How Walking on Different Terrains Can Maximize Your Weight Loss

Many people who exercise to get in shape understand that weight-loss goals are most successfully reached when an exercise plan is paired with a healthy diet. But, for those who are turning to aerobic activities like walking or running to get their exercise, experts say the terrain they choose for their workouts also impacts how many calories they burn.

For many people living the city life or in the suburbs, the sidewalk or asphalt tends to be the most accessible surface for outdoor exercise, but smooth surfaces without inclines offer little resistance to the muscles, which means the body isn't burning as many calories as it could.

According to experts at the Cleveland Clinic, a person who weighs about 150 pounds will burn about 80 calories if they walk one mile at a 20-minute pace. People who weigh less tend to burn fewer calories, while people who weigh more typically burn more.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adults get either 150 minutes of this kind of moderate exercise each week, or at least 75 minutes of "vigorous" aerobic exercise weekly. Only about 20 percent of American adults and teens regularly get these recommended exercise amounts, which the AHA says is necessary for staying healthy.

Walking on flat surfaces is a healthy practice and does burn calories, and health experts with the healthcare services provider Optum recommend people start there if they are launching a walking exercise plan from scratch. Once a person feels comfortable with their walking routine, they can consider adding hills into their route to increase the intensity of their workout, Optum says.

Hill training strengthens muscles, builds lung capacity and boosts endurance. Even a 1 percent incline can lead to a 12 percent increase in the number of calories burned, according to the Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Disorders Institute of South Florida.

Hills often mean surface changes. People can benefit from walking on uneven surfaces, such as trails or beaches, because these involve more resistance. The body's muscles react differently to walking on "bare ground," such as dirt or grass, than on a sidewalk or road. Natural surfaces force the muscles "to make more adjustments to land, push off, and maintain your balance," according to the Long Island Weight Loss Institute.

Many experts identify sand as another surface that adds intensity and challenges the body to push itself. The foot and leg muscles encounter more resistance when walking or running on sand, even without an incline in the picture. The Long Island Weight Loss Institute says exercising in the sand can help people burn more than two times the number of calories they would ordinarily burn if they were completing their workouts on the sidewalk.

Newsweek reached out to Optum via email for comment.