Walking facts and advice
Benefits of walking
Walking burns about 100 calories a mile, depending on your age, weight and pace. Keeping track of how far you walk is a great way to stay motivated. For more information, visit the Living Streets website.
A 60kg person burns in 30 minutes:
- strolling at 2 mph = 75 calories
- walking at 3 mph = 99 calories
- fast walking at 4 mph = 150 calories
If you walk an extra 20 minutes a day, you'll burn off 7lb of body fat a year.
In the summer and winter months, find out how many steps it'll take to burn off your favourite seasonal treats. Health experts say we should aim to walk 10,000 steps a day in total or for 30 minutes a day.
Walking in a group is another great way to start walking and to stay motivated. You'll make friends and discover new places in your neighbourhood. Local health walks in Southwark take place on a weekly basis.
Wider benefits
The paybacks of walking go beyond the obvious health benefits. It's a quick and reliable means of travel, it makes the planet greener by reducing CO2 output and motor traffic congestion and it also improves local community economies.
TFL offers more information about the benefits of walking.
Page last updated: 20 September 2023
