Lose up to 8lb and 3 inches off your waist in just 1 month with our suits-everyone walking plan
Sounds too good to be true, but our super-simple exercise plan focuses on the one thing that even the laziest of us still do - walking. 'Not only will it tone up your waist, bum and legs, but just half an hour of brisk walking a day is enough to slash your risk of killer illnesses such as heart disease and stroke, too,' says celeb trainer and diet and movement specialist, Joanna Hall.
1.Master the technique
Walking as a workout requires a slightly different technique to walking around the shops. Master perfect form and you'll walk faster for longer - and get better results.
- Take fast, short steps, striking with your heel first and rolling through to your toes.
- Suck in your tum - engaging your abs and lifting your hips will strengthen your core and glutes. Keep your hips and pelvis stable, and try not to twist as you walk, powering through your bum muscles and torso instead.
- Swing those arms - lightly clench your fists, bend your elbows at around 90° and swing your arms towards the centre of your body to give you a better cardio workout.
2.Set a goal
To guarantee payback from pavement pounding, you'll need to hit a certain number of strides. 'Aim for at least 7,500 steps a day,' says Joanna. 'Start by wearing a pedometer for three days, and note your total steps each day.' Once you've found your average daily step count, use this as your starting point. See the plan above right for how many steps to add to this daily tally.
3.Pick up the pace
The key to turning a saunter into a fat-burning session is to find your 'optimum pace', which you will use for part of the workout. Swing your arms faster and pick up speed until you feel you're about to break into a jog - this speed equates to an effort level of 10. Your optimum pace, if you're fit, is about level 7 to 8. Unfit? Aim for an effort level of at least 5 or 6.
