To lose weight by walking, most people need to walk about 3 to 5 miles per day (equivalent to 6,000 to 10,000 steps) combined with a sensible diet to create meaningful weight loss. Walking burns roughly 65 to 100 calories per mile depending on factors such as body weight and walking pace. For example, a 180-pound person burns about 100 calories per mile. Walking 4 miles would burn approximately 400 calories, contributing to the calorie deficit needed for weight loss. If you aim to lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week, a safe and sustainable weight loss rate, walking about 3 to 5 miles daily combined with dietary changes is effective. To lose 2 pounds per week solely by walking, you would need an aggressive and often unrealistic daily walk of about 10 to 12 miles, so combining walking with diet is recommended. Starting with 2-3 miles daily and gradually increasing to 4-5 miles is a good approach, especially for beginners. Brisk walking at a faster pace increases calorie burn. Walking regularly 5-6 days per week and combining it with a healthy diet can help produce noticeable weight loss over time. In summary:

• Walking 3-5 miles/day is usually effective for weight loss with dietary control.
• Calories burned per mile range from 65 to 100 depending on body weight.
• Sustainable weight loss is best achieved by combining walking with diet changes.
• Beginners can start with 2-3 miles and build up distance and pace as fitness improves.

This advice aligns with CDC guidelines and research on walking and metabolism for weight loss.