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Kick-Start Your 7-Day Weight-Loss Walking Plan

A woman with long blonde hair in a ponytail is standing outdoors, wearing an outdoor jacket. She appears to be walking amidst trees, with a blurred sky in the background. MyFitnessPal Blog
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There’s never a bad time to start walking. Now that you’ve read our Three Ways to Walk Off the Weight, we hope you’re even more motivated to get started. Is it Friday? Sunday? It doesn’t matter. Start today, and continue until you have done a full week. Then just “rinse and repeat” four times, and you’ve got a month!

THE ULTIMATE FALL SEVEN-DAY WALKING PLAN TO KICK-START WEIGHT LOSS

Monday – Start the week strong.

Did you know Monday is the day of the week that usually has the highest attendance at fitness clubs? Starting the week with a solid workout is a powerful habit! Try doing a three-mile walk before dinner.

Tuesday – Use the power of the “small dose” of exercise.

There is great power in mini workouts because they all add up. A 10-minute brisk walk after lunch is so energizing, or try a strength-training routine in the evening while catching up on the world news. Mini workouts keep you on track if you remember working out is not all or nothing but rather a cumulative project. It’s very important to know you are not skipping workouts or giving up because you don’t have an hour to exercise. Do a mini walk at lunch, then add an ab routine in the evening. My “Just Walk: Belly Blasting Walk” has great ab routines that you can do on the floor — right in front of the TV!

Wednesday – Attempt the midweek metabolism boost!

Through fitness science, we know the best metabolism boosters are HIIT workouts – that’s high-intensity interval training. High-intensity efforts are so doable as walkers. Your goal is a short work phase and a longer recovery phase. Here’s an easy way to HIIT right now:

Walk for 5 minutes to warm up. Then walk as fast as possible for 100 steps. (I just count it out to myself, no device necessary.) Next, walk slowly for 2 minutes. Then “HIIT” 100 steps of super-fast walking. It may even look like a gentle jog. We call that boosted walking! Repeat 4 more cycles of 2 minutes of slow walking and 100 steps of boosted walking. Then cool down with 5 minutes of slow walking. You’ll sweat! I guarantee it! Try “Walk to the Hits” for superior HIIT for walkers.

Thursday – Take mini walks.

Your week may need some relief at this point and to keep you feeling on track just do a quick 10-minute walk after lunch. You’ll meet that goal easily and feel successful — and you’ll give your body a chance to recover a bit. That’s a big part of the short- and long-term rewards you will continue to experience if you keep mini walks as your “secret weapon” for sticking to your plan!

Friday – Strength train after work.

A few minutes of strength training for each area of the body is all it takes to get a  total-body routine done. In two or three exercises (three sets of 10 reps) you can work your full upper body: arms, back and chest. Try bicep curls, tricep extensions and pushups. In two exercises,you can have your entire core done: Try knee hugs – Pilates-style and bicycle rotators. For the lower body, just one exercise can tone and sculpt the legs and back-end muscles. Try squats: Count 25, and do two sets.

Just Walk: The Tone Every Zone Walk” shows you each exercise. Once you learn the basics, you can do those exercises anywhere, anytime!

Saturday – The big burn day!

Plan for 60 minutes of walking. Walking at any pace will work to give you a big burn, but adding short bursts of boosted walking will really turn up the burn! Just add 10 super-fast steps in every 10 minutes of walking! That’s 60 super-fast steps. Try “Just Walk: 5 Boosted Miles,” and you’ll never have to think about a thing. It’s all planned out for you!

Sunday – Take a day to rest and restore.

Why not combine the rest with a slow walk with family, maybe even right after Sunday dinner? Don’t count miles, or minutes or steps. Just walk and talk, and enjoy the blessings of a healthy day!

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