We know you love walking—and we do too! It’s
one of the best ways to
stay healthy and keep
your waistline in check.
But when you’re short
on time (and who isn’t?)
or stuck on a plateau,
running is another doanywhere, no-equipmentrequired alternative that
ramps up weight loss.
Workout
at a Glance
What you need: Running shoes. While it’s
fine to walk in running
shoes, it’s not safe to
run in walking ones
since they’re designed
to absorb less impact.
3 days a week: Do
run/walk intervals
(see chart, right) and
Run Strong stretches
(B moves only, p. 86).
3 alternate days:
Do 30 to 60 minutes of
any low-impact cardio
(such as walking, biking, or swimming), plus
the Run Strong toning
moves and stretches (A
and B moves, p. 86).
Customize your
workout: Don’t want
to run full-time? Stop
at whatever week feels
good to you. To step it
up after week 8, add
5 minutes a week until
you reach 60 minutes.
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Adding even a few minutes into your walks can
build stronger bones and
cut your exercise time
nearly in half: Minute for
minute, running burns
about twice as many calories as walking.
But if you think you’re
too old or too out of shape
or that running will damage your knees (research
shows it won’t), don’t
take it from us. Take it
from the 46- to 67-yearold women who tested
our walk-to-run program: They saw pounds
disappear as soon as
the first week, and by
8 weeks, they had shaved
up to 20 inches off their
butts, thighs, waistlines,
hips, and arms and
dropped nearly 3 sizes—
all without dieting! In
fact, even those who
didn’t lose much weight
erased as many as
5 inches of belly fat.
Our 8-week plan is
specifically designed
to be safe for would-be
runners over 40. You’ll
gradually increase your
running time, allowing
your body to adjust without aches or strain, and
perform targeted toning
exercises and stretches to
protect against injuries.
And don’t be surprised if
you become a convert—
adults in one study who
tried jogging reported
enjoying their workouts
30% more than when
they walked, possibly
because running stimulates more good-mood
hormones in the brain,
say researchers.
THE EXPERTS: Danny Dreyer,
the author of Chi Running who
specializes in teaching beginners how to run pain free,
created the walk/run plan.
Vonda Wright, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and author of
Fitness After 40, designed the
strength/stretching workout.
Before and after every workout, do 4 minutes of easy walking to warm up and cool down. You
can rearrange days as needed, but don’t run on back-to-back days—ditto for toning moves.
Your 8-Week training Plan
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Week 1
Run 1 min/walk 3 min; do
13 times (total 60 min)
Low-impact cardio;
Run Strong moves
(A & B)
Repeat Monday’s
routine
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Repeat Monday’s
routine
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Rest
Week 2
Run 3 min/walk 2 min; do
8 times (total 48 min)
Low-impact cardio;
Run Strong moves
(A & B)
Run 3 min/walk
1 min; do 8 times
(total 40 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Repeat
Wednesday’s
routine
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Rest
Week 3
Run 5 min/walk 3 min; do
6 times (total 56 min)
Low-impact cardio;
Run Strong moves
(A & B)
Run 5 min/walk
2 min; do 6 times
(total 50 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Run 5 min/walk
1 min; do 6 times
(total 44 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Rest
Week 4
Run 8 min/walk 3 min; do
3 times (total 41 min)
Low-impact cardio;
Run Strong moves
(A & B)
Run 8 min/walk
2 min; do 3 times
(total 38 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Run 8 min/walk
1 min; do 3 times
(total 35 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Rest
Week 5
Run 10 min/walk 3 min; do
3 times (total 47 min)
Low-impact cardio;
Run Strong moves
(A & B)
Run 10 min/walk
2 min; do 3 times
(total 44 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Run 10 min/walk
1 min; do 3 times
(total 41 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Rest
Week 6
Run 15 min/walk 2 min; do
2 times (total 42 min)
Low-impact cardio;
Run Strong moves
(A & B)
Repeat Monday’s
routine
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Run 15 min/walk
1 min; do 2 times
(total 40 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Rest
Week 7
Run 20 min/walk 2 min/
run 10 min (total 40 min)
Low-impact cardio;
Run Strong moves
(A & B)
Repeat Monday’s
routine
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Run 20 min/walk
1 min/run 10 (total
39 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Rest
Week 8
Run 25 min/walk 2 min/
run 5 min (total 40 min)
Low-impact cardio;
Run Strong moves
(A & B)
Run 25 min/walk
1 min/run 5 min
(total 39 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Run 30 min!!!
(total 38 min)
Low-impact cardio; Run Strong
moves (A & B)
Rest
july 2009
july 2009
prevention.com
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