The Simple Walking Routine That Helped Me Lose 40 Pounds

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by complex weight loss routines or extreme diets? You're not alone. Lacey Baier, a nutrition and fitness coach and the voice behind a popular YouTube channel, understands this struggle firsthand. After losing over 250 pounds and maintaining her weight loss, Lacey now shares her "cleanish" approach to health—a balanced, sustainable lifestyle that prioritizes nutrition without sacrificing enjoyment. In this article, she reveals how something as simple as walking can be a game-changer for your weight loss journey and overall health.

The Myth of Hardcore Workouts for Weight Loss

Many people believe that losing weight requires intense gym sessions and grueling cardio workouts. However, Lacey Baier challenges this notion. "While I do love a good heavy, sweaty weightlifting workout, and it's been really helpful for my weight loss journey and my own self-confidence, plain, old, simple, boring walking can be very beneficial as well," she explains in her post. Lacey adds, "Plus, it's also great for your overall health, even if you're not trying to lose weight."

Understanding the Calorie Deficit

Before diving into the benefits of walking, it's crucial to understand the foundation of weight loss. Lacey emphasizes, "If you consume more calories than you burn in a day, you're going to gain weight. In order to lose that weight, you need to burn more calories in a day than you're consuming. And that's called a calorie deficit." This concept, known as a calorie deficit, is key to sustainable weight loss. Lacey recommends aiming for a 500-calorie deficit each day as a good target for losing weight.

The Pitfall of Extreme Dieting

Lacey warns against the common trap of extreme dieting. "The problem that a lot of us have is that we try to overdo it, we restrict too much. And then your body does another problem where you start doing a yo-yo diet and it's just this endless cycle of gaining weight and losing weight because you're not finding a sustainable lifestyle that works for you that you can do forever, that loses the weight and then keeps it off." Instead, Lacey advocates for finding a sustainable lifestyle that works for you long-term.

The Science Behind Walking for Weight Loss

To back up her claims about walking, Lacey cites a 2017 study. "There's a trial published in 2017 where a group of participants were following a calorie deficit diet, and they did this moderate walk five days a week," Lacey explains. The results were impressive: "Just doing that decreased weight, decreased body fat percentage, and lower levels of insulin and cholesterol in the blood. And that all meant that they were also at a lower risk for cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance."

The Mayo Clinic experts support these findings: "Regular brisk walking can help you maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat." They also note additional benefits: "Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes."

Consistency Trumps Intensity

An interesting finding from the study was that participants who walked for longer periods didn't see better results. Lacey elaborates, "Interestingly enough, participants who were walking the four to six hours in a week wound up not having the same good results. And they attributed that to the fact that those who are doing the longer walks were actually less consistent in getting that done every day." This highlights a crucial point: "Moderation and consistency is really the key to weight loss success," Lacey emphasizes.

Practical Walking Goals for Weight Loss

For those who can't commit to 30-minute daily walks, Lacey offers an alternative approach. "If you can't find 30 minutes in a day to consistently walk every day, that's not a problem," she reassures. She then explains, "Interestingly enough, hitting approximately 10,000 steps in a day and then having actual 3,500 of those 10,000 steps being 10 to 15 minutes of actively walking, enhanced long-term weight loss." This means you can achieve significant benefits by incorporating brief, brisk walks throughout your day while maintaining an overall active lifestyle.

The Mayo Clinic experts provide a general goal: "As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. If you can't set aside that much time, try several short sessions of activity throughout the day. Any amount of activity is better than none at all."

The Added Benefits of Resistance Training

While walking is excellent for weight loss, Lacey also advocates for incorporating resistance training. "Adding in just even 10 minutes of resistance training can have a ton of benefits," she explains. Lacey suggests various forms of resistance training, "whether that's in the form of weight training, bodyweight exercises, resistance band workouts, or even body conditioning workouts like Pilates or yoga." The benefits are numerous: "Those will actually have a really cool benefit of increased metabolism for longer after the events. Not to mention that it's also going to help you improve your muscle mass, your strength, your posture, your overall mood and flexibility and confidence, and just your general overall lifestyle."

Embracing a "Cleanish" Lifestyle

Lacey's approach to weight loss and health is rooted in what she calls a "cleanish" lifestyle. This balanced approach prioritizes healthy habits without extreme restrictions. "It's not a total necessity, but it's a great addition for sure as part of an overall healthy, 'cleanish' lifestyle," Lacey says about resistance training, emphasizing the flexibility of her method.

Proper Walking Technique

To maximize the benefits of walking, it's important to use proper technique. The Mayo Clinic advises: "Your head is up. You're looking forward, not at the ground. Your neck, shoulders, and back are relaxed, not stiffly upright. You're swinging your arms freely with a slight bend in your elbows. A little pumping with your arms is OK."

Getting Started: Essential Gear

Before you begin your walking routine, make sure you have the right equipment. The Mayo Clinic recommends: "Choose shoes with proper arch support, a firm heel, and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes and gear appropriate for all types of weather, such as layers in cooler weather."

Setting Realistic Goals

When starting a walking routine, it's crucial to set achievable goals. The Mayo Clinic suggests: "For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines: Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity."

RELATED:I'm a Nutritionist and Here Are 19 Protein Truths You Need to Hear

Tracking Your Progress

Monitoring your walking progress can be a great motivator. The Mayo Clinic advises: "Keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration."

Staying Motivated

Maintaining motivation is key to a successful walking routine. The Mayo Clinic offers these tips: "Set yourself up for success. Start with a simple goal, such as, 'I'll take a 5- or 10-minute walk during my lunch break.' When your 5- or 10-minute walk becomes a habit, set a new goal, such as, 'I'll walk for 20 minutes after work.'"

RELATED: I Shrunk From Size 22 to 8 With These 15 Tips That Actually Work

Walk Your Way to Better Health

Lacey Baier's insights, supported by expert advice from the Mayo Clinic, reveal that sustainable weight loss doesn't require extreme measures. By incorporating regular walks into your daily routine and potentially adding some resistance training, you can achieve significant health benefits and long-term weight loss success. Remember, consistency and moderation are key. As Lacey suggests, "Go take a walk to get those steps in today," and start your journey towards a healthier, happier you. "Once you take that first step, you're on the way to an important destination — better health," Mayo Clinic says. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss 12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster.

Do you spend hours scrolling through social media, dreaming about making changes but feeling stuck in an endless cycle of inaction? For many of us, the gap between wanting to transform our lives and actually doing it feels impossibly wide. Meet Sheroi Taylor, who turned her own social media addiction into a success story by taking one simple action: walking 15,000 steps every day. In just 30 days, she lost 10 pounds, but more importantly, she discovered a path to confidence and mental clarity that had eluded her for years. Read on to learn how this TikTok "bed rotter" turned walking enthusiast transformed her body and mindset—and how you can do the same without expensive equipment, complicated diets, or intense workout routines.

From Scrolling to Strolling: One Woman's Journey

"I went from bed rotting every day on TikTok for hours, doom scrolling, wasting my life away, wishing for better," Sheroi shares in her post, reflecting on her starting point. Like many of us stuck in the social media scroll cycle, she found herself spending hours consuming content about other people's transformations instead of creating her own. The turning point came when she decided to channel that same time into walking instead.

The Power of Walking for Weight Loss

"If you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily habits, you could burn about 150 more calories a day. Of course, the more you walk and the quicker your pace, the more calories you'll burn," says Donald Hensrud, M.D. of Mayo Clinic.

This makes walking one of the most accessible ways to start losing weight, requiring no special equipment beyond comfortable shoes. Unlike intense workout programs that often lead to burnout, walking is sustainable and can be easily incorporated into your daily routine.

Rock Bottom to Rising Up

"I wish I could just play a movie in my head and show you guys the memories of me praying and crying and sliding down the wall, throwing up, wishing, and hoping for my life to change," Sheroi reveals about her lowest point before starting her walking journey. This emotional turning point became the catalyst for her transformation, pushing her to finally take action instead of just dreaming about change. She started with just getting outside, which turned into a daily commitment to the movement.

How Many Steps Do You Really Need?

"Even a few thousand steps a day can help you shed pounds if you're consistent." For optimal results, he recommends "walking 45 to 60 minutes a day, five or six days a week," Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, tells TODAY.

The good news is that these walks don't have to happen all at once—you can break them up throughout your day, making them easier to fit into your busy schedule.

The Scale Tells the Story

Starting at 183.2 pounds, Sheroi's dedication to walking 15,000 steps daily led to a significant milestone - exactly 10 pounds lost, bringing her to 173.2 pounds. This consistent drop in weight proved that her simple walking routine was creating real, measurable changes in her body. The steady progress helped maintain her motivation, showing that small daily actions can lead to significant results.

Visual Changes That Keep You Going

"Before, I just looked swollen and puffy and I had a mean double chin, and my stomach was bulging. I just looked inflamed and unhealthy," she admits. The transformation became visible to others, boosting her motivation further. Beyond the numbers on the scale, Sheroi noticed changes in how her clothes fit and how she carried herself, proving that the benefits of walking extend beyond just weight loss.

The Science Behind Step Counting

Bryant notes that "people can expect every thousand steps to burn about a hundred calories," helping explain Sheroi's impressive results over the month-long period. This simple math means that reaching 15,000 steps could burn approximately 1,500 calories daily. Combined with regular movement throughout the day, this creates a sustainable calorie deficit for weight loss.

Breaking Through Mental Barriers

"I have always been my biggest obstacle. I have always fought with myself this never-ending internal battle of just negative and doubt," Sheroi reveals about her mental struggles. Like many people trying to lose weight, she found that the mental hurdles were often bigger than the physical ones. Breaking through these barriers became possible when she focused on taking action rather than waiting for perfect motivation.

Walking for Mental Health

Bryant explains, "Walking can help relieve and manage stress and anxiety... I would tell people to really pay attention and focus on how walking makes them feel because I think that can serve as a great motivator." Research shows that walking outdoors can improve mood, reduce depression, and increase overall sense of well-being. These mental health benefits often become apparent before physical changes, providing early motivation to continue.

The Power of Daily Habits

"How you do one thing is how you do everything," Sheroi explains. Her consistency proved transformative in unexpected ways, affecting everything from her self-care routines to business ventures. The discipline she developed through daily walking began to influence other areas of her life, creating a positive ripple effect that extended far beyond fitness.

Maintaining Weight Loss Success

Dr. Hensrud emphasizes the long-term benefits: "Once you've lost weight, exercise is even more important. Regular physical activity helps keep the weight off. In fact, studies show that people who keep off weight they've lost over the long term get regular physical activity." This highlights why walking is such an effective tool - it's sustainable enough to become a lifelong habit.

Finding Your Tribe

"I'm actually building a community of people who are kind and supportive and so encouraging and just so beautiful," Sheroi shares enthusiastically. Her journey has inspired others to start their own walking routines, creating a ripple effect of positive change. The community aspect helps maintain accountability while providing support during both successes and setbacks.

RELATED:Doctor Lost 6 Pounds in 30 Days Testing This Supplement

The Importance of Consistency

Bryant emphasizes what made Sheroi's approach successful: "The idea is to try to accumulate about 45 minutes to an hour of walking, which tends to correlate best with reasonable weight loss or better weight control." This focus on consistency over perfection allows for sustainable progress without the burnout that often comes with more intense exercise programs.

Adding Strength to Your Walking Routine

As Sheroi plans her next fitness goals, she aligns with expert recommendations. Dr. Hensrud advises: "Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. One set of each exercise is enough for health and fitness benefits." This gradual progression from walking to strength training shows how one healthy habit can naturally lead to another.

Start Your Walking Journey Today

Dr. Hensrud offers practical advice for beginners: "If you're new to regular exercise, you may need to start out with short walks or walking at a light intensity. Then slowly work up to longer walks or more moderate or vigorous activity." This approach prevents overwhelm and injury while building sustainable habits. Remember, every expert walker started with a single step.

RELATED:83-Year-Old Woman Drops 13 Pounds With 5 Simple Habits

Your Success Story Awaits

Sheroi's transformation proves that sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. Whether you're looking to lose weight, boost your mood, or build confidence, walking could be your first step toward change. You don't need expensive equipment or complicated plans - just comfortable shoes and the willingness to take that first step forward. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss 12-3-30 Walking Method: 20 Proven Tips to Lose Weight Faster.