twists into your routine 3-4 days per week.
A comprehensive fitness regimen that includes walking, strength training, HIIT and core work will give you the most fat burning results for both overall weight loss and losing belly fat.
Nutrition Tips to Lose Belly Fat
Along with walking and exercise, paying close attention to your diet is crucial for losing stubborn belly fat. Here are some key nutrition tips:
- Maintain a calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories daily for weight loss.
- Focus on lean proteins like fish, chicken, eggs and veggies to feel full.
- Eat plenty of high fiber foods like vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains.
- Limit processed carbs, sugars and saturated fats which promote fat storage.
- Stay hydrated with water instead of high calorie drinks.
Additionally, reducing your alcohol intake, quitting smoking, minimizing stress levels and getting enough sleep all support your belly fat loss efforts.
How Walking Helps Reduce Belly Fat – The Science
According to scientific research, here are some of the ways that regular walking helps reduce abdominal fat:
- Burns visceral fat – Brisk walking for 30-60 minutes most days can burn the dangerous visceral fat that accumulates around the belly organs and liver (2).
- Uses fat for fuel – Walking in the “fat burning zone” (moderate pace) taps into fat stores for energy (3).
- Boosts metabolism – More muscle tone and a revv’d up metabolism from walking help your body burn fat all day long (4).
- Manages stress hormone cortisol – Cortisol encourages fat accumulation around the organs. Walking helps reduce stress and cortisol (5).
- Lowers blood sugar – Decreasing blood sugar and insulin spikes from walking can reduce fat storage (6).
In addition to the direct belly fat burning effects, walking also supports overall weight loss, which proportionally reduces amount of fat from the abdominal area as well.
Conclusion
In conclusion, walking briskly for 2 miles per day can absolutely help you lose excess belly fat as part of a comprehensive weight loss plan. The keys are maintaining a regular walking routine, fueling your body properly with whole foods, and combining walking with other forms of exercise and activity.
Be patient and stick with your new fitness regimen and diet plan, and you will begin to see a reduction in belly fat. Getting rid of abdominal fat not only makes you look better, but also dramatically improves overall health.