3 Fast & Easy Tips to Walk Off the Weight

October 31, 2017

3 Fast & Easy Tips to Walk Off the Weight

The key to losing weight is to keep it simple. Here are three quick tips to help you start walking. You can start on the day that you are reading this. It’s never too early and never too late to get started.

1. ALWAYS BE PREPARED

Keep walking shoes everywhere: in your car, at the office, at home, you name it. If you have more pairs of walking shoes than fashion shoes, you will be healthier! I always carry fitness shoes in a tote bag but never give up my cute boots. I wear my heels “in” and my walking shoes “out” of whatever my day asks of me!

Tip: Get even more from your walk, and keep light hand weights with your walking shoes. Try a one-, two- or three-pound set for added muscle boost. “The Tone Every Zone Walk” goes over moves for sculpting your arms, waistline and legs while you walk!

2. MINI WALKS ADD UP

Plan mini walks into three parts of your day. You will create a very powerful healthy habit if you plan these around your meals. Aim for a quick 10-minute walk after breakfast, an easy 10-minute walk before lunch and a brisk 10-minute walk in the evening (before or after dinner — it’s your choice!). “Mix & Match Walk Blasters” makes it so easy.

Tip: It’s generally OK to walk after a meal. But if you choose to walk after a large, heavy meal like Thanksgiving, you might be uncomfortable. Any other time you can walk when you want. Walking is “no rules” fitness!

3. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WEEKEND

Plan long walks for the weekend! This is the secret weapon to speeding up weight loss. A 60-minute walk on Saturday and a 40-minute walk on Sunday can be the big burn to get those extra pounds to walk away! Try our “5 Boosted Miles” every Saturday morning to give your week a big burn!

About the Author

Leslie Sansone

Leslie Sansone is America’s number-one walk expert and creator of the Walk at Home program. She believes that our bodies were made to move, and we can walk our way to health and wellness. She contributes her time, expertise and financial support to health organizations including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, American Diabetic Association and Muscular Dystrophy Association. She was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2014.

25 responses to “3 Fast & Easy Tips to Walk Off the Weight”

Lita says:

October 30, 2016 at 7:53 pm

I love this! I can’t start running until I lose more weight, but I might not switch to running as my regular routine EVER! I can do walking with my kids, and it’s a great excuse to go to the mall, the zoo, the museum… It really does encourage an active lifestyle!

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Ben Dover says:

November 1, 2017 at 11:35 am

Burn the Coal
Pay the Toll

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- robinbishop34 says:
  
  November 18, 2017 at 9:57 am
  
  I bet I’m the only one on here that knows what that means… ha.
  
  Reply
  - Anonymous Anonymous says:
    
    November 18, 2017 at 1:29 pm
    
    A racist ass comment
    
    Reply
- Anonymous Anonymous says:
  
  November 18, 2017 at 1:32 pm
  
  You still finger F’in your dog?
  
  Reply
djlen says:

November 18, 2017 at 9:40 am

Oreo and I walk every day, at least 2 1/2 miles but more often 3 – 5. She’s getting a bit old but still is willing. 🙂
We just got back from a 3.75 mile walk, very enjoyable. Winter makes it a bit more of an issue, but once you get the habit, you push thru the cold and just DO IT!! Summer time I can walk and ride the bike which makes the weight just melt off. I’m 72 and in better shape than ever in my life.

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- Diane Burrill says:
  
  December 10, 2017 at 11:25 am
  
  Hi gjlen,
  Congratulations on staying in shape at 72 years old. My name is Diane and I live in Maine and I drive a school bus. I am 58 years old and was wondering if I started to walk on my treadmill what speed would I go. I am pretty active, but post menopausal and Im getting big thighs and a pouch belly. I am trying to reduce my legs and thigh by 4 inches if possible. I eat pretty healthy, although I don’t count calories. I am a member of myfitnesspal and thought I would log in my foods for a few days to see how I am doing with that part. I do make green smoothies. Can you give me some tips. Thank you in advance…
  
  Reply
  - djlen says:
    
    December 11, 2017 at 3:51 pm
    
    Hi Diane,
    With regard to your treadmill speed. I would suggest starting at 2mph and see how your body feels at that speed. I walk at approx. 3.5mph because I’ve found it gets my heart rate up and yet it still feels comfortable to me to walk at that speed. As you lose weight you will find body mass coming down all over. I walk for fun for both myself and Oreo…..we’ve been doing it for over 10 years together. Bottom line from my perspective is burn more calories than you take in and you will lose weight. VERY IMPORTANT: If you have not gotten a physical, please do so as soon as possible. None of us are Spring Chickens any more. You need to be careful of how you stress your heart, especially early on. Hope this helps.
    
    Reply
    - Diane Burrill says:
      
      December 13, 2017 at 3:53 am
      
      Morning djlen,
      Thank you for your quick response. Because being a school bus driver we have an intense physical every year so Im pretty healthy. I eat most always on track and I’ve had an intense stress test on my heart. My doctors said my heart results concludes of a person to live over 100 years. So unless something else gives up on me my heart should be good to go. I love to walk but not in this area of Maine. Lots of snow right now with bad road conditions, so treadmill is my choice. So I will take your suggestion and work on my calorie in and out, hopefully that will help. Before menopause I had more energy and could keep up with the fast pace, but its getting harder. If you wouldnt mind I will keep in touch….Thank you again 😉
      
      Reply
      - djlen says:
        
        December 13, 2017 at 5:14 am
        
        HI again Diane,
        MapMyFitness has a companion app. MyFitnessPal is a great way to keep track of calories and syncs with MyFitnessPal. When you combine the two you have your calories burned right in front of you immediately. If you are watchful you will lose weight. Sounds like you are in good shape physically. BTW, I am very familiar with your physical. I am a school bus driver as well. We are only required to get checked every two years. I had an “off” EKG taken before surgery in ’97 and my Dr. forced me to get a number of tests including a Nuclear Cardiac Stress Test, which I submitted to (state required for school bus drivers) from ’97 – 2008. When my cardiologist found my EKG ‘normal’ the state stopped requiring me to take the stress tests and I’ve been “normal” ever since. Walking and riding my bikes are what did it for me. I feel blessed to have come through all this but I needed to do the footwork/pedalwork….lol.
        Please keep in touch and let me know how you’re progressing over time.
Carrie says:

November 18, 2017 at 10:46 am

Walking is fun, and healthy, and has many benefits. But you’d have to walk every waking moment AND be careful with food intake to lose any weight from it. Another misleading article from MFP.

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- Janet Mary Lee says:
  
  November 18, 2017 at 12:38 pm
  
  Now that is a misleading statement I found not to be true, Carrie.
  
  Reply
  - Tammy Abernathy says:
    
    November 18, 2017 at 2:08 pm
    
    Carrie, as long as you get your heart rate up, you will burn calories and lose weight.
    
    Reply
    - Mark Evans says:
      
      November 18, 2017 at 3:21 pm
      
      A 120lb person burns ~65 calories a mile / 180lb person burns ~100 calories a mile
      
      1 Glazed Donut can be ~250+ calories. 1 hamburger ~300+ calories
      
      DIET management is way more powerful than exercise but exercise will make it a lot easier to look good naked and keep you motivated….:)
      
      I would say walking is great but I only would recommend it as a part of a bigger fitness plan…especially resistance training, HITT, whatever floats your boat.
      
      So I would agree with Carrie’s initial statement unless your walking a ton each day or varying with at least 3 speeds of intensity, add weights, etc it’s a very slow fat burner.
      (If you’re obese of course you’ll see calories melt a lot faster but the closer you get to you ideal weight the harder the body will resist you from losing more.)
      
      Reply
  - Mark Evans says:
    
    November 18, 2017 at 3:38 pm
    
    (I accidentally double posted this below but this was meant to reply to Janet Mary Lee.)
    
    A 120lb person burns ~65 calories a mile / 180lb person burns ~100 calories a mile
    
    1 Glazed Donut can be ~250+ calories. 1 hamburger ~300+ calories
    
    DIET
    management is way more powerful than exercise but exercise will make it
    a lot easier to look good naked and keep you motivated….:)
    
    I would say walking is great but I only would recommend it as a part of a
    bigger fitness plan…especially resistance training, HITT, whatever
    floats your boat.
    
    So I would agree with Carrie’s initial statement
    unless your walking a ton each day or varying with at least 3 speeds of
    intensity, add weights, etc it’s a very slow fat burner.
    (If you’re
    obese of course you’ll see calories melt a lot faster but the closer
    you get to you ideal weight the harder the body will resist you from
    losing more.)
    
    Reply
    - Janet Mary Lee says:
      
      November 18, 2017 at 4:49 pm
      
      Well, thank you Mark. I am morbidly obese. I get where you are coming from, but we are not all the same. I walked regularly and it certainly keep my size down. Diet management alludes many of us who have dieted for decades without success, though we might weigh 500+ had we not just kept trying. Even after therapy I still comfort eat, but just less. If a lot of people in this world were more kind and more sensitive, and more responsible in their lives people might not be so heavy either. Often life is more complex than fuel in, energy expended. I am 64 and walking is often difficult enough as heart disease, arthritis, sob, shift work and sleeping issues have taken their toll. I suffered abuse (stress) as a child, as well as stress in my job (which I did a good job- I can be proud), and stress in my “marriage” which ended after 40 years with him running off with another women. Hmm, she was thinner, not too moral. I am still stressed, but it is usually picking up a load from someone who thinks it cute to not do their share, I shoulder a good bit of blame on my handling of situations, too. But I stand by my statement. You do not have to walk tons for it to make an impact. Stopping, which I have done in the last few years made the greater impact as did genetics. I look just like my Italian ancestors of old. I still think it is a hoot I remained thin in my younger days when dexatrim was available- And I could use it at intervals. Gee, could this be chemical inbalance more than a willpower and exercise issue …..
      
      Reply
      - Walt Corey says:
        
        November 18, 2017 at 7:29 pm
        
        Janet, please see my comment above. Read the three referenced articles, google Dr Jason Fung. He has a 6 part series Entiology of Obesity which became the “Obesity Code” book. He has one other on Fasting. For myself, my initial weight loss was strictly from following the My Fitgness Pal Smartphone App.
    - stillnot2late says:
      
      November 18, 2017 at 7:02 pm
      
      Yes
      
      Reply
    - David says:
      
      November 20, 2017 at 4:53 am
      
      As a nurse, I am thrilled to hear someone is walking. Great job, Janet.
      
      Reply
      - Nathaniel Johnson says:
        
        November 21, 2017 at 11:28 am
        
        Dave, what kind of nurse are you and where do you live/work? I am nurse as well and work in a Surgical Trauma ICU and MICU.
    - Trudi Sanburg Hall says:
      
      November 21, 2017 at 2:23 pm
      
      Dang! Now I’m craving a glazed donut!
      
      Reply
    - djlen says:
      
      December 11, 2017 at 4:00 pm
      
      Thanks Mark for this. Before I lost 43 unwanted pounds @183lbs., between riding the bike and walking I dropped weight like crazy. Since I’m in the 140lb. range I do my excising just to maintain that weight. 140 must be my ‘ideal’ because it’s where I’ve been for years…..no sweat!!!
      
      Reply
- stillnot2late says:
  
  November 18, 2017 at 7:00 pm
  
  You have to walk your butt off with intensity. Intensity is the key. I walk to keep my joints from rusting. Arthritic knees, plantar in one foot, ball of foot damage in the other. I will never be able to weight loss walk again, cause i cant do what is needed to actually lose from walking.
  
  Reply
Walt Corey says:

November 18, 2017 at 7:33 pm

Three Fast and Easy Tips to Walk Off the Weight is a terribly misleading and BS title. Losing weight is not easy and anyone who tells you that 1) never lost weight and 2) doesn’t know anyone who has.

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LisatheMom says:

November 20, 2017 at 12:16 pm

A doctor to told me that at my age, 56, I should be walking at least 20 minutes a day just to keep my bone density. That’s a good enough reason for me.

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