How much walk according to bmi calculator

Regardless of age or fitness level, a dedicated walking program coupled with proper nutrition can be an excellent way to lose weight. To do it right and reach your goals, you’ll need to make sure you’re walking far enough, at the right intensity and paying attention to your diet.

Here’s what you need to know and how to get started:

WALKING DURATION AND WEIGHT LOSS

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), individuals should aim to participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day or 150 minutes per week. While this can help you get on track in terms of cardiovascular fitness and combating other health conditions, if you’re looking to lose weight, you’ll probably want to do a little more.

For individuals who are obese and trying to lose weight, or anyone looking to keep the weight off, the ACSM recommends bumping this number up to 200–300 minutes per week (3.3–5 hours). Breaking this down, a one-hour walk 4–5 days per week will be sufficient to achieve your weight-loss goals. Any additional time you spend exercising on top of this adds to your overall calorie burn and fitness level.

WALKING INTENSITY

Not all walks are created equal. It’s important to make sure your heart rate reaches a moderate-intensity level during your walk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), moderate-intensity exercise is defined as an activity that raises the heart rate to 50–70% of your maximum heart rate.

If you decide to up the intensity — either by adding resistance training in the form of weights or including short periods of running — exercising at a vigorous activity level (70–85% of your maximum heart rate) requires the duration of your walk to be cut in half to achieve the same benefits. In other words, a 60-minute moderate-intensity walk is the same as a 30-minute walk/run at a vigorous intensity level.

The most accurate way to measure intensity level is to use a heart rate monitor, but you can also keep track of perceived exertion. On a scale of 0–10 (0 is sitting, 10 is the highest exertion possible), moderate intensity is a 5–6, and vigorous activity begins at 7.

HOW WALKING COMPARES TO RUNNING

Walking can provide many of the same health benefits as running (and comes with a lower risk of injury). However, when it comes to weight loss, the duration is key for folks who prefer walking. According to the American Council of Exercise (ACE), a 150-pound (68kg) runner burns 340 calories on a three-mile (5k) run when averaging a 10-minute mile (for a 30-minute run). This averages out to about 11.3 calories per minute. On the other hand, a 150-pound (68kg) walker exercising at a moderate pace of three miles per hour burns 224 calories during a three-mile (5k) walk (60-minutes total). This averages out to 3.7 calories per minute.

While this shows running is, indeed, a more efficient activity for burning calories, if you walk longer you can make up the difference. In the example above, you’d need to walk for about one hour and 30 minutes, or roughly 4.5 miles, to achieve the same calorie burn as a three-mile run.

TRACKING MEALS

Calculating and recording your daily steps, mileage, time and exercise intensity is all important when you’re trying to lose weight. But the last part of the equation — nutrition — is equally crucial. Logging your food intake with MyFitnessPal as well as your workouts can help you get a more accurate picture of the quantity and types of foods you’re consuming. That way you can make informed decisions regarding smarter portion sizes and where you can cut excess calories to find a healthy deficit that allows you to lose weight and keep it off.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Start by walking a little more than you normally do each day until you can do an hour or more 4–5 times per week. If you keep to a brisk pace and pay attention to your nutrition, you’ll set yourself up for effective weight loss.

Originally published April 2020

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There's no "perfect weight" that fits everyone. BMI, or body mass index, measures how healthy your weight is based on how tall you are. It gives you a clue to your risk for weight-related health problems.

Body mass index (BMI) is a health metric used to gauge a person’s weight category quickly, as it’s a simple calculation of body fat relative to weight and height.

While BMI has its limitations—and should not be the only metric considered when determining your weight class—it’s a fast and accessible tool that can help you better understand whether you carry excess body fat, which can put you at risk for health complications ranging from type 2 diabetes to high blood pressure.

Check out the Forbes Health BMI calculator below to see where you stand.

What Is BMI?

Body mass index, or BMI, is a quick and inexpensive measurement of your body fat in relation to your weight and height. It’s often used as a screening tool for weight class categories, but it’s only moderately correlated with direct measurements of body fat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In fact, even if two people have the same BMI, their body fat percentages may differ because a high BMI can indicate not only high levels of body fat, but also high levels of lean body mass, which is composed of muscle and bone.

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How much walk according to bmi calculator

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How to Calculate BMI

BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in pounds by the square of your height in inches, and then multiplying by a conversion factor of 703, according to the CDC. See the formula below for an example.

Weight = 150 pounds
Height = 5’5″ (65 inches)
BMI calculation: [150 ÷ (65)2] x 703 = 24.96

BMI Interpretations for Adults

Weight status categories based on BMI for adults ages 20 and up, regardless of age or sex, are as follows, according to the CDC:

BMI Interpretations for Children and Teens

While BMI is calculated the same way for both adults and children, it’s interpreted differently. Whereas BMI for adults isn’t dependent on age or sex, it is dependent on those factors for children and teenagers.

For children and teens, the weight category in which they fall is deduced from a percentile chart (the one we use in our calculator comes from data obtained from the World Health Organization and applies to those ages 5 to 19). The percentile chart compares the BMI of children and teens to others who are the same age and sex. For example, if children or teens fall in the 75th percentile, their BMI is greater than 75% of other people of the same age and sex.

After receiving the percentile value from the chart, you can find the assigned weight category based on the table below:

BMI Limitations

As noted above, BMI is considered an imperfect measurement of body fat, as it doesn’t measure body fat directly. Additionally, BMI charts don’t take age, gender, race and ethnicity into account (with the exception of age and sex for children and teens), which can also impact your body fat or muscle. Indeed, experts note other factors you should take into consideration when determining your weight category include the location of fat, total muscle mass, age and gender. When calculating your BMI, keep these limitations in mind.

Calorie Calculator to Maintain and Lose Weight

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you calculate BMI?

To calculate BMI, divide your weight in pounds by the square of your height in inches, and then multiply by a conversion factor of 703.

What does BMI stand for?

BMI stands for body mass index, and it’s a measurement of body fat in relation to your weight and height.

What BMI is obese?

Currently, the CDC classifies a BMI of 30.0 and above as obesity for adults ages 20 and older.

What should my BMI be?

A healthy BMI for adults ages 20 and up is between 18.5 and 24.9, according to the CDC. Keep in mind, though, the limitations outlined in this article, and talk to your doctor about any weight-related concerns.

How much do you walk according to BMI app?

So how does it work and how much walking for weight loss do you need to do to reach a healthy BMI? The ideal target for weight loss is walking 5 miles a day. This will burn around 3,500 calories a week, the equivalent of one pound of excess fat. Build up to walking 5 miles a day gradually.

How much should I walk according to my body weight?

A review estimated that to maintain a stable weight, you should walk at least 150 minutes per week ( 31 ). However, if you've lost a lot of weight, you may need to exercise more than 200 minutes per week to prevent yourself from regaining it ( 33 , 34 ).

How much should I walk to lose weight chart?

The rough answer: Exercise at moderate intensity for 200-300 minutes per week. What does that look like? Walk 1 hour per day for 4-5 days a week, with a total of about 4.5 hours each week. However, if you want to keep losing weight over time, you'll need to increase that amount as you progress.

How long should I walk for to lose weight calculator?

Remember, it's all a simple math equation. 1 Pound weight loss per week with diet changes and walking combined = 2.5 extra miles walked per day (5280 extra steps), and 250 calories less consumed per day, for a total daily caloric deficit of 500 calories.