Courtney is a dedicated teacher and mother, but she recently decided to put herself to the test in an effort to improve her cardio fitness – and took to social media to document the journey. After noticing she had naturally logged 45 minutes of walking for over a week, she turned it into her own fitness challenge: 45 minutes a day for 45 days.
Since then, she has repeated the challenge and is currently on her third round – and noticing some serious benefits. Here’s how she did it, the results she saw, and how you can incorporate daily walking into your fitness routine.
Benefits of daily walking
There are plenty of well-established benefits to daily walking. A new study from the Sydney School of Public Health found that 7,000 daily steps can be enough to reduce health risks such as cancer, dementia and heart disease. Another study of older adults found that a one-mile walk a day was associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment and greater brain volume in some regions.
Not to mention, a brisk 30-minute walk can burn around 150 extra calories – helping to preserve lean muscle during weight loss.
How Courtney applied daily walking for 45 days
Courtney kept things simple and realistic. She primarily used the treadmill, walking between 3 and 3.5 miles per hour for 45 minutes.
She gradually made the challenge more demanding by increasing the incline to 10% by the end of each walk. She also added a weighted vest – and sometimes hand weights – to further increase the intensity. Using a weighted vest is considered a form of loaded carry, and ‘rucking’ (weighted walking) has surged in popularity in recent years thanks to its added cardio burn, strength benefits and potential impact on bone density.
In fact, a 1993 study found that wearing a weighted vest appeared to offer a small protective effect on bone density, with a 1% increase in the vest group versus a 0.6% decrease among those who did not wear one.
Courtney’s resultsMore energy and feeling stronger
Courtney started by highlighting her non-scale wins, noting how much more energy and strength she felt as the challenge progressed.
‘In the beginning I could barely do a minute at no incline, now I am doing 5–10% incline throughout the workout,’ she said. ‘[I’m] feeling like [I’m] able to do daily tasks without feeling like everything is climbing a mountain.’
Daily walking can improve energy levels thanks to increased blood circulation, which helps deliver oxygen-rich blood around the body and leaves you feeling more alert. It may also help regulate hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol over time, reducing fatigue.
Weight loss
Courtney also reported losing 10.1 pounds over the 45 days. ‘I am beyond thrilled with that,’ she said.
Walking is often considered one of the most effective low-impact workouts for weight loss. It helps increase daily calorie burn and reduce body fat, while also supporting a healthy metabolism over time. Crucially, it can help preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss, which may help prevent your resting metabolic rate from dropping too low.
More positive mindset around exercise
‘I have for years thrown myself into different types of workouts that I’ve dreaded and hated, and finally I just love to walk,’ she said. ‘I can honestly tell you that there was not one day that I was miserable.’
Even on days when she felt unwell, she continued at a slower pace to maintain consistency.
‘I just started again today – I don’t want to miss a day!’
How you can try a daily walking challenge
One of the biggest advantages of walking is how accessible and low-impact it is, making it a great option if you’re short on time or not ready for high-impact cardio.
It also fits easily into an existing routine, helping to complement the work you’re already doing in the gym or studio.
Some popular ways to structure walking workouts include:
The 6-6-6, 3-2-1 or 12-3-30: These refer to different treadmill formats that vary time, speed and incline to keep things challenging.Daily walking challenges: Just like Courtney, our own team can’t emphasise the benefits of daily walking challenges enough. Whether it’s 45 minutes for 45 days, or 30 for 30, give it a go and reap the rewards.Gym session finisher: Add a short treadmill walk at the end of your workout to increase calorie burn without significantly extending your session.
After years living with endometriosis and undergoing seven rounds of IVF, Radio 4 presenter Emma Barnett turned to training with PT Frankie Holah to rebuild strength and a more positive relationship with her body. Download the Women’s Health UK app to access Frankie’s full training plan.
More fitness challenges
Isabelle Knevett is the Fashion Features Editor at Women’s Health, bringing a wealth of experience in media and fashion since 2019. She has led high-impact PR campaigns for global giants like Adidas and Reebok and has reported on everything from fashion analysis and shopping trends, to deep dive features and investigative reporting. A former professional dancer, she understands the value of quality gym and activewear, making her a true expert in the field. Her work has been featured in Marie Claire Australia, ELLE Australia, Australian Women’s Weekly, WHO and more. When she’s not buried in a fashion magazine or sweating it out the gym or dance studio, you’ll find her reading or writing about fashion, feminism and global politics.