This 7-Day Walking Plan Is the Simplest Way to Kick-Start the Fulfillment of Your Fitness Goals

Updated on 2/23/2019 at 3:40 PM

No matter what your bootcamp-loving friend would have you believe, you don't have to be super sore after a workout for it to be effective. Consistency is key for building lean muscle and burning more fat, and that's true even if the intensity of your workouts isn't at a level 10. In fact, when you're first ramping up your exercise routine, it's always best to listen to your body to keep from doing too much too soon, Steven Goelzer, a certified personal trainer at Life Time Athletic in Laguna Niguel, CA, told POPSUGAR.

Jump-start your fitness goals with this week-long walking workout plan. Once you've mastered the basics, you can build up your time and mileage to slowly increase your endurance.

Day 1: Rest

It might seem strange to kick off the plan with a rest day, but starting the second week, you'll want this time to do a gentle yoga routine or unwind in a dry sauna (assuming no health issues) to help improve blood flow and reduce any soreness. For now, go for a 15-minute walk at a moderate pace to get your heart pumping and ease into this new routine.

Day 2: HIIT

Try this quick interval workout, "then increase by one interval each week," Goelzer said.

Find a flat area near a hill and walk for eight minutes at a moderate pace.
Walk uphill for two minutes and downhill for one to two minutes.
Repeat, completing five rounds in total.

"Once you can get to the top of the hill in those two minutes, race yourself and see if you can beat your time," he added.

Day 3: Cross-Training

Choose from these five dynamic movements — you can do them all or just a few:

Lateral shuffles
High knees
Walking backwards
Walking on the outside of your feet
Walking on the inside of your feet

Walk for two minutes and do each dynamic movement that you've selected for 30 seconds each. Start with two rounds for the first week, then add another round every third week.

Day 4: HIIT

Do the same interval workout from earlier in the plan, again building on it each week:

Find a flat area near a hill and walk for eight minutes at a moderate pace.
Walk uphill for two minutes and downhill for one to two minutes.
Repeat, completing five rounds in total.

Day 5: Rest

Take the day off or do these full-body stretches to keep yourself limber and help you recover faster.

Day 6: Endurance Training

Keep track of your steps using a fitness tracker. Start by walking two miles and increase by 10 percent each week. The more you incorporate this into your training, the further you'll be able to go, Goelzer said. Once you've increased your distance, sign up for a 5K or 10K race to challenge yourself even more.

Day 7: Maintenance

Start by walking for 15 minutes at a comfortable pace. Every other week add five minutes to the length of your walk to gradually increase your distance and improve your cardio fitness level without risk of injury.