Walk your way to fitness - weeks 1 to 8

Join in with our great walking plan to tone up and slim down – weeks 1 to 8

Walking guru Joanna Hall has devised two plans that can be fitted into even the busiest of schedules. If you're inactive, the entry-level plan is the one for you; the advanced one is for people with a reasonable level of fitness. We've given you the first eight weeks. There are two sets of instructions - the first ones are for people using a pedometer. Joanna Hall recommends using a pedometer if you can, as studies show that those who do achieve better results.

 

Before you start

 

For pedometer wearers Establish your baseline number of steps per day by keeping track of your steps each day over a typical three-day period and recording your daily total. The most steps you walked in any one of the three days is your start baseline.

 

For all walkers Complete the fitness walking test. Monitor your progress by recording your heart rate and the length of time it takes you to complete a short walk. As you get fitter, you will walk faster and your heart rate will fall. Test yourself over a quarter kilometre if you're doing the entry-level programme or over half a kilometre if you're at the advanced level. If you don't know the exact distances, simply find a route to test yourself over, and always repeat the test over the same route. See the next page for how to do the FWT

 

How to do the fitness walking test (FWT)

Find your start heart rate: before you start your timed walk, find your pulse at the wrist or neck. Record your heart rate for 10 seconds and multiply by six.

Find your finish heart rate: immediately after completing the timed walk, find your pulse and record your heart rate for 60 seconds. Your heart rate will start to slow over the minute, so it's important to count for the full 60 seconds to get an accurate measure of how your body is responding.

Find your post-one-minute recovery heart rate: after recording your finish heart rate, wait one minute and then record your heart rate for a further 60 seconds. This recording - which indicates how quickly your heart rate comes back to its resting normal level - will give you the greatest indication of how your fitness has improved. The faster it returns to normal, the more efficient your heart is.

 

Find your optimum walking pace (OWP)

Start walking and gradually pick up speed until you feel you need to jog. This is your breakpoint. From that point, reduce your pace by 3-5% - this is your optimum walking pace. You should feel as if you are walking at a much faster pace than normal. Check it with a ‘talk test'. If you are walking slowly enough to have a conversation, you're probably walking too slowly. If you're gasping for air, slow down.

 

WEEK 1

Entry level Aim to make the number of steps you walk each day equal to or above the highest steps/day value you obtained during your baseline countdown. So if your highest daily step value was 3,590, do at least 3,590 steps each day in week one. Walking more is a bonus.

No pedometer (NP) Walk for 10 mins a day on top of your normal activity, broken into two bouts of 5 mins if necessary.

Advanced level Aim to add 2,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days.

No pedometer Walk for 20 mins continuously on top of your normal daily activity on five out of seven days.

 

WEEK 2

Entry level Aim to add an extra 1,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus 3 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

NP Walk an extra 10 mins on top of your normal daily activity on five out of seven days. Make 3 mins of the total 10 mins at OWP on three of those days.

Advanced level Aim to add 2,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus 6 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

NP Walk for 20 mins continuously on top of normal daily activity on five out of seven days, plus 6 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

 

WEEK 3

Entry level Aim to add 2,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days.

NP Walk an extra 15 mins on top of your daily activity on five out of seven days, broken into two bouts if necessary. Make 3 mins of the total 15 mins at OWP.

Advanced level Aim to add 4,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days.

NP Walk for 25 mins continuously on top of your normal daily activity on five out of seven days.

 

WEEK 4

Entry and Advanced level Repeat week three:

Entry level Aim to add 2,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days.

NP Walk an extra 15 mins on top of your daily activity on five out of seven days, broken into two bouts if necessary. Make 3 mins of the total 15 mins at OWP.

Advanced level Aim to add 4,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days.

No pedometer Walk for 25 mins continuously on top of your normal daily activity on five out of seven days.

At the end of week three, complete FWT again and record results.

 

WEEK 5

Entry level Aim to add 3,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus four minutes at OWP on three out of seven days.

NP Walk for 18 mins on top of your daily activity on five out of seven days, broken into two bouts if necessary. Make 5 mins of the total 18 mins at OWP.

Advanced level Aim to add 4,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus 8 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

NP Walk for 25 mins continuously on top of your daily activity on five out of seven days, plus 8 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

 

WEEK 6

Entry level Add 5,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus 5 mins at OWP on three out of seven days. Complete FWT.

NP Walk for 20 mins on top of normal activity on five out of seven days, broken into two bouts if necessary. Make 5 mins of this at OWP on three of those days. Complete FWT.

Advanced level Add 6,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus 10 mins at OWP on three out of seven days. Complete FWT.

NP Walk for 25 mins on top of normal activity on five out of seven days, plus 10 mins at OWP on three out of seven days. Complete FWT.

 

WEEK 7

Entry level Add 5,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus 8 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

NP Walk an extra 20 mins on top of your daily activity on five out of seven days, broken into two bouts if necessary. Make 8 mins of the total 20 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

Advanced level Add 6,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus 15 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

NP Walk for 25 mins continuously on top of your normal daily activity on five out of seven days, plus 15 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

 

WEEK 8

Entry level Add 5,000 steps to baseline on five out of seven days, plus 10 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

NPWalk an extra 20 mins on top of your daily activity on five out of seven days, broken into two bouts if necessary. Make 10 mins of the total 20 mins at your OWP on three of those days.

Advanced level Add 6,000 steps to your baseline on five out of seven days, plus 18 mins at your OWP on three out of seven days.

NP Walk for 25 mins continuously on top of your daily activity on five out of seven days, plus 18 mins at OWP on three out of seven days.

 

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

Click here for weeks 9-16 of the walking plan

Click here for weeks 17 to 24 of the walking plan

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