Walk this way to kick-start your weight loss

Lace up those walking shoes, because we’re about to take you on a journey – a six-week fat-blasting journey that’ll shed those kilos, firm you up and make you happier.

It’s time to lace up those walking shoes and step into shape with our six-week exercise plan. Then join us on our annual 10-kilometre Prevention

Virtual Walk! See page 25 for details.

Findingthe right fitness and weightloss program can be like choosing a friend or partner: those who aren’t a good fit fade out of the picture, while a great match can last a lifetime. Enter this easy walking program, which will help you build a solid fitness base, while amping up fat burn. The secret is the intervals. In a study from the University of New South Wales, women who walked three days a week for 20 minutes – alternating between fastand moderate-paced intervals – lost five times as much weight as those who went at a steady, brisk speed three days a week for 40 minutes. The swift strollers didn’t change their diet, and torched most of the fat from their legs and belly.

When you commit to this six-week plan, you’ll not only shed kilos, you’ll also feel ready to join us on our annual 10-kilometre Prevention Virtual Walk on October 24. The walk is real – you can do it wherever you are and then connect with fellow participants on social media via #preventionvirtualwalk. When you sign up, you’ll receive a terrific Prevention backpack for walk day, weekly meal plans, motivation advice, plus the chance to win some fantastic prizes (see page 25).

The program over the following pages starts gently and then gradually builds as you get stronger. You’ll be walking six days a week. On three of the days, you’ll do brisk walks. On the other three, you’ll do intervals – speeding up for short bursts and also building your endurance by walking at a steady pace. Remember to warm up and cool down before and after each walk with a four-minute stroll. Ready to step into shape?

Why I walk “I’M NOURISHING MY NERVOUS SYSTEM WITH EVERY STEP”

Pru Chapman, 40

“Last year, my heart started leaping up to 150 beats per minute upwards of six times a day, including when I was sleeping. I ended up in emergency and was subsequently diagnosed with sudden onset sinus tachycardia. The cause of this was largely attributed to a combination of stress and caffeine. But it wasn’t quite over. A very intense few months followed, including the sudden death of a close family member, which sent my nervous system into overdrive. This played out as a racing heart, difficulty breathing and head tremors.

Prior to my heart doing backflips, I was running, surfing and walking. Being a business owner [Pru is the founder of Owners Collective, a mentoring program for entrepreneurs], I’ve long been aware of the need to balance work and play. Now I had an innate feeling to walk – I craved the freedom, the meditation and the deep relaxation that long walks provided me with. It felt like it was the best (and only) movement that’d support my nervous system. After bouncing from specialist to specialist, and a battery of tests and natural therapies, I can hand on heart say that walking is 100 per cent the most effective medicine for both my nervous system and my heart.

If time’s on my side, I walk for about two hours nonstop. I don’t count steps or track distance, I just walk until I feel I’ve done enough. There’s a beautiful ‘emptiness’ of deep relaxation that I feel when I’ve walked enough and a reconnection to nature.”

Why I walk “I LOST 12 KILOS BY WALKING EVERY DAY”

Renae Kunda, 50

“I started walking in January this year after my doctor told me that, if I didn’t lose some weight and start to take care of myself, I’d become diabetic within a year. This was quite the shock! I was about 70 kilos when I fell pregnant with both of my children, but the last pregnancy [weight] just never went away and I allowed that to be my new normal. My doctor said there was no reason I couldn’t get back to my original weight.

So I started walking five kilometres five times a week with my dog. It took about four days to learn to walk at pace again! I felt clumsy and was watching every rock in case I stumbled on it. Then I felt stronger and started pushing the time barrier. I like to beat my ‘yesterday’ self. Within nine days, I’d lost the first kilo and I’ve since dropped 12 kilos. I live in a high-set house with 17 steps and I used to count them breathlessly as I made my way to the top. Now I can bounce up them! I have a watch that counts my steps and, when it highlights 10,000 steps at about midday, I feel great.

I head out every morning just after sunrise. It’s a spectacular time of the morning and puts me in a great mood for the rest of the day. Walking has changed everything: my emotional perspective on life, my connection with nature and my health and fitness. I haven’t reached my goal weight yet – that’ll probably be next year. But I recently went back to the doctor and received great news that my blood sugar levels have come down dramatically, so things are looking on track.”

Q What if I feel sore? Should I still walk, or take a day off?

A Keep walking – when you’re sore, movement is key. Circulation helps heal your body and break up the lactic acid and reduce the aches. Drinking lots of water, stretching and using a foam roller or a tennis ball on your sore parts can also help soothe the hurt. However, if you’ve sprained an ankle or suffered an injury of some sort, then stop immediately and follow the appropriate medical advice.

Why I walk “WALKING HELPED ME HEAL AFTER DIVORCE”

Lucy Baker, 47

“In 2016, I separated from my husband (and later divorced) and found myself very alone. I had to learn to live by myself, so I figured I’d spend six months walking and camping alone in the Tasmanian wilderness. Towards the end, I did some walks with friends. After so much time walking alone, I was a bit apprehensive about how I’d go walking with others. Alone, there’s a meditative quality to walking where it’s possible to find yourself and connect with nature. But I found that friendship is an essential ingredient to

happiness, too. Being around the right kind of people with good energy is uplifting. Bushwalkers are my kind of people; those who love and respect the outdoors.

I’m a member of both Byron Hikers and Northern Rivers Bushwalking Club [in

NSW] and I’ve made good friends through both groups. I recently walked the Fraser Island Great Walk [in Queensland] as part of a group of seven women, and it proved to be a profound experience of friendship. We shared food, first-aid supplies, gear and helped if others had injuries. Independence is often regarded as a good quality in bushwalking, yet the importance of being able to rely on your friends was shown here.

Perhaps it’s easier to have deeper chats when you’re walking in line on a track rather than face to face over a cuppa. But sometimes words aren’t needed to have that feeling of connection. Particularly for women, walking alone or part of a group gives enormous strength. It shows you that you’re so much stronger than you think.”

Why I walk “I WALKED AWAY MY BACK PAIN”

Tess Dellagiacoma, 57

“I grew up doing day walks in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in Sydney and the Dolomites in Italy with my father. As an adult, I decided to get back into walking for exercise and to meet more people.

To be out walking in nature is the best medicine. I have a back injury from when I worked as a nurse, which causes lowlevel chronic pain. But I rarely experience major back pain and I’m sure it’s because of a combination of exercises I do to build supporting muscles, such as my core, back

and thighs, and walking. After I’ve done a few gym workouts during the week, a long walk puts those muscles into practice and really blows away the cobwebs.

I also have osteoporosis and walking helps to strengthen the bones: each time the foot hits the ground, stress is put on the bone and it reacts by becoming denser. My osteoporosis has improved over the years with medication, weightlifting and walking.

For a day walk, I do up to five or six hours in a day, which can be about seven kilometres. The distance isn’t as important as how long it takes; a rough track is much slower than a well-worn trail and much more fun, too! My favourite kind of walk is going off-piste – bush bashing in the wild. I especially love going for a swim in a creek at the end of a summer hike. I’m doing the Carnarvon Gorge Great Walk [a 87-kilometre hike in Carnarvon National Park, Queensland] this year and looking forward to pushing my limits on a fivenight hike, carrying all my gear.”