Let’s say you want to lose weight. The question is will walking 4 miles a day help you hit your targets?
Walking is an ideal exercise. Why? Because almost everybody can do it. It’s low-impact and doesn’t need any expensive equipment or a gym membership. It also burns a lot of calories – which makes walking great for losing weight.
Plus it comes with so many health benefits from protection against heart disease to reducing blood pressure and improving your mental health.
So how do you get started and is 4 miles the best distance to walk every day? 4 miles may sound like a lot but if you break it down into 2 or more sessions it feels a lot easier.
When I worked in an office, I used to walk 2 miles to work every day and arrived feeling fresh, wide awake, and ready for the day ahead. The 2-mile walk home at the end of the day was a chance to unwind and leave the stress of the day behind.
How Far Is 4 Miles?
4 miles is approximately 6.44 kilometers.
If you’re using a step counter or fitness tracker, the number of steps in 4 miles depends on your fitness level, average step length (stride length), and walking pace.
As a rough guide, walking 4 miles is equivalent to 8,000 to 9,600 steps.
It’s just short of the 10,000-step target often recommended as an arbitrary figure for improving your health.
How Long Does It Take To Walk 4 Miles?
Most people can walk 4 miles in about an hour – from 60 to 72 minutes on flat terrain.
This is walking briskly, at a pace of 15 to 18 minutes per mile or an average walking speed of just over 3 to 4 miles per hour (mph).
Unless you’ve timed yourself walking, you won’t know your typical walking pace. On average, most people walk at 3 miles per hour but it can be a lot faster or slower depending on your fitness level.
Age, gender, effort level, terrain, elevation climbed and even the weather will all affect how fast you walk. Try timing yourself over a set distance at different paces – slow, moderate, brisk and you could be surprised by the difference.
Walking for weight loss isn’t about speed – it’s about effort. The aim is to walk briskly. Your heart rate will be elevated but you can still talk and walk. You will be making a continuous effort to keep up the pace.
The chart below shows how long it takes to walk 4 miles at different paces:
| Walking Speed (mph) | Walking Pace (min/mile) | Time Taken To Walk 4 Miles (hour: min) |
| 2.5 | 24.0 | 1:36 |
| 2.75 | 21.8 | 1:27 |
| 3.0 | 20.0 | 1:20 |
| 3.25 | 18.5 | 1:14 |
| 3.5 | 17.1 | 1:08 |
| 3.75 | 16.0 | 1:04 |
| 4.0 | 15.0 | 1:00 |
| 4.25 | 14.1 | 0:56 |
| 4.5 | 13.3 | 0:53 |
| 4.75 | 12.6 | 0:50 |
| 5.0 | 12.0 | 0:48 |
Walking 4 Miles A Day Weight Loss
Any exercise that increases your daily calorie burn helps with weight loss. But weight loss isn’t just about exercise. Diet is the other part of the weight loss equation.
You need to create a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight. This is where it’s easy to come unstuck!
A calorie deficit is where you burn more calories than you consume. To lose weight your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) must be greater than the daily calories consumed.
This energy expenditure includes everything from body functions to brushing your teeth, taking the garbage out, mowing the lawn, and of course exercising.
If you go for a long walk and sit on the couch for the rest of the day, your non-exercise energy expenditure, called NEAT (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis), may end up being less than on days when you don’t exercise.
If you also reward your exercise efforts with high-calorie treats, that calorie deficit could end up being very small or be wiped out completely.
Find out more about how much you need to walk according to your BMI and the steps you can take if you’re not losing weight walking.
How Many Calories Burned Walking 4 Miles A Day?
The average person burns 320 calories walking 4 miles at a typical brisk walking pace of between 2.5 to 3.5 miles per hour. That’s 2240 calories per week if you’re walking 4 miles every day.
Everybody is different when it comes to burning calories from walking. We all have different walking speeds and fitness levels. You can use the walking calories calculator to get a more accurate result based on your current body weight, walking speed, and time spent walking.
Calorie burn increases significantly if you’re overweight or obese, or working hard at a power walking pace of 4.5 or even 5.0 mph. Use this calories burned walking chart to find out how many calories burned walking 4 miles at different walking speeds.
If you really want to burn calories – try walking fast uphill! But remember, for weight loss your walking pace needs to be sustainable.
It’s better to walk slower for longer than burn out after just 10 minutes.
That’s why HIIT walking sessions are best for enhancing your walking workouts and increasing your cardiovascular fitness – use them to supplement rather than replace a brisk walk. If you want to lose weight, you’ll burn more calories by walking further.
Will I Lose Weight Walking 4 Miles A Day?
Most people can expect to lose almost one pound a week and 4 pounds a month by walking 4 miles a day.
If you’re walking for weight loss it takes a calorie deficit of approximately 500 calories a day to burn one pound of body fat per week.
That’s assuming all calories come from fat burning and not muscle mass. The good news is that when you’re walking regularly you’re building up your leg muscles and the extra energy your body needs will come from your fat stores.
Losing weight
Walking 4 miles a day and making small improvements to your diet will help you lose one pound a week. This is sustainable permanent weight loss.
Take a daily walk and follow a healthy diet – it’s the best way to burn calories to hit your fitness goals and healthy weight targets. Unlike crash diets with their fake claims of losing 10 pounds a week, (it’s always water loss), the slow and steady weight loss from walking stays off for good if you avoid a return to old bad habits.
Regular exercise and eating better are life-long commitments – but you’ll feel so much better for it!
Physical And Mental Health Benefits Of Walking
Reaching a normal body weight is just one of the benefits of walking. Here are a few more:
Lower Blood Pressure
Physical activity lowers blood pressure by reducing blood vessel stiffness and improving blood flow. Improvements to blood circulation are most noticeable immediately after a workout – so for best results split up your daily walks into 2 to 3 sessions.
Bone Density
Long-term brisk walks are an effective way to improve bone mineral density in premenopausal women. Recent research by Lan and Feng published in 2022 recommends taking brisk 30-minute walks at least 3 times a week to prevent loss of bone mass.
Reduced Risk Of Heart Attack And Stroke
Regular cardiovascular exercise can significantly reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. This 2023 study by the American Heart Association found that people over 70 who walked just 500 extra steps a day had a 14% lower risk of heart disease, stroke, or heart failure.
The message is: walk more for better physical health!
Hit Health Targets For Moderate Exercise
Walking 4 miles a day hits the recommended level of at least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise.
Benefit From Walking In The Fresh Air
Studies show that long walks outdoors can provide a much-needed mental break from the stresses of day-to-day life.
Improved Abdominal Muscles
If you want a flat stomach – walking will help. Your new exercise routine will build your abdominal muscles and burning more calories will help you get rid of belly fat.
Find out more about how walking improves health conditions and reduces the risk of chronic diseases including certain cancers in this related post: Walking An Hour A Day: Health Benefits And Weight Loss
How To Walk 4 Miles A Day
Don’t jump straight into walking 4 miles a day if you’re new to exercise or haven’t exercised for some time. Instead, it’s best to gradually build up your walking distance.
Our How To Start A Walking Program For Beginners is full of advice such as getting a medical checkup, wearing comfortable and supportive walking shoes or trainers, and how to walk properly with good walking form.
Completing a walking challenge is a great way to get started. Try our 30-Day Walking Challenge and when you’ve completed the challenge continue with a brisk walk of 4 miles a day.
Thoughts From Love Life Be Fit
Brisk walking burns approximately 80 calories per mile and can be a great way to get fit and lose weight. Walking 4 miles a day is an ideal target – it hits the recommended physical activity levels for good health and it’s far enough to be a significant aid to weight loss.
Just remember that your diet is just as important as exercise when you want to lose weight – if walking makes you hungry fill up on fiber-rich whole grains, fruit, and vegetables. Find out more with our guide to What To Eat After Walking To Lose Weight.
It’s regular walking that’s important, so find some routes you enjoy walking every day and a distance that’s sustainable. It could be walking 2 miles a day, walking 3 miles a day, or walking 5 miles a day – just make sure it’s regular walking.