Can walking really be the key to fast weight loss? No. Can walking, with proper nutrition and a muscle-building program, be the key to fast weight loss? Yes!
Fitness and losing weight isn’t about choosing one fad or trend and pushing it to the extreme. It’s about incorporating healthy weight loss strategies that you can do daily.
One of those strategies is walking. In this ultimate guide, I’m going to give you a walking plan for beginners that will speed up your weight loss goals tenfold, all by understanding basic health fundamentals and keeping things simple.
The Health Basics
Before we dive into the beginner’s walking plan, I want to preface this post with some health wisdom. These are lessons I’ve learned from over 10 years of trial and error to achieve my dream physique. I achieved it, and I can maintain it effortlessly. I’ll sum up the lessons here:
- Your health is your responsibility. No one can take care of you better than you can care for yourself.
- Your dream physique starts from within. Look inward and work on spiritual blocks (past traumas, insecurities, negative thinking, etc.).
- Stay open-minded. Refuse to fall into one health camp or echo chamber. Health is a lifestyle and a balancing act. True health comes from moderation, while also enjoying life.
Now I know those words of wisdom may seem vague at first, but as you begin your journey to health mastery, you will begin to understand them as time goes on.
Ultimate Guide: Walking Plan For Beginners
This walking plan for beginners is the perfect weight loss strategy to slim down fast, while also enjoying yourself. A workout doesn’t have to feel like a workout, and with these tips, walking will feel like it energizes you and makes your life that much richer.
1) Forget about 10,000 Steps
How often have you heard, “Get 10,000 steps every single day!”? Have you actually even tracked 10,000 steps? It’s a lot! For some perspective, my wife and I went to an amusement park and walked all day. We walked about 25,000 steps.
On another trip, we spent 5 hours in NYC and walked 17,000 steps. Both trips were really exhausting. Walking 10,000 steps a day is overkill. When you push yourself to that far of an extreme and expect to do that day after day, you will rebound and eventually need to rest, leaving you feeling guilty and unmotivated to continue your walking plan.
Instead, forget tracking altogether. What’s more important than the amount of steps you’re taking is that you have a willingness to get steps in regularly. Accepting walking as a new form of movement will take you farther than any tracking method. Make walking part of your lifestyle.
2) Get Outside Daily
This not only forces you to walk but the mental health benefits are priceless. In our modern society, going outside is now a chore. We are confined to our offices, apartments, and homes. The only walking we do is to the next place we can be stagnant.
We forget what it’s like to get in tune with nature, and the psychological benefits that come with it. I worked remotely for 3.5 years and I had to force myself to go outside daily just so I could mentally feel okay.
Even if it’s just for 5-10 minutes, going outside vs. staying in, will help you connect back to our primal roots and help you feel “normal.” *Bonus points if you can walk on some grass barefoot.*
These mental health benefits are the right encouragement to keep up with getting steps in daily. It’s a win-win: you get in some steps, and you also feel good by breathing in fresh air and getting some sunlight.
3) Utilize inclines And Hills With Less Steps
I’m a huge advocate for inclines and hills! You can take what would be a 20-30 minute walk and shorten that to 5-10 minutes, while also burning more calories. The extra amount of effort is minimal and it actually feels good when you realize how effective it is at speeding up weight loss.
I used to just walk up and down a hill in a neighborhood right by where we lived, and I kid you not, I would come back home, look in the mirror, and my muscle definition would be insane.
I knew if I just walked that hill once, I could go hit a pool or beach party and be the best looking person there. Don’t underestimate hills and inclines. If you live in a relatively flat area, it would be worth it to invest in a treadmill that has an adjustable incline setting.
The steeper the incline, the shorter your walk can be. The steeper the incline, the faster your weight loss will be.
4) Get a Dog… Seriously!
Yes, get a dog! What better way to be forced outside to walk than having a dog that you know you’ll have to exercise? In order to have a lovable, stable dog, they must be walked twice a day.
There’s nothing sadder than seeing a dog that doesn’t get walked and has anxious behavior from a lack of going outside and exercising. 95% of all “problem” behaviors dogs display can be fixed by giving them a walk.
We walked our dog first thing in the morning and right when I got off work. It helped me stay lean and our dog stay lean. Dogs are also great additions to a family… second to having kids, of course. See: Dogs Or Kids, Which Brings More Meaning To Your Life?
5) It’s not Just Walking That Burns Calories
Don’t forget about the calories that are burned from activity in general. Hand movements, playing, skipping, jump-roping, climbing, crouching, expressive hand-gesturing, rolling, tumbling, meeting friends, standing, dancing, etc. All of these movements increase your daily calorie burn.
Hence why it’s a good idea to go out and just have fun!
6) A missed Day Is a Good Thing, Not A Bad Thing
So you missed a day of walking. Do you:
- A. Beat yourself up, and scold yourself for how you failed your workout routine?
- B. Make it up by going outside and walking double the amount?
- C. Forget about it and remember you’ll go outside again at some point?
The answer is C. Remember that walking is not a hobby, workout, or even something that must be done. Walking is just a part of your life. Once you’ve accepted that walking is a form of movement you will adopt, you’ll see it just happens automatically.
There is no effort or willpower to be used because you know it will happen when it happens. Maybe it’ll happen when you decide to go run errands. Maybe you need to go for a walk to clear your head. Maybe you want to go on a date with your significant other.
Walking will find you when you become a person who likes to LIVE LIFE and is willing to TAKE ACTION. At the very least, you got a day of rest, which one does not have to feel guilty about.
Related: Why Religious Guilt Prevents True Spiritual Progress
7) Take The Road Less Traveled
This is probably my favorite thing about walking. The world is your oyster! Your walks don’t have to be and shouldn’t be a regimented, structured thing. If you want to go down the left path because you always take the right path, then do it!
I remember being a kid and exploring neighborhoods, forests, shopping centers, etc. Every new discovery felt like I found a magical land. I became so acquainted with the areas I lived in and it made me feel empowered.
When I have time for it, I always opt to walk a little farther to explore a new place or I’ll even drive to new areas around my county looking for places that seem interesting to walk around. There’s always a road to be traveled—go find the ones that spark your curiosity.
8) Walking is the Best Date Idea
Forget the fancy dinners, elaborate expensive events, and trying to impress your date. The best date is and will always be WALKING!
My first date with my soulmate, Anya, was coffee and going for a walk in a quaint little town. Why is this the best date idea? It is low-pressure, inexpensive, physically relaxing, helps you to get to know each other through conversation, has an engaging environment, and it feels as if you’ve had a shared life experience because you’re moving forward together.
Need I say more? If you are dating in your 20s, and perhaps don’t have a lot of experience with going on dates, this is the one thing you need to incorporate into every date you go on.
To this day, my wife and I still look for reasons to go outside and walk around new places. It’s in those simple walks that some of life’s best moments are found.
9) Walk After a Meal
Now, there probably is some scientific data to back this up, but I’m just speaking from my own life experience: walking after a meal helps you to not feel bad.
That sounds very vague, but I mean it just makes you feel mentally and physically good to go for a walk after eating. It seems to help jumpstart digestion because after huge meals where I feel full, a long walk makes me feel less full and uncomfortable.
My wife and I recently went on a date and ate cheeseburgers and ice cream and we just felt full, bloated, and disgusting (laughing at my dramatizing). But we went for a walk, looked at some nice houses, and by the end of the walk, we felt great!
The beauty is you can throw this in strategically. You and your date just ate a big meal—go for a walk. You’re by the beach and just got an early dinner—go for a walk and see the sunset. You had a big brunch and drank one too many mimosas—walk it off.
I can’t explain it, but this is just something that is good for you.
10) Walking Doesn’t Increase Your Appetite
This is also experiential, but I found that walking doesn’t affect my appetite in any way. Now, if you’re doing 10,000+ steps it might, but again, that is an extreme. Daily, consistent, normal amounts of walking burn calories but do not make you ravenous.
You know what does make you ravenous? HIIT workouts, fast-paced cycling, bodybuilding weight-lifting routines, sprints, long-distance running, sport activities, etc.
That’s not to say that these activities don’t have their time and place, but this is a walking plan for beginners. I am here to teach the average person how to lose weight fast with walking and not train them to be a triathlete or marathon runner.
If you can’t keep your appetite low, weight loss is going to be an uphill battle. Focusing on normal amounts of walking consistently, coupled with proper nutrition and a light-resistance training routine, will have you shedding the pounds in no time.
11) Bonus: Walking fixes boredom
Need I say more? This is the one thing that fixes boredom every time and you’ll never regret it. Try it the next time you’re bored and tempted to flip on the TV or doomscroll on social media.
Related Reading: Life After Deleting Social Media Isn’t Empty—It’s Peaceful
Weight Loss Takes Time, and That’s How It Should Be
The paradox of this post is that weight loss does take time but it also happens faster than you think. Going back to what I said about moderation: you want your weight loss to be enjoyable, otherwise you won’t stick with it. Moderation is the key to sustainable, enjoyable weight loss.
You won’t lose 30 pounds in a week, but consistent daily habits are what creates lasting change internally. Once you have the wisdom and formula for weight loss, it no longer becomes a mystery. It can be adhered to effortlessly and it becomes who you are.
Following this guide is a shortcut that explains how losing weight becomes about a mindset shift rather than a strict routine you must stick to. You don’t need to pressure yourself with a time constraint to lose the weight if you’ve accepted a new way of being.
With an open mind, you can accept and choose to live a life that is full, rich, and engaging. Add some walking to the mix, and you can reach your health goals and your dream physique.