How to Burn 1,300 Calories Walking

By: Martica Heaner, PhD

Check out the latest skinny on walking: Women between the ages of 18 and 30 who walked at least four hours a week were 44 percent more likely to lose weight during the 15 years they were tracked than those who didn't walk at all -- regardless of what other exercise they did, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To hit that magic 240-minute-a-week total, follow this simple plan created by Malin Svensson, a walking and fitness expert in Los Angeles. You'll not only burn off 1,300 calories this week but also firm up trouble zones that your average stroll ignores.

Aim to rack up at least 45 minutes of walking on most days, alternating your usual steady walks with Svensson's Burn-and-Firm Workout. You'll melt about 240 calories in each 45-minute Burn-and-Firm session as you "sculpt from abs to calves and build more push-off power," says Svensson, author of Nordic Walking, who puts her clients through this shape-up. For an allover makeover, give equal toning TLC to your top half with Svensson's four Essential Upper-Body Shaper exercises, on slides 10 to 13. Now step on it!

Related: VIDEO: Watch This Workout

Your Weekly Walking Plan

Follow this at-a-glance plan to start torching 1,300 calories each week.*

Weekday	Workout
Monday	Essential Upper-Body Shapers
Tuesday	Steady 4 mph or faster walk (Do 45 minutes in one shot or divide the time into three 15-minute 1-mile walks.)
Wednesday	Burn-and-Firm Workout (45 minutes)
Thursday	Steady 4 mph or faster walk  (45 minutes) Essential Upper-Body Shapers
Friday	OFF
Saturday	Burn-and-Firm Workout (45 minutes)
Sunday	Steady 4 mph or faster walk (Do 60 minutes all in one loop or two 30-minute outings.)

*Calories burned are based on a 140-pound woman walking a weekly total of 240 minutes at a
four-mile-per-hour pace and toning her upper body twice a week.

Related: Walking Workout: A Firmer Butt in 20 Minutes

Toe Walk
Targets: Shoulders, abs, and calves

• Walk quickly on tiptoes, keeping weight centered on balls of feet and taking short steps (like a ballet dancer).
• Simultaneously press arms overhead: Start in a goalpost pose, with elbows bent 90 degrees and raised out to sides at shoulder level, hands in fists, palms facing forward.
• Quickly press arms straight overhead and open hands, palms facing each other.
• Continue toe walk for 1 minute, alternating goalpost and overhead arm position throughout.

Related: Tone Your Arms As You Walk

Balance Walk 

Targets: Abs and hips

• Step forward with right foot, raising arms straight overhead, palms facing each other. (Arms reach top as right heel touches down.)

Related: What You Need to Know to Lose Belly Fat

Groucho Walk
Targets: Butt and thighs

• Take a long step (but not a big stretch) forward with left leg, lowering hips closer to ground.
• Keeping body lowered, squeeze glutes as you take a long step forward with right leg in a gliding motion.
• Continue Groucho Walk for 1 minute, moving arms in opposition to legs, elbows bent.

Trainer's Tip: For the best toning, avoid bouncing: Rather than letting body rise between steps, maintain a low, gliding stride.

Related: Love Your Lower Body

Trunk Twist
Targets: Abs, obliques, and hips

• March forward with left leg, lifting bent left knee to hip height, as you rotate torso to left, swinging straight right arm forward to touch inside of left knee and swinging straight left arm behind you.
• Keep your head facing forward and maintain a tall posture as you march forward with right leg, rotating torso to right and swinging left arm to touch inside of bent right knee.
• Continue trunk twist walk for 1 minute, alternating sides.

Related: Get Slim Without the Gym: Butt and Leg Sculpters

Cat Walk 

Targets: Abs, obliques, and inner thighs

• Place hands on hips and step forward, crossing left leg over right thigh (so left foot lands to right of an imaginary median line in front of you) as torso rotates to left.

Related: 5 Fun Thigh Exercises to Do with a Yoga Mat

Tick-Tock Walk
Targets: Hips and butt

• Bring fists in front of chest, elbows bent. Form a diagonal line with bent elbows, left elbow above shoulder level and right elbow below, as you step forward with left foot.
• As you land on left foot, simultaneously lift right leg out to side, toes pointing forward, as you straighten arms in the diagonal line. Make it easier: Keep elbows bent by sides, fists in front of chest, and skip arm movements.
• Bend elbows and return fists to chest, this time with right elbow above shoulder level and left elbow below, as you step forward with right leg.
• Extend arms again as you land on right foot and lift left leg out to side. (Imagine legs moving like a pendulum.)
• Continue tick-tock walk for 1 minute.

Trainer's Tip: To work upper back muscles, bring shoulder blades down and together to kiss when arms are fully extended.