How long you need to walk to burn 1 kilo of fat

Walking is often praised as one of the most accessible forms of exercise. It costs nothing, can be done almost anywhere, and suits all ages. But if your goal is to lose weight, how much walking does it really take to burn off 1 kilo of body fat?

Why walking is a smart choice for weight loss

Unlike high-impact workouts, walking is gentle on the joints while still activating large muscle groups, boosting circulation, and supporting cardiovascular health. For beginners or anyone returning to exercise, it’s the perfect entry point.

To make walking more effective for fat loss:

• Aim for at least 30 minutes daily, which typically burns around 100 calories depending on body weight and speed.

• Choose stairs instead of lifts to add extra calorie burn.

• Keep a brisk pace — about 5 km/h or more. A leisurely stroll won’t cut it if fat burning is the goal.

The maths: walking off 1 kilo of fat

Burning 1 kilo of fat requires a deficit of roughly 7,000 calories. At a steady pace of 5 km/h, a 60 kg person burns about 4 calories per minute.

That means you’d need:

• 1,750 minutes of walking (around 29 hours in total).

• A distance of roughly 145 kilometres to hit that target.

Of course, no one is suggesting you attempt this in a single go. The trick is consistency — spreading the effort over days or weeks by making walking a daily habit.

The power of brisk walking

The popular benchmark of 10,000 steps a day is excellent for general health, but it doesn’t guarantee weight loss. To actively target fat stores, experts recommend:

• Increasing intensity — walk closer to 6 km/h to raise your metabolism.

• Extending duration — aim for about 1 hour per day, burning between 200 and 300 calories per session. Over time, these small, daily calorie burns accumulate into meaningful fat loss.

Combine walking with other activities

Walking alone won’t perform miracles. For faster progress, mix it with other forms of exercise:

• Jogging or cycling to challenge the body differently and raise total calorie expenditure.

• Strength training to preserve and build muscle mass, which helps maintain a high metabolism.

The bottom line

Walking is a safe, sustainable, and effective way to burn fat, but it requires patience and regularity. To burn off 1 kilo of fat, you’ll need around 29 hours of brisk walking, ideally spread across several weeks. Pairing it with a balanced diet and complementary workouts will not only help you lose weight but also improve your overall health and wellbeing.