Shape up Fast

Choose this walking workout if you used to be active but have fallen off the wagon.

Bursts of speed boost fitness and quickly slim you down. An active past means you can build intensity quicker than a novice, and intervals (short bouts of fast walking) are the easiest way to do that.

ENSURE SUCCESS

Ease In and Out Start and finish with 3 to 5 minutes of easy strolling to reduce risk of muscle strain and other injuries.

Take Smaller Steps It's faster than if you take longer strides. If this is really easy, walk off the footpath onto uneven ground. It's a great stability challenge for your body and really burns kilojoules.

Bend Your Arms You'll pump them faster, helping you cover more ground and burn as much as 15 per cent more kilojoules.

WORKOUT AT A GLANCE

WEEK 1

Monday Basic Workout 1

Tuesday Interval Routine 1

Wednesday Basic Workout 1

Thursday Interval Routine 1

Friday Basic Workout 1

Saturday Basic Workout 1

Sunday Rest

WEEK 2

Monday Basic Workout 2

Tuesday Interval Routine 2

Wednesday Basic Workout 2

Thursday Interval Routine 2

Friday Basic Workout 2

Saturday Basic Workout 2

Sunday Rest

WEEK 3 AND BEYOND

Walk Longer Add 5 minutes to the brisk portion of the Basic Workouts each week until you reach 60 minutes.

Increase Your Intervals Extend the power portion of your Interval Routine by 30 seconds each week until you hit 2 minutes. Then return to 30 seconds and ramp it up to a level at which you'd find it hard to talk.

Add Another Intensity Day Do the Interval Routine on 3 non-consecutive days a week instead of 2.

Incorporate Toning Do the upper- and lower-body moves from the Maximise Your Metabolism workout two or three times a week on non-interval days; allow at least 24 hours between sessions.

BASIC WORKOUT 1 (30 minutes)

10-minute moderate walk (4 to 5)*

10-minute brisk walk (6 to 7)*

10-minute moderate walk

INTERVAL ROUTINE 1 (25 minutes)

10-minute moderate walk to warm up

4 sets alternating 30-second power walk (7 to 8)* with 2-minute brisk walk

5-minute moderate walk to cool down



BASIC WORKOUT 2 (35 minutes)
10-minute moderate walk

15-minute brisk walk

10-minute moderate walk

INTERVAL ROUTINE 2 (30 minutes)

10-minute moderate walk to warm up

5 sets alternating 60-second power walk with 2-minute brisk walk

5-minute moderate walk to cool down

• On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is strolling and 10 is jogging.

PLUS:

Walk off Weight

Maximise Your Metabolism

Go for 10,000 Steps