Key points
- The evidence for weight loss is thin. In the best-known trial, a heavy vest worn about eight hours a day for three weeks led to roughly 1.3 kg more weight loss than a very light one.
- A vest did not protect bones in a year-long trial. Older adults who wore one while losing weight lost about as much hip bone as those who only changed their food.
- A heavier body is already a load. Walking costs energy in proportion to the total weight you move, so for many people living with obesity every walk is already a weighted walk.
- Walk more often and longer first. Adding minutes, a little speed or a gentle slope raises the effort with less strain on knees, hips, back and heart than adding kilos.
- A vest is an optional extra, not a starting point. It may fit later, when your usual walks feel easy, and only with a light load on flat ground.
- Talk to your doctor first if you have heart or blood pressure problems, joint or back pain, balance problems, osteoporosis or pelvic floor problems.
Does a weighted vest help with weight loss? What the studies show
A weighted vest can add a little to weight loss, but the gain in studies is small and short-term. No trial has shown that a vest works better than eating a bit less and walking a bit more.
The vest is popular on social media, often with before-and-after claims. The research behind it is much quieter, and most of it was not done in people trying to lose weight.
The three-week trial with heavy vests
Swedish researchers gave 72 adults with a BMI between 30 and 35 either a heavy vest (11 % of their body weight) or a very light one (1 %). They wore it at least eight hours a day for three weeks, standing or moving around for part of that time.
The heavy-vest group lost about 1.3 kg more than the light-vest group. Body fat, estimated with a bioimpedance scale, also fell more. No serious side effects were reported, although two people in the heavy group stopped, one of them because of leg pain.
That sounds promising, but look at what it took: a vest of around 10 kg, worn for a full working day. The study was short, wear time was self-reported, and the participants were healthy adults with mild obesity, not people with joint pain or heart problems.
The “body weight sensor” idea
The trial tested a theory called the gravitostat. In rats and mice with small weights implanted in the body, the animals ate less and lost body fat, and the effect seemed to depend on cells in the bones that sense load.
The idea is that your legs “feel” how heavy you are and the brain adjusts appetite. It is interesting science, but it is still a theory in humans. In the three-week trial, the self-reported food intake did not differ clearly between the two groups.
The year-long trial in older adults
A larger American trial followed 150 adults with obesity, average age 66, for twelve months. All of them followed a calorie-reduced diet. One group also wore a vest about seven hours a day, loaded to replace much of the weight they lost; another group did supervised strength training instead.
All three groups lost about 9 to 11 % of their body weight. Hip bone density dropped by roughly 1 to 2 % in every group, and the vest group did no better than the diet-only group. There were also more muscle and joint complaints in the vest and strength groups than with diet alone.
A small follow-up of an earlier pilot study hinted that people who wore a vest while dieting had regained less weight two years after they started. With only 18 people and a result that could be chance, it is a reason for more research, not a reason to buy a vest.
How a weighted vest works: more load, a bit more energy per step
A vest makes each step slightly harder because your legs have to support and move more mass. Your heart beats a little faster and you use a little more energy, roughly in line with the extra kilos.
Lab studies show this clearly. When healthy young adults walked with vests of 10 to 20 % of their body weight, their oxygen use rose and so did the forces through their feet with every step. In sedentary adults with overweight, a vest of 10 % raised heart rate and energy use at ordinary walking speeds.
A study of more than 1,400 walking trials found that the energy cost of walking is predicted well by just three things: speed, slope and the total weight moved, body plus load. A kilo in a vest costs about as much to carry as a kilo of body weight.
So a 5 kg vest on someone who weighs 120 kg adds only around 4 % to the work of walking. Walking a few minutes longer, or a little faster, gives a similar or bigger boost without the extra weight.
| Activity | MET value | 80 kg | 100 kg | 125 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slow walk on the flat, about 4 km/h | 3.5 | 145 kcal | 185 kcal | 230 kcal |
| Same slow walk carrying about 18 kg | 4.8 | 200 kcal | 250 kcal | 315 kcal |
| Brisk walk on the flat, about 6 km/h, no load | 4.8 | 200 kcal | 250 kcal | 315 kcal |
| Hiking through fields and hillsides, normal pace, no load | 5.3 | 225 kcal | 280 kcal | 350 kcal |
| Walking uphill, 6 to 10 % slope, no load | 7.0 | 295 kcal | 370 kcal | 460 kcal |
| Walking uphill, 5 to 10 % slope, carrying 4.5 to 9 kg | 6.5 | 275 kcal | 340 kcal | 425 kcal |
MET values come from the latest Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. Your own numbers can differ, so treat them as a rough guide; our calories burned calculator explains how they work.
The table holds a useful surprise. A slow walk with 18 kg on your back uses about the same energy as a brisk walk with nothing at all. Speed and slope are free; the load is the option with the most strain.
If you are heavier, you already carry the load
For most people living with obesity, a weighted vest is not needed and may do more harm than good. Your body weight already makes every step real work, which is exactly why walking counts so much for you.
The vest trials were done in people with mild obesity, mostly without joint or heart problems. Someone who weighs 130 kg and has sore knees is in a very different place. For you, the safest way to raise the effort is to walk more often and for longer, then a little faster, before you ever think about extra kilos.
A vest adds pressure where many heavier bodies already feel strain: knees, hips, ankles, lower back and feet. It can also make you hot, rub the skin and upset your balance. In an older-adult review, one trial recorded more falls among vest users, and in a weight-loss trial with weekly load increases, five people developed back pain or soreness.
| Sign | Why it matters | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Knee, hip or ankle pain during or after walks | Extra load raises the forces through painful joints with every step | Shorter, more frequent walks; cycling or pool walking |
| Back pain, or a history of back problems | A vest pulls on the shoulders and spine and can trigger soreness | Strength work for the back and hips, without load |
| Heart disease, chest pain or blood pressure that is not under control | Carrying weight pushes your heart rate up at the same speed | Talk to your doctor first and keep to a pace where you can still talk |
| Feeling unsteady, dizziness or a recent fall | A load shifts your balance and makes stumbles harder to catch | Balance exercises and walking with a stick or poles if needed |
| Osteoporosis or a recent fracture | A fall with extra weight can do more damage | Ask your doctor or a physiotherapist which loading is safe |
| Pelvic floor problems, pregnancy or a recent birth | Extra load may add strain here, and the vest trials did not include this group | Ask a pelvic health physiotherapist before adding load |
| Walks of 30 minutes still feel hard | Your body weight is already giving you a full workout | Build time and frequency first, as our walking guide shows |
None of these is a lifelong ban. Many people find that, as their weight falls and their legs get stronger, light extra challenge becomes possible. If you are unsure, our doctor visit checklist helps you ask the right questions.
When a weighted vest can make sense
A vest can be a reasonable extra once walking feels easy and your joints are happy. Think of it as a late step for variety, not as the thing that makes you lose weight.
- After a good amount of weight loss. When your body weight is lower, a light vest can bring back some of the effort your walks used to take, without a big jump in strain.
- When your usual walk has become easy. If you can walk 45 to 60 minutes briskly, on hills too, a vest is one of several ways to keep progressing.
- When you have no hills nearby. In a flat town, a light load is one way to add effort, though walking a little faster does the same.
- For older adults who want to stay strong. Small studies in people over 60 suggest vests used during exercise, such as step-ups or sit-to-stands, can improve some measures of leg strength. Wearing a light vest around the house showed little benefit.
Bone health deserves an honest word. Losing weight can thin the bones a little, especially later in life, and many people hope a vest will prevent that. The year-long trial above suggests it does not, at least at the hip.
What protects bone and muscle best during weight loss is a mix of enough protein, gentle strength exercise and staying active. Our pages on strength training and keeping muscle while you lose fat show how; women around menopause can read more about bone loss after menopause.
How heavy and how long: a safe start if you want to try
If you and your doctor agree that a vest is worth trying, start lighter than you think and walk on flat, even ground. A review of vest programmes in older adults advises starting loads of about 1 to 5 % of body weight, and only raising them when your walking stays steady.
The heavy loads in the studies, 10 % of body weight or more, were tested in lab settings or with medical checks. For someone weighing 120 kg, 10 % would be 12 kg, which is far too much to begin with.
- Pick a vest that sits close to the body and spreads the weight evenly over chest and back. A load that bounces or hangs low pulls on your shoulders and lower back.
- Walk only. No running, jumping or skipping with a vest, because landing forces rise sharply with every extra kilo.
- Keep the first sessions short. Wear it for 10 to 15 minutes of a walk you already know well, then take it off and finish without it.
- Add time before weight. Lengthen the loaded part of your walk over several weeks before you add any extra kilos.
- Stay on flat routes at first. Stairs, steep slopes and uneven paths are harder to manage with a load, especially going down.
- Use the talk test. You should still be able to speak in full sentences; it is the simplest way to keep the effort moderate.
Stop and take the vest off if you feel new or worsening pain, dizziness, chest discomfort or unusual breathlessness, or if you stumble. Rest, then go back to walks without load until you feel fine again. If the pain returns, see a doctor or physiotherapist.
Wearing a vest all day, as in the three-week trial, is not something we recommend at home. It is hard to keep up, it can rub and overheat, and the evidence for it is too weak to justify the strain.
Is rucking good for weight loss? Walking with a backpack
Rucking simply means walking with a loaded backpack. It works the same way as a vest: a little more energy per step, and more load on joints and back.
The name comes from “rucksack”. There are no good trials of rucking for weight loss in people living with obesity, so any promise of fast fat loss is not based on research.
In the Compendium, walking slowly on the flat with an 18 kg pack uses about the same energy as a brisk walk with no pack. A moderate climb with a light pack of 4.5 to 9 kg is listed slightly below a brisker climb with no pack at all.
If you want to try a backpack later, the vest rules apply. Start with a few kilos, use both shoulder straps, keep the weight high and close to your back, and fasten a hip belt if the bag has one. Walk only on routes you already know.
A practical tip: carrying your groceries home is a form of rucking that fits into daily life. Splitting the shopping into two bags, one in each hand or a backpack, is kinder to your back than one heavy bag on one side.
Is hiking good for weight loss? Hills, stairs and paths as the free alternative
Yes, hiking and walking on hilly routes can help with weight loss, because a slope raises your effort without adding any load. For most people it is a safer and cheaper way to make a walk harder than a vest.
In the Compendium, walking through fields and hillsides at a normal pace uses more energy than a brisk walk on the flat. A moderate-to-brisk climb on a 6 to 10 % slope uses about twice the energy of a slow walk on level ground.
Uneven paths also train your balance and the small muscles around your ankles. And a route with a view gives you a reason to walk a little further than you planned.
How to add hills safely
- Start with one short slope in a route you know, and walk it at a pace where you can still talk.
- Shorten your steps on the way up and lean forward slightly from the ankles.
- Go down slowly. Downhill is often harder on the knees than uphill; walking poles can share the load.
- Choose wide, well-marked paths at first, and tell someone where you are going on longer hikes.
- Stairs count as hills. A few flights at work or at home are a good test of progress.
If your knees complain on slopes, our page on exercise with bad knees has knee-friendly options. If you prefer a machine, the gym workout guide shows how to use incline on a treadmill and the stair machine.
Weighted vest or simply walking longer or faster?
For weight loss, walking longer or faster is usually the better choice. It adds similar or more effort, costs nothing and puts less strain on your body than extra weight.
The table compares the main ways to make a walk harder. Read it from top to bottom: the options near the top suit nearly everyone, those near the bottom suit people whose walks have already become easy.
| Option | Extra effort | Load on joints | Cost | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walk longer | Grows with every minute | Low | Free | Everyone, especially beginners | Sore feet; build up a few minutes a week |
| Walk more often | Adds up over the day | Low | Free | People who tire quickly | Rest days if joints ache |
| Walk faster | Moderate | Low to moderate | Free | People with a steady walking habit | Breathlessness; use the talk test |
| Hills or stairs | Moderate to high | Moderate, more going down | Free | People whose flat walks feel easy | Knee pain on the way down |
| Hiking trail | Moderate to high | Moderate | Free, plus shoes with grip | Longer weekend walks | Uneven ground, weather, getting lost |
| Backpack (rucking) | Small to moderate | Moderate to high | Low | Fit walkers without joint or back pain | Back and shoulder strain |
| Weighted vest | Small to moderate | Moderate to high | Moderate | Fit walkers after weight loss | Joints, back, balance, heat |
Our walking for weight loss guide explains how fast to walk and how to check your pace, and it has a full plan if you are starting from zero. If you want more variety, cycling and swimming add effort with almost no load on your joints.
Running is another way to raise the effort, but it brings higher impact. If you are curious, running for weight loss starts with short run-walk intervals.
An 8-week plan: from your walking base to hills
Talk to your doctor first before you follow this plan, especially if any sign in the checklist above applies to you. This plan is not for your first weeks of walking. It starts when you already walk about 30 minutes on most days without pain.
By week 6 you walk a little over 200 minutes a week, inside the 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity the WHO guidelines advise for adults. The aim is to make your walks harder step by step, mostly with time, pace and slopes. A vest appears only in the last weeks, as an option you can skip.
| Week | Walking time | Terrain | Optional load |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 minutes on 5 days; one walk of 40 minutes | Flat routes you know | None |
| 2 | 30 to 35 minutes on 5 days; one walk of 45 minutes | Flat, with 2 or 3 short brisk stretches | None |
| 3 | 35 minutes on 5 days | Add one gentle slope or a flight of stairs | None |
| 4 | 35 minutes on 5 days; easier week, no new challenge | Same as week 3 | None |
| 5 | 35 to 40 minutes on 5 days | Two or three slopes per walk; walk them at a steady pace | None |
| 6 | 40 minutes on 5 days; one longer walk of 60 minutes | One walk on an easy park trail or unpaved path | None |
| 7 | 40 minutes on 5 days | Hilly route twice a week | Only if all is easy and your doctor agrees: a light vest for 10 minutes on a flat part |
| 8 | 40 to 45 minutes on 5 days | Hilly route twice a week; one longer trail walk | Optional: the same light vest for 15 to 20 minutes on the flat, no extra weight |
Repeat a week whenever it felt too hard. Aching that fades by the next morning is normal; pain that lingers or swelling means you should step back.
Warm up with a few minutes of slow walking and finish the same way. Our page on warming up and stretching has simple moves for before and after. Adding two short strength sessions a week, such as the free Start or Build videos in our workout levels, supports your joints on hills.
Food and a steady pace still do most of the work
Weight loss comes mainly from eating a little less energy than you use, week after week. A vest, a backpack or a hill can only add a modest amount to that, so the food side matters most.
Simple swaps help most: more vegetables and protein at meals, water instead of sugary drinks, and smaller portions of very energy-dense snacks. Our guide to foods to avoid for weight loss shows where most hidden calories sit.
Aim for a pace of weight loss you can keep up. Our page on safe weight loss explains why slow and steady protects your muscle, your energy and your mood. As your body changes, our page on stretch marks after weight loss answers common skin questions.
Free help to lose weight with walking
Obesity Foundation is a non-profit, and everything we offer is free. We help people lose weight and feel better with good food, suitable exercise and walking, starting from where your body is today.
- Free workout videos. Start, Build and Strong levels to make your legs, back and balance ready for hills. Get the free workout videos.
- A free eating plan. Filling meals that go with your walks, without crash diets. Ask for your free eating plan.
- The Obesity Foundation Club. A free personal account to log walks, minutes and steps and follow your progress. Join the club.
- A free video meeting (in English). Talk with our team about your walking, your goals and what fits your body. Book a free video meeting.
Your next step does not need any equipment: add five minutes to tomorrow’s walk.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear a weighted vest all day to lose weight?
We do not recommend it. The all-day trial lasted only three weeks, in healthy adults with mild obesity, and gave about 1.3 kg extra weight loss; long daily wear can rub the skin, cause back pain and make you overheat. After talking to your doctor, short, light sessions on a familiar walk are safer.
How heavy should a weighted vest be for a beginner?
Start very light: a review of vest programmes in older adults suggests about 1 to 5 % of body weight, adding more only when your walking stays steady and pain-free. That is often a few kilos at most, and at a higher weight your own body already gives plenty of load, so extra minutes usually help more.
Does a weighted vest protect my bones while I lose weight?
Probably not on its own. In a year-long trial in older adults with obesity, people who wore a vest while dieting lost about as much hip bone as people who only dieted. Enough protein, calcium-rich food, strength exercise and staying active are the better-supported ways to look after your bones; ask your doctor if you have osteoporosis.
Is rucking better than walking for weight loss?
Not for most people. Walking with a heavy backpack uses a bit more energy per minute, but a brisk walk with no pack can use about the same, with less strain on your back, knees and balance. There are no good trials of rucking for weight loss in people living with obesity.
Can I use a weighted vest if I have high blood pressure?
Talk to your doctor first. Carrying extra weight raises your heart rate at the same walking speed, and if your blood pressure is not well controlled, extra strain is not a good idea. Many people with high blood pressure can walk safely at a pace where they can still talk, and that alone helps.
Is hiking or a weighted vest better for losing weight?
For most people, hiking or walking hilly routes is the better choice. A slope raises your effort without adding weight to your joints, it costs nothing and it trains your balance. Take slopes slowly at first, especially downhill, and use walking poles if your knees need support.
Sources
- Ohlsson C et al. – Increased weight loading reduces body weight and body fat in obese subjects: a proof of concept randomized clinical trial, EClinicalMedicine (2020)
- Jansson JO et al. – Body weight homeostat that regulates fat mass independently of leptin in rats and mice, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018)
- Beavers KM et al. – Weighted vest use or resistance exercise to offset weight loss-associated bone loss in older adults: a randomized clinical trial, JAMA Network Open (2025)
- DeLong C et al. – Does weighted vest use during weight loss influence long-term weight loss maintenance? A pilot study in older adults living with obesity and osteoarthritis, International Journal of Obesity (2025)
- Luo H et al. – Weighted vest interventions in older adults: a mini-review of implementation, benefits, and limitations, Frontiers in Public Health (2026)
- Ludlow LW, Weyand PG – Walking economy is predictably determined by speed, grade, and gravitational load, Journal of Applied Physiology (2017)
- Puthoff ML et al. – The effect of weighted vest walking on metabolic responses and ground reaction forces, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2006)
- Dossou J et al. – Validity of energy expenditure from combined accelerometry and heart rate during load carriage in adults with overweight to mild obesity, European Journal of Applied Physiology (2026)
- Herrmann SD et al. – 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities, Journal of Sport and Health Science (2024)
- Bull FC et al. – World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, British Journal of Sports Medicine (2020)