Start with a 15-minute walk at an easy pace. Walk three days the first week. Maybe every other day. You want to start slow, but consistency is important.
Weekly total goal: 30 to 45 minutes
Walk five days during the second week.
Add five minutes so you are walking for 20 minutes, five days a week. Or, you may wish to extend yourself more on some days, followed by a rest day.
Weekly total goal: 80 to 100 minutes
Add five minutes so you are walking for 25 minutes, five days a week.
Weekly total goal: 100 to 125 minutes
Add five minutes to walk for 30 minutes, five days a week.
Weekly total goal: 120 to 150 minutes
If you find any of these weeks to be difficult, repeat that week rather than adding more time. Do this until you can progress comfortably.
Once you can walk for 30 minutes at a time comfortably, you are ready to use a variety of different workouts to add intensity and endurance.
You can interchange the days as you wish and break the walks into parts if you don’t have enough time for a long one.
Sunday: Perform a long walking workout, 60-minute brisk walking.
Monday: You can simply stroll, but there is no workout on this day.
Tuesday: A short workout with only 30-minute brisk walking. You may also have strength training on this day.
Wednesday: Short 30-minute brisk walking
Thursday: Long 60-minute brisk walking
Friday: Short 30-minute brisk walking with plus strength training
Saturday: Long easy walking day with 30-minute brisk walking, then 30 to 90 more minutes at an easy pace