Walking to a better life

Six months ago, 10 women volunteered to take part in the exclusive GH Get Fit, Get Walking challenge. Each had her own reasons for walking, but they all hoped to look better and feel healthier. We’re delighted to report they have achieved that – and so much more

Together they've shed more than 50 pounds, trimmed more than 25 inches off their waists and hips and dropped more than six dress sizes. Before they started, health checks were carried out on all our walkers by LA Fitness. The most recent tests show that nearly all have lowered their blood pressure, improved their body mass index (BMI), boosted their aerobic fitness and toned their muscles. And that's not all. Our walkers report lower stress levels, increased energy and more restful sleep. But perhaps most importantly, they've made time and space in their busy lives to do something for themselves. Not that it's always been easy - winter weather and long dark nights caused a blip for some of our walkers. For others, personal difficulties intervened, such as the sudden death of their mother for sisters Tina Young and Hayley Elgar. But all the women say that walking has become so much a part of their lives that they won't stop here - they all plan to carry on.

 

The walkers' verdicts

‘I've dropped two dress sizes and feel fantastic' - Alyson Jackson, 43, from Sheffield

 

‘I can fit into my size 12 jeans again' - Wendy Clifford, 50, from Stroud

 

‘I suffer from depression and walking has really lifted me' - Tina Young, 41, from Poole

 

‘I've enjoyed the time that walking has given me' - Hayley Moran, 36, from Birmingham

 

‘My pedometer goes everywhere with me now' - Karen Brand, 37, from West Sussex

 

The GH Walking Plan - the final phase

Here's the final part of Joanna Hall's walking programme, designed to consolidate your walking and help you carry on into the future.

 

WEEK 17 

Reality check

Follow the walking instructions for either pedometer (P) or non-pedometer (NP) wearers.

P Repeat your baseline test: log your steps for seven days and divide the total by seven to establish your new baseline. Compare this with your baseline at the start of the programme. It should be at least 2,500 steps a day more than when you started - the equivalent of just over a mile.

NP Walk for two continuous sessions of 15 minutes in addition to your daily activity for seven consecutive days.

 

WEEK 18 

Introduce some hills

P Add 2,000 steps to your new baseline every day this week and walk them at your optimum walking pace (OWP). Walk a further 1,000 steps using your ab walking exercises on three days of the week.

NP Walk for two continuous sessions of 15 minutes in addition to your daily activity for seven consecutive days. Introduce hills on one of these sessions.

 

WEEK 19 

Increase your speed

P Add 3,000 steps at your OWP to your baseline every day. Walk a further 1,000 steps using ab walking exercises on four days.

NP Walk for two continuous sessions of 15 minutes in addition to your daily activity for seven days. Introduce hills on one  session. Find a small circular route that takes about five minutes, and set yourself the target of walking this twice - straight after your 15 minutes - on one day. Time yourself, aiming to be faster the second time around. Record your time.

 

WEEK 20 

Build up stamina

P Add 3,000 steps at your OWP to your new baseline every day. Walk a further 1,000 steps using ab walking exercises on five days.

NP Walk for two continuous sessions of 15 minutes in addition to your daily activity for seven consecutive days. Introduce hills on one of the sessions. Walk your circular route twice on two different days this week, each time trying to better your time. Record your time.

 

‘Walking is one of the best ways to lose inches as well as pounds’ Joanna HallWEEK 21 

Maintain your gains

P Add 4,000 steps at your OWP to your baseline every day. Walk a further 1,000 steps using your ab walking exercises on five days of the week.

NP Walk for two continuous sessions of 15 minutes in addition to your daily activity on seven consecutive days. Introduce hills on one session. Walk your circular route three times on two different days this week, each time trying to better your time. Record your time.

 

WEEK 22 

Push your limits

P Add 4,000 steps at your OWP to your baseline every day. Walk a further 1,000 steps using your ab walking exercises on five days of the week and introduce hills on at least two days.

NP Ensure you walk for two continuous sessions of 15 minutes in addition to your daily activity on seven consecutive days. Introduce hills on one session. Walk your circular route three times on three different days this week, each time trying to better your time. Record your time.

 

WEEK 23

Go for a personal best

P Add 4,000 steps at your OWP to your baseline every day this week. Walk a further 1,000 steps using your ab walking exercises on five days of the week. Introduce hills on at least three of the days.

NP Walk for two continuous sessions of 18 minutes above your daily activity for seven consecutive days. Introduce hills on one session. Walk your circular route three times on three different days this week, trying to record your best-ever time.

 

WEEK 24

The final bend

P Well done - so nearly there! Add 4,000 steps at your OWP to your baseline every day this week. Walk a further 1,000 steps using your ab walking exercises on four days. You can be kind to yourself and take a break from the hills this week.

NP Congratulations! Walk for two continuous sessions of 18 minutes in addition to your daily activity on seven consecutive days. Walk your circular route twice on four different days this week, each time trying to better your time. Record your time.

 

The next step

 

Fitness guru Joanna Hall has this advice for walkers. ‘You've made walking part of your life, so don't stop now. The key to maintaining progress is to establish your walking baseline - you can build on that and, when life gets busy and you have no time for structured exercise, it will be your foundation. Consistency is vital - give yourself an activity audit once a month to double check your activity levels.' Visit Joanna's website at www.joannahallonline.com.

 

Click here for the introduction to the walking plan - read before you start.

 

Walk your way to fitness weeks 1 - 8

 

Walk you way to fitness weeks 9 - 16