How Much Should You Walk Every Day? (2024)

Walking is one of the easiest and most effective ways to fit in at least some form of fitness daily—whether outside for a stroll or from your car to the store. Any amount of walking benefits your health, although the recommended guideline is 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly.

These guidelines are created and supported by a myriad of organizations, including the American Heart Association because scientific evidence shows 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week can statistically reduce a person’s likelihood of developing a chronic disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and even some cancers.

Guidelines also aim to help people achieve a healthy weight, improve their mood and mental health, and enhance their quality of life, explains Roger E. Adams, Ph.D., doctor of nutrition and owner of eatrightfitness. The recommendation Dr. Adams gives to his clients is to aim to spend less time sitting. “Sometimes it’s not a matter of finding time to exercise, but rather finding ways to be less inactive during your workday," he points out.

Factors Influencing Daily Walking Goals

For most of us, many factors influence how much we walk in a single day based on our lifestyle, work, available free time, and fitness goals we set for ourselves.

Time availability is a big factor, as many people are limited due to work, family, or other commitments. In these circ*mstances, individuals may need to prioritize walking over other activities or use shorter sessions throughout the day, explains Dr. Adams. He also suggests planning and scheduling your walking time in advance instead of finding pockets of time throughout the day. This will help avoid interruptions or distractions.

“I recommend to my clients to do small ‘workout or walking snacks,’ which entail doing 2–3-minute bursts of activity or brisk walks every hour,” he says. “You can do walking in place, leg swings, bodyweight squats, push-ups, or even a brisk walk down the hall each hour.”

Having specific fitness goals—whether to lose weight, build muscle, or improve endurance—may improve your accountability. Dr. Adams recommends using the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) goals for your walking, and tracking your progress to stay focused on your health goals.

Another factor that may influence your daily walking goals is basic physical limitations. “If you have any physical limitations that affect your ability to walk safely or comfortably, such as arthritis, injury, disability, or chronic pain, you may need to modify your walking routine or seek professional advice,” says Dr. Adams. “You may also need to use assistive devices or equipment if needed.”

Wearing cushioned shoes for walking is also essential.

Setting Clear Health Goals

If you want to see improvement in the distance and frequency of your walking each day, it’s important to set clear and concise goals that are tangible and realistic. Fitness goals help keep you motivated and accountable, and can also allow you to track your progress and measure your results.

Individual factors that can influence the recommended amount of daily walking include:

• Your fitness level: Start slow if you’re new to working out or walking (outside of getting from point A to B). Dr. Adams recommends gradually increasing your distance, speed, or intensity over time instead of jumping the gun all in one day or week. He suggests using a pedometer, a simple device that tracks your steps, or a more advanced fitness tracker to monitor your steps, pace, and more.
• Your age: Depending on your age, you may need to adjust your walking routine—this is especially true if you’re suffering from any health conditions or injuries or taking certain medications. In fact, you may also want to consult a healthcare provider before starting or changing your walking program, Dr. Adams says. A pedometer or fitness tracker that measures heart rate may be helpful here.
• Your health goals: If you have specific health goals, whether it’s building muscle, improving your endurance, or losing weight, you may need to make certain adjustments to your walking routine to address changes in your progress and fitness level.“Waking alone isn’t likely going to add muscle if that is your goal, so you need to add strength training to your walking program, for example,” explains Dr. Adams.

How to Create a Walking Routine

When it comes to building a walking routine, there’s no bad place to start. Simply putting on a pair of comfortable shoes, getting up, and moving is a great first place to begin! Whatever footwear you choose, be sure they accommodate your specific needs, like sandals for wide feet. Here, fitness pros share some of their best tips for how to build an effective walking routine.

Measuring Progress

As mentioned, keeping track of your progress will help you stay motivated, hold yourself accountable, and ensure that you reach your goals. Here are some tips for keeping yourself on track.

Use a pedometer

A pedometer is a device you wear on your wrist or clip onto your waistband that counts your steps. They’re mainly used to track fitness goals, as with every step you take, the pedometer increases and displays your totals on a screen or LED light. If you’re unsure if you’re getting adequate steps, wearing a pedometer can help track your activity levels and keep you on track.

Try wearable devices

Fitness trackers typically worn on your wrist can be helpful to monitor how much you are walking daily and keep you on track to achieve your goals. Depending on the model, they can track the number of steps you take, distance traveled, calories burned, heart rate, sleep quality, and more.

Use your smartphone

There are hundreds of apps available for download on your smartphone that can help you keep track of the number of steps you take—displaying it on a screen or even notifying you of your goals and when you have achieved them. Many apps allow you to see how you’re improving over time, in terms of distance, pace, and consistency, which can help you stay motivated. Some may even offer personalized workout recommendations based on your fitness level, goals, interests, and limitations. Popular fitness apps experts recommend include Fitbit, Strava, MapMyWalk, and MyFitnessPal.

All in all, tracking your steps and fitness can be incredibly motivating, especially if you’re someone who prefers visual goals. Tracking your steps encourages you to walk the recommended steps and gets you into a routine to help reach your goals, according to Cortney Logan, running coach and founder of Run Sweat Sip. “Keeping track of your walking helps give you a clear picture of the progress you’ve made (where you started, where you are at and where you are headed) and it will help serve as a reminder of all those walks that have paid off,” she adds.