Walking is actually an insanely impressive tool for weight loss and ZERO gym is required. But you do need some type of plan to see best results. Today, I’m sharing my 30 day walking for weight loss plan to help you tap into fat burning mechanisms and achieve your weight loss goals.
Walking For Weight Loss Plan Overview
Walking can help to burn fat as fuel because it is a lower intensity exercise. While you walk, your heart rate is lower than other higher intensity exercises, like running. This keeps the body burning primarily fat as fuel. And if you can take your walk outside, it has also been found to help lower the stress hormone cortisol.(1) High levels of the stress hormone cortisol are directly tied to weight gain around the belly, making frequent walk outdoors a helpful tool to tap into fat burning.(2)
Unlike many other walking plans, my plan is focused on consistency and daily walks. Unlike other exercises, walking can (and should) be done every day. The goal with our walking plan is to establish a new daily walking routine with multiple smaller walks throughout the day and to increase the length of certain walks as the weeks continue.
This approach helps you to steadily increase your walks while still establishing a new consistent routine.
Scroll down for your 28 Day Walking Plan!
Walking Plan ~ Week 1
Week 1 of my walking plan is focused on establishing the frequency of walks throughout the day. We'll be creating a routine of 4 "walks" every day.
These include:
1. first thing in the morning, preferably before anything has been eaten so that the body is in a fasted and fat burning state.
2. mid-morning, or around 10-11am. This helps to break up the sedentary work day and get some movement in.
3. lunch (or immediately after work). As we progress, this will be one of your longer walks, so ideally a lunch break tends to work best.
4. after dinner. Walking after dinner helps to improve digestion and sleep quality.
For the first week, each walk is only 10 minutes: 5 minutes out, then 5 minutes back. If you're not a beginner and you want to kick things up a notch, start with week 2.
Walking Plan ~ Week 2
In week 2, we're keeping the same schedule but we're starting to increase the length of time that you're walking. This week, we're increasing both the morning and lunch-time walk to 20 minutes each. That's 10 minutes out, 10 minutes back. Everything else stays the same.
Walking Plan ~ Week 3
In week 3 we're increasing the length and we're adding "mini-steps". Per usual, the 4 walk schedule stays the same, but we're making two adjustments:
Increasing the morning walk to 30 minutes
Adding 250 steps every hour of the work day
250 steps equates to about 2 minutes of walking. This addition helps to ensure that you don't go multiple hours of the day without getting your muscles stretching and flexing. These 250 steps can be achieved by simply walking to the bathroom, filling up your water or even just walking around your house or office (which is what I often do!). It might not seem like much, but this simple addition ups your step count by 2000 steps per day. That's an extra 14,000 steps per week!
Although not necessary, I have found it quite useful to use a step-tracker, especially starting week 3. I use the FitBit Versa 4 (pictured above) which helps to remind me every hour to get at least 250 steps. As you continue on your walking journey, you can also start assessing things like heart rate, pace and daily steps - all of which are very easily tracked with a step tracker.
You can grab the FitBit Versa 4 on Amazon HERE.
Walking Plan ~ Week 4
In our final week, we're keeping everything from week 3 the same, but we're slightly increasing the lunchtime walk to 30 minutes. That's 15 minutes out and 15 minutes back. Now your daily walking schedule will look like this:
1st: 30 minute walk before eating
2nd: 10 minute quick walk around 10-11am
3rd: 30 minute walk at lunch break
4th: 10 minute walk after dinner
*Mini-stand-ups every hour*
It might sound like a lot, but it really can fit quite well into busy schedules. This is my exact walking schedule and I find that it makes me more energized and focused for the day and I’m better and more productive at my work because of it.
Happy walking!
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❤️ Autumn
Autumn Elle Nutrition