In today’s age of smartwatches and Fitbits, it’s hard to go for more than a few hours without taking a sneaky peak at your daily step count.

Whether it’s the excitement from the notification letting you know you’ve reached 10,000 steps, or the guilty feeling when you realize you’ve only managed less than 2,000 on particularly busy days at the desk – step counts have become integral to our daily routines.

But they’re not just a gimmick.

How many steps should I do a day to lose weight?

To shed pounds, a calorie deficit is necessary. Dr. Ahmadi advises that steps alone won’t do the trick; you’ll also need to reduce your food intake.

“However, what we do know is that activity can improve our cardiometabolic health even if you don’t lose weight,” he says.

Studies have indicated that hitting 10,000 steps per day can boost your chances of losing weight. However, when it comes to weight loss, the intensity of your exercise plays a more crucial role than just the number of steps taken.

Researchers advise more vigorous intensity exercise but it doesn’t have to be jogging or playing sport.

“You can get to vigorous intensity, just with brisk walking,” says Catrine Tudor-Locke, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. “It doesn’t have to be running.”

How many calories will you burn while walking?

Does walking burn a lot of calories?

This largely depends on your weight, as the more body fat you’re carrying, the more calories you’re likely to burn, as the body uses up more energy when it comes to moving additional weight stored in the form of fat tissue.

However, the below represents a rough guide.

For example, 50 calories represents approximately two cups of cherry tomatoes, a chunk (or 50 grams) of cheddar cheese comes to 200 calories, and a Greek salad is 400 calories.