John Schaefer, a California-based coach, has shared a ‘sneaky’ weight loss tip that he says can burn more than 400 calories a day – and you might not even break a sweat doing it
A health influencer has revealed just how much difference a walk each day can make to your weight loss journey.
Time and time again, we hear that 10,000 daily steps is the golden number for keeping fit and healthy. But John Schaefer, a California-based coach, has put it all into perspective for his 905,000 followers on TikTok (@johnschaeferhealth).
“By far one of the easiest ways to increase the rate in which you lose weight is to start walking more,” he said. “The goal is 10,000 steps a day – it’s about four-and-a-half miles. It’s not a hard number, but it gives you something to shoot for.
“It is the sneakiest form of fat loss. If you hit 10,000 steps a day for 100 days that’s a million steps. For an average person, you burn about 100 calories per mile walk… Not only does that help you on a daily basis, but adds up to incredible calorific burn over time.”
John isn’t the only one to recommend 10,000 steps a day either. Believe it or not, the concept actually originated from a hugely successful marketing campaign launched ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The Japanese character for ‘10,000’ looks rather like a person walking so, that’s why it was chosen for the project.
But since then, various studies have confirmed that 10,000 steps can significantly benefit your health and support weight loss – even if it isn’t as vigorous as running on a treadmill. A University of Southern Denmark-led project also claimed that just 9,800 daily steps can completely slash your risk of dementia, after analysing the data of 78,430 Brits.
According to the NHS, most Brits currently manage around 3,000 to 4,000 steps every 24 hours, so walking a little more is no doubt a good alternative for anyone who dislikes the gym. John continued: “It’s good for the mind, good for muscle soreness. Walk your dog, catch up on phone calls with a friend – it’s a super easy way to make permanent fat loss a reality.”
Unsurprisingly, John’s post soon racked up plenty of comments on the platform, with many users claiming they’d also had success with the technique. One person wrote: “I lost 12kg in three months with a calorie deficit and just walking, I agree!”, as another chimed in: “Especially if you do a fasted walk!”
Meanwhile, the NHS also suggests even a brisk 10-minute walk can make all the difference if you don’t have a lot of time on your hands. “Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier,” its advice reads.
“You do not have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your 150 minutes of weekly exercise.”
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