Transform every walk you do into a weight-loss opportunity

I’ve unjoined the gym. At 59, I’ve finally admitted that I can’t stand it. And often, on darker, chillier days, a run feels like too much. Then one day I notice my step count has dipped to 735. On another, it’s a scandalous 204. That was me shuffling between our oversized jar, which contains crackers, and the fridge for butter and cheese. 

I used to walk miles every day, but since our dog died last year, that’s fallen off my radar too. Six pounds have crept on and something has to change. I need a form of exercise that involves no commute in order to get to it – because I simply won’t go. As my working hours are like some toxic boyfriend (erratic and impossible to pin down), I can’t be doing with timetabled exercise classes either. I need an anytime, anyplace, anywhere route to fitness that I actually love to do. Could a walking workout be the answer? 

Yes, say the experts. Walking is so incredibly good for us, it’s almost miraculous. “Let’s face it – lots of people hate running and the gym,” says Rhoda Cameron, a personal trainer and health behaviour change coach. “You can absolutely get fit by walking,” she says. “As it’s weight bearing, it helps to maintain bone health as well as strengthening muscles. But it’s also easy on joints and virtually impossible to injure yourself. Whatever you want to achieve, you can tailor your walk to align with your ability and goals.”

Clearly, a slow amble won’t cut it. To be fully effective, a walk must be brisk – at least three miles per hour – so you can still speak but may be puffing slightly. The first time I march up the hill in our local park, I’m panting like a dog. That’s the point, I remind myself. I’ve embarked on a daily walking plan to lose weight. “You’re also boosting the immune system, promoting cardiovascular health, as well as having a positive impact on cognitive impairment and improving longevity,” says sports scientist Tracy Richardson. 

That’s motivation enough. One week in, I’ve managed to clock up an average of 7,500 daily steps with a march round the block before breakfast, followed by a half-hour lunch-break wander and a second walk when work is finished for the day. I’m feeling sharper and happier – and no wonder. As a freelancer, I work from a desk in my bedroom (hardly the healthiest set-up). My new regime is forcing me to take a decent midday screen break rather than shovelling down a sandwich at my desk. I’ve even shed a couple of pounds. “It’s hard to lose weight through exercise alone,” says Cameron, “but after a walk you’ll feel so good and motivated that you’ll be less likely to self-soothe by turning to comfort food.”

In week two, I up my distance, aiming for 10,000 daily steps when time allows (I manage it four days out of seven). Although this supposedly magical figure originated from a Japanese marketing campaign, new research from the University of Sydney and the University of Southern Denmark suggests it really is the “sweet spot” in terms of boosting all-over fitness, including cardiovascular health. The study also suggests that the faster your pace, the greater the benefits – and every 2,000 steps lowers the risk of premature death incrementally by 8 to 11 per cent, up to around 10,000. Good news if you can’t spare the couple of hours it generally takes to rack up the whole total. 

For people like me, conditioned to believe that exercise must involve no small degree of hassle, pain and financial outlay, walking my way to fitness almost seems too good to be true. However, within two weeks my jeans are no longer slicing into my middle and now four pounds have melted away. All I’ve done is watched my portion sizes, swerved the cheese and put some gumption into my walks. After a month, I’ve established a habit of walking at least one hour a day – some days more than two. Crucially, my walking style has changed. It’s now brisk enough for me to overtake people (young people!) in the park. Heading towards my 60s, walking workouts are my key to fitness now – and for me, there’s no turning back. 

The benefits of walking

It’s not only free, but also less daunting than the gym. In terms of cardiovascular benefits, walking is a big hitter. “The action of walking promotes increased blood flow and can lower your resting heart rate and blood pressure,” explains Tracy Richardson. “Over time, this places less stress on the body systems and increases endurance.”

Meanwhile, muscles are strengthened and the metabolism is boosted. “As part of healthy lifestyle changes, it can certainly support you in weight management and reducing body fat,” Richardson adds. In a study of over 12,000 people, Harvard researchers investigated how obesity-promoting genes contribute to body weight. In those who walked briskly for around an hour a day, the effects of these genes were halved – resulting in greater mobility and less likelihood of injury through falls as they progressed through life. 

Physical rewards aside, there’s also nothing like the mental health boost that walking – whether alone or in company – provides. Even 75 minutes per week lessens the risk of depression by 18 per cent, rising to 25 per cent if you can rack up 150 minutes, according to research published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. For maximum benefits, try to step out in the park – or go properly rural – whenever you can. According to a study by mental health charity Mind, 90 per cent of participants reported a boost in self-esteem after walking in the countryside. 

Who walking is good for

Quite simply, everyone – but especially those who are put off by, or cannot manage, more vigorous exercise. “When we don’t enjoy exercise, we come up with numerous reasons not to do it and often end up abandoning it altogether,” says Rhoda Cameron. Not so with walking as, cleverly, it doesn’t feel like a chore. “It’s accessible to all ages and really future-proofs your health,” she says.

Cameron adds: “It’s particularly beneficial for women in midlife whose bone density is likely to be in decline. Some more vigorous forms of exercise can increase stress levels to the extent that cortisol may still be present in the saliva at bedtime. As symptoms of high cortisol can include rapid weight gain, a flushed face and mood swings – which show as anxiety, depression and irritability – that’s the last thing you want when you’re in menopause. Walking has the opposite effect, actually reducing stress hormones and promoting sleep.” 

For the ultra-busy, a walking workout can be easily slotted into your day. Even a quick outing in your lunch break adds up to the weekly 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity recommended by the NHS. According to researchers at the University of Cambridge, one in 10 early deaths could be prevented if everyone managed at least half of this. Meanwhile, 75 minutes per week of moderate activity – such as brisk walking – was seen to reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 17 per cent and cancer by 7 per cent.

How to burn calories through your step count

The faster we walk, the more calories we burn. A 155lb (70kg) person burns around 133 calories per 30 minutes of walking at 3.5 miles per hour, rising to 175 calories per 30 minutes if we speed up to 4 mph, according to an article by Harvard Health Publishing. Factor in some hills – maintaining that brisk pace – and you’ll burn up to 60 per cent more calories than if you were walking on firm, flat ground. 

What should you eat and drink if you’re walking for exercise?

“Aim to drink two litres over the course of the day if you’re walking regularly,” says Rhoda Cameron. “Water is best but anything counts, as long as it’s not a diuretic. If you drink coffee or tea, try to stick to decaffeinated.” Whether or not you should eat before your walk depends on the time of day and preference. Cameron is a devotee of early mornings, saying “I prefer to do that on an empty stomach”. 

If you do eat before walking, nutritional therapist Anne Larchy suggests: “Have some slow-release carbohydrates – anything wholemeal will work – plus protein. For a snack during your walk, I’d recommend a banana or home-made energy snack with oats, nuts and dried fruit, rather than a commercial bar which tends to be full of sugar. On a long walk, I’d suggest a drink with electrolytes, preferably made from a tablet added to water. These help to replenish the salts and minerals we use and lose during exercise over a prolonged period.”

Fitness kit to enhance your walking

“All you need is a decent pair of shoes,” says Richardson. Make sure they are comfortable, don’t rub and provide adequate support. Socks are also important, according to Bupa’s guidelines on walking, as they help to guard against blisters. They shouldn’t bunch up in your shoes and should take sweat away from your feet. Wear light clothing, incorporating wind- and waterproof layers if needed, plus reflective clothing if you’re out when it’s dark. 

There’s no shortage of tech to motivate you. Opt for an app like Strava, which tracks your physical exercise (using GPS) and can be helpful in goal setting. It also enables you to join challenges and share achievements with friends and followers, if that’s your thing. For new route ideas, you can access a database of trails with an app such as AllTrails. “I use my Fitbit app and aim to get up to 65-70k per week,” says neurodiversity coach Hayley Bee. “I definitely get more steps in than I would without it.”

“Some of the wearable tech [such as Apple, Garmin and Fitbit watches] provides physiological stats, such as heart rate variability,” says Tracy Richardson. “HRV is a tangible way to note variations in your cardiovascular health and overall wellness.” However, relying on tech as a motivator has a downside: “If you feel deflated when you don’t meet your targets, it’s simply one more added and unnecessary stressor,” she says.  

How to take your walking workout to the next level 

Be adventurous, suggests Tracy Richardson, such as rambling on trails as opposed to footpaths. “Walking up and downhill is more tiring, and as the body adapts over time, this becomes easier, improving your resilience and cardiovascular endurance.” 

It’s easy to add elements of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) too: “Do press-ups against trees and step-ups on kerbs, as well as lunges and squats,” says Rhoda Cameron. “Factor in steeper gradients and short bursts of fast walking – say, between certain trees. A playlist where some tracks have a gentler beat and others are faster encourages you to vary your pace.”

‘Walking is like being given a prescription to help you feel better in every way’ 

Robert Gibbons, 52, is married with two children and lives in Rossendale, Lancashire. He works in technology as a business development manager. 

“Before having kids, my fitness was probably higher than average. I enjoyed five-a-side football, badminton and tennis. But as any parent knows, finding time to fit in anything sports-related when you have kids becomes hard. I’d become pretty unfit and put on a few pounds. As my children grew older, I felt I could reclaim some time and start to focus on my health a bit more. All the warnings about inactivity in middle age had begun to hit home. 

“The trouble is, I’ve never been a runner or a gym addict, but I had enjoyed walking when I was younger. As a teenager I’d climbed Mount Kilimanjaro for a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. About five years ago I was chatting with a neighbour when we got round to the subject of walking. We arranged to go on a five-mile hike, with the promise of a pint at the end. 

“Until my neighbour moved away, it had become an almost weekly routine, but I kept up the habit on my own as I was noticing so many benefits. Physically, walking helps my joints and I’ve started to shift the weight. I sleep better, enjoy the time to decompress by myself, and I’m a far happier person as a result. It’s like being given a prescription from a doctor to help you feel better in every way.

“I’ve grown to love being outdoors, and I’m lucky that there are some great hills just metres from my front door. But within an hour’s drive, we also have the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District, and I’ve taken the family to Scotland where we climbed Ben Nevis. At the time, my daughter was eight and my son 11 and they did the whole day without moaning. 

“A year ago I discovered a walking-for-charity app called Trundl [which donates at least 30 per cent of subscription fees to charity]. It’s not competitive but it has a scale of how well subscribers are doing collectively. If we hit a group walking target, the donation to charity is higher. This encourages me to go out, even when it’s raining. Whenever I get a free day now, another walk gets ticked off. Getting sweaty and pumping iron in the gym was never for me, but walking has transformed my health and I can’t imagine life without it.”