An eight-week walking plan for beginners

The plan, week by week

Each day is a stack of stones; a wider stone means a longer walk. Rest days show a dashed outline. The weekly total sits at the right of each row.

By week eight you are walking about two hours a week across five days. That is a big change from where you started, reached in small steps. If a week feels hard, repeat it. Many people repeat two or three weeks somewhere along the way, and that is fine.

How fast to walk

Walk at a pace where you breathe a little faster and feel warm, but can still talk in full sentences. This is the talk test, and it works for almost everyone without any gadget. If you can sing, you can go a touch faster. If you can only say a few words at a time, slow down.

Start every walk with two or three minutes at a slow, easy stroll, and finish the same way. That gentle start lets your heart rate and joints warm up gradually.

Choosing a route

• Pick flat ground for the first few weeks. Hills add effort quickly.
• Use paths with even surfaces, good lighting and places to rest.
• Loops beat out-and-back routes on low days, because you are never far from home.
• On hot, icy or stormy days, walk indoors: a mall, a large store or a hallway all work.

Making walks easier to keep

Walking with a friend makes the time pass and keeps you honest about the talk test. A favorite podcast or playlist works too, at a volume that still lets you hear traffic. Some people like to track minutes on a calendar with a simple tick. Seeing a row of ticks is motivating, and gaps show you which days are hardest to protect.

When to slow down or stop

Slow down if you get very short of breath or can't speak in sentences. Stop and rest if you feel dizzy, unusually weak, or have pain in a joint that gets worse as you go. The listen to your body page lists the warning signs that need urgent help.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (health.gov) suggest about 150 minutes a week of moderate activity for adults. This plan gets you most of the way there by week eight. You can keep adding a few minutes a week if it feels right, or add the bodyweight basics instead.

Common questions