One of the simplest ways to be healthier in this upcoming year and cross of a New Year’s resolution, is to take a walk or two

Walking

With the New Year right around the corner, people are making their list of things to accomplish in 2025.

Many people tend to make their New Year’s resolutions centered around health. Whether it’s going to the gym more or eating better, people want to change their lifestyle.

Before you pay for an expensive gym membership though, save your cash with just a simple walk around your neighborhood. But how much walking is enough for it to matter?

It’s not as simple as a one size fits all number. There’s a lot of factors that go into the “perfect” walking distance.

Walking
It helps if you have someone to walk with ( 
Image:
Getty Images/Tetra images RF)
It depends on your current weight, personal health goals, current fitness level, and any health ailments you might have. But there are a few ground rules that will help you reach your goal.

If you haven’t worked out in a while, or just want to start from scratch, it’s best to ease into it. Start with shorter distances and walking once a week. Then you can adjust it to add more distance and frequency as you get used to it.

If weight loss is your main goal, the more distance you walk equals the more calories you’ll burn. It’s also helpful if you eat a healthy meal before you take a stroll as you don’t want an upset stomach halfway through.

But if you really want a benchmark number, 10,000 steps a day is typically a recommended target. Those steps equate to about four to five miles total.

With that target, the average person can burn about 300 to 400 calories. And if you walk that every day, assuming you’re eating a balanced diet, it can equate to losing one pound a week.

You also don’t have to do the thousands of steps in one shot. To make it a more attainable goal, spread out your walking throughout the day.

For example, you could go for a quick walk in the morning, during a lunch break, and a nice evening stroll. Another way to motivate yourself to reach your goal is to find a walking buddy who you can chat about whatever your heart desires with while burning calories.