Walking is one of the best forms of exercise out there. Our bodies were designed to walk, and for long distances. The beauty of walking is that it is available to everyone and has the benefit of lowering your blood pressure, increasing your bone density and once you pass the threshold of 4,500 steps a day can improve your longevity and make you more able to burn body fat.
I have designed this 30 Day Walking Challenge and made it suitable to all levels of walkers. If you are just getting off the couch after a couple of years of COVID hibernation start with DAY 1 and just take it at your own pace. If adding 500 steps seems too much, then stay where you are until you feel ready to progress. But remember, great things happen when you reach 4,500 so try to get there!
If you are an intermediate walker (you can walk 3 km at a time), start at DAY 10 (5,000 steps) and progress from there. Once you hit 10,000 steps stick with continuing that daily as your challenge.
if you are an advanced walker (you can walk 5 km at a time), start at DAY 22 and progress from there. Don’t want a phased in approach? Then don’t let me hold you back! Start at 10,000 steps a day and stick with it!
30 DAY WALKING CHALLENGE
| DAY 1 | 2000 steps | You can do it all at once or divide it out into 4 separate walks. |
| DAY 2 | 2500 steps | Add 500 steps. |
| DAY 3 | 3000 steps | Add 500 steps. |
| DAY 4 | 3500 steps | Add 500 steps. |
| DAY 5 | 4000 steps | Add 500 steps. |
| DAY 6 | 4500 steps | Add 500 steps. CONGRATULATIONS! You have reached the threshold where you will dramatically increase your health if you keep up 4500 steps every day. |
| DAY 7 | REST DAY! Enjoy it. You deserve a rest day. | |
| DAY 8 | 4500 steps | |
| DAY 9 | 5000 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 10 | 5000 steps | |
| DAY 11 | 5500 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 12 | 5500 steps | |
| DAY 13 | 6000 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 14 | REST DAY!! | |
| DAY 15 | 6000 steps | |
| DAY 16 | 6500 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 17 | 6500 steps | |
| DAY 18 | 7000 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 19 | 7000 steps | |
| DAY 20 | 7500 steps | Add 500 steps Congratulations! You have reached another threshold! Some studies show the benefits of walking start to plateau after 7500 steps. |
| DAY 21 | REST DAY! Now that you have been exercising regularly a rest day might mean you do some core or upper body work but just rest your legs. | |
| DAY 22 | 7500 steps | |
| DAY 23 | 8000 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 24 | 8000 steps | |
| DAY 25 | 8500 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 26 | 9000 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 27 | 9500 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 28 | REST DAY!! Get ready! Tomorrow you will be doing 10,000 steps! | |
| DAY 29 | 10,000 steps | Add 500 steps |
| DAY 30 | 10,000 steps | CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You did it. Now keep going… 🙂 |
STEP METRICS:
- 500 steps = approximately 5 minutes of walking, which equates to just under half a kilometre
- 1000 steps = approximately 10 minutes of walking, which equates to about 1 kilometre
- 10,000 steps = approximately 8 kilometres
Want a printable chart you can fill in? Download it here!
Happy walking everyone and don’t forget to stretch!! Not sure what to stretch. I have the answer right here with a five minute, after walk, stretch routine.
Can your walking be done on a treadmill? Absolutely, but I am going to encourage you to take it outside as much as possible…and I have a very good reason for that. There is something that happens to your brain when you walk outside, it shifts you into a state of relaxation that doesn’t happen when you are indoors. You can read more about it here.
xo Christine
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