Walking for Fitness

Perhaps you have been walking for a while and the weight loss has stopped. Sometimes this is referred to as a "plateau." A simple change in your workout may be all you need. Programs such as this one for interval walking should help you bust out of the plateau and take off those stubborn pounds.

• You have not seen the scale go down in the past month.
• You are bored with walking and find yourself making excuses to skip it.
• You don't want to go to a health club or do "formal" exercise, but your daily routine is somewhat active.

Duration: 30 minutes Frequency: 5 days Pace-Duration: Warm Up - 5 minutes; Normal - 5 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Normal - 5 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Cool Down - 5 minutes.

Duration: 35 minutes Frequency: 5 days Pace-Duration: Warm Up - 5 minutes; Normal - 5 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Normal - 10 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Cool Down - 5 minutes.

Duration: 45 minutes Frequency: 5 days Pace-Duration: Warm Up - 5 minutes; Normal - 5 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Normal - 8 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Normal - 7 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Cool Down - 5 minutes.

Duration: 45 minutes Frequency: 5 days Pace-Duration: Warm Up - 5 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Normal - 5 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Normal - 5 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Normal - 5 minutes; Speed - 5 minutes; Cool Down - 5 minutes.

• Warm-Up/Cool-Down: slow and easy pace.
• Normal: comfortable, let's-get-going pace.
• Speed: breathing hard, but not a breathless pace -- about 4 to 5 miles per hour.
• After week 4, continue increasing the "speed" time and reducing the "normal" times.
• In 8 to 12 weeks, you should be walking at the speed pace except for the warm-up and cool-down period.