Experts Agree Walking Can Help You Lose Weight — Here's How Many Calories You'll Burn

While doing some HIIT workouts or strength training are proven to help you lean out, walking can absolutely help you drop pounds. What's great about walking is it's easy on the joints so it's something most people can do, it's free, and you don't have to get all sweaty doing it. Walking not only burns calories but can also give you a mood boost from the fresh air and sunshine if you're walking outside.

Many experts, including celeb trainer Harley Pasternak, agree that getting in more steps each day is one of the best ways to lose weight. According to Pasternak, "People who are more active throughout the day are actually leaner, healthier, fitter, and live longer than those who are sedentary throughout the day and then just do an hour Spin class three or four days a week."

So don't discount walking! Laura Arndt, a certified personal trainer and the CEO of Matriarc, a health and wellness app for moms, recommends that her clients aim for 10,000 total steps a day for weight loss. You can track your steps with your iPhone or a fitness tracker like a FitBit. Arndt said a 30-minute brisk walk can get most of her clients "between 3,000 and 5,000 steps, depending on their speed and their gait. However, we shouldn't be sitting the remainder of the day, so the goal is to achieve another 5,000 steps through everyday activity."

The chart below shows how many calories you'll burn in 30 minutes depending on your weight, according to SparkPeople. If you're on a treadmill, pump up the incline to burn more calories and target your booty. So call a friend to walk and chat with, or listen to a podcast or audiobook, and the half hour will fly by!