Walk Off The Weight in 4 Weeks

You've resolved to lose weight, which means not only eating healthier, but also moving more. While you could buy a pricey gym membership or hire a personal trainer, there's an easier way to get in shape: Commit to a walking program. Walking is one of the best ways to lose weight simply because it's convenient and doesn't require any equipment. And it's super effective at burning calories. "As long as you walk with some intention and challenge your body, you will drop weight," says Tracey Staehle, a certified fitness trainer in Hartford, Conn., and creator of the Walking Strong and Results Fitness: Boost Your Metabolism DVDs.

To help you reach your goals, Staehle's designed a four-week walking plan. Each week, you'll walk a little more and work a little harder.

First, we'll show you how to know how hard you're working, next we'll introduce you to three fat-burning walks, then we'll give you four weeks worth of routines. Do them outdoors or on a treadmill, and in a month, you'll be carrying less baggage on that body.

How Hard Should You Be Working?

Figuring out how hard you should be working while you walk is easy when you use the following chart. It's based on rating of perceived exertion (RPE), a scale that rates how hard you feel like you're working during exercise. There are five levels of intensity, ranging from easy to hard. Just match the number in the walking plan, noted as RPE, to this chart, and you'll know exactly how you should feel as you walk. To increase intensity, you'll either add speed and walk a little faster or do walking-inspired moves that will get that heart pumping faster.

1: It's so easy you can carry on a conversation
2: You're picking up the pace but still not sweating
3: You're breaking a sweat but you're still in control and feel like going on
4: You're sweating and working hard but you can still talk
5: The work feels very hard, making it difficult to talk
Your Walking Workouts

Walk 1: Steady-State walk

Length: 30 minutes

Goal: During this walk, your goal is to keep yourself moving at one steady pace for the entire workout. The pace shouldn't feel too tough, but yet it shouldn't feel like a walk in the park either. By doing this walk, you'll build what's called your aerobic base, which you'll need if you want to get fitter.

5 min: Warm-up (RPE 2)
20 min: Walk at a moderate pace, pumping arms forward and back (RPE 3-4)
5 min: Cool down (RPE 2)

Walk 2: Circuit walk

Length: 30 minutes

Goal: This walk mixes everything up so your body stays challenged and your mind doesn't get bored. You'll do some untraditional walking, which will work your muscles differently, in the end challenging you even more. The bonus? These untraditional moves engage the abs so you'll get a little tummy toning while you walk. One note: If you're on a treadmill, slow down a little so you can do these moves. You might even want to do the entire walk on the floor, marching in place when the plan calls for regular walking.

5 min: Warm up (intensity 2-3)
1 min: Straight arm/leg walk (as you extend arm in front of you, lift it to head height, keeping arm straight; at same time, lift opposite leg to hip height, keeping leg straight) (RPE 3)
1 min: Walk, lifting knee to hip height and pumping arms as if you're running (RPE 4)
2 min: Straight arm/leg walk (RPE 3)
1 min: Walk, lifting knee to hip height and pumping arms as if you're running (RPE 4)
2 min: Regular walk (RPE 4)
1 min: Straight arm/leg walk (RPE 3)
2 min: Regular walk (RPE 4)
2 min: Walk, lifting knees to hip height and pressing both arms overhead as you lift knees (RPE 3)
1 min: Walk on toes (RPE 3)
2 min: Walk, lifting knees to hip height and pressing both arms overhead as you lift knees (RPE 3)
2 min: Regular walk (RPE 4)
1 min: Walk, touching heels to butt (RPE 3)
1 min: Regular walk (RPE 4)
1 min: Regular walk, taking intensity down slightly (RPE 3)
5 min: Cool down (RPE 2)

Walk 3: Interval walk

Length: 30 minutes

Goal: In this workout, you'll alternate between doing hard work (by walking faster) and easier work (by slowing down), which will not only help you burn more calories but also get you in shape faster. Yet because this walk is tougher, it's not something you can -- or should -- do every day. In fact, the most you'll do interval training in this plan is two times a week.

5 min: Warm up (RPE 2-3)
2 min: Walk at moderate pace (RPE 3)
30 sec: Walk fast (RPE 5)
2 min: Walk at moderate pace (RPE 3)
30 sec: Walk fast (RPE 5)
3 min: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
20 sec: Fast walk (RPE 5)
40 sec: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
20 sec: Fast walk (RPE 5)
40 sec: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
2 min: Hold that pace (RPE 4)
1 min: Fast walk (RPE 5)
2 min: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
1 min: Fast walk (RPE 5)
3 min: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
20 sec: Fast walk (RPE 5)
40 sec: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
20 sec: Fast walk (RPE 5)
40 sec: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
1 min: Hold that pace (RPE 4)
3 min: Cool down (RPE 3-2)

Your Four-Week Walking Plan

Week 1

Monday: Circuit walk
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Steady-state walk
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: Circuit walk
Sunday: Steady-state walk

Week 2

Monday: Circuit walk
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Interval walk
Thursday: Off
Friday: Steady-state walk
Saturday: Circuit walk
Sunday: Off

Week 3

Monday: Circuit walk
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Steady-state- walk
Thursday: Interval walk
Friday: Off
Saturday: Circuit walk
Sunday: Steady-state walk

Week 4

Monday: Steady-state walk
Tuesday: Interval walk
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Circuit walk
Friday: Interval walk
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Steady-state walk



Want to get the most out of your walking workout? Check out these tips for staying motivated while you walk.