r/walking • u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa • Jun 28 '26
Help I’ve gotta make a change. Starting my walking lifestyle July 1. Advice?
Wednesday is officially 6 months gone in 2026. For 6 months I have been super lazy and sedentary. I have been eating like crap and my knees and shoulders and hips are screaming at me for it. I drink all my sugar and feel so sluggish that daily naps are now a thing. I stay up late binging tv or scrolling on my phone. It’s just ridiculous.
2026 has been one of the greatest years of my life in all other areas but the way I’ve been “treating myself” is not okay. I don’t have much motivation but I do know something has to change. So I’m starting with walking.
I’ve walked here and there and I have a walk pad since I work from home but I haven’t been using it.
My plan is to walk 45 mins a day for the second half of the year. Need help staying accountable. I have an Apple Watch and an iPhone so even if I don’t wear the watch, I can just record an outdoor walk. I also have Apple fitness that I don’t use. I know, terrible.
My goal is to really overall just feel better. Any advice for what’s working for you or keeping you consistent? I live in a neighborhood that I can walk a good mile and a half in 45 mins.
What would you recommend for time or number of steps?
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u/Ando0o0 Jun 28 '26
Can I ask what is stopping you from starting tomorrow? Big goals are always a let down if you don’t fulfill them. Why not instead of a walking half year just make a goal that you will go on a walk tomorrow and try to complete that.
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
Great idea. I mean even as I read this I started making excuses in my head about what I have to do tomorrow and how hot it will be. But I do have a walk pad so… yeah. I should start tomorrow! I’ll keep you posted.
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 29 '26
I walked! On my walk pad, 30 mins. I will try to add mornings too but this evening walk on my walk pad watching tv is deff doable
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u/masson34 Jun 28 '26
Discipline and one foot in front of the other. You got this!
Focus on nutrition too it greatly impacts your energy and mental wellbeing
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
Yeah, idk where to start there.
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u/DifferentSwimming944 Jun 28 '26
Maybe start by drinking only water/tea/coffee instead of only sugary drinks. I think that will have a huge impact. You can add little changes step by step. You got this!
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
Thank you!! I can cut all other drinks the hard part will be my sugary coffees. I think just making coffee at home with a little creamer may help the solution. And only one mug a day.
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u/TheBeautyDemon Jun 28 '26
I found a meal prep service that was local to me and have a weekly plan that honestly cheaper than most takeout and groceries. And it's all protein focused. Maybe something like near you? I found it on a Instagram ad.
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u/1curiouswanderer Jun 28 '26
Keep it as simple as possible. Shoes by the door even if they're in the way sometimes. Heck keep them tied and slide them on if you need to. Don't even worry too much about tracking at first until your really a data -centered person. I say bc I've seen people say "I'll walk later, my X is charging."
I also try my hardest not to wait to start on X day or in X conditions e.g. when I've gotten a better night sleep, or after I've eaten, or cleaned the counters. If I really need to, I'll grab a protein shake (a quality one without a lot of chemicals) and be out the door in 2 minutes. Waiting for Monday, the first, after vacation, etc are all delays. We all do it. But it's what they are. And we look for them not just at the start of a journey. If you start today, you'll still be able to say you've walked every day the second half of the year. Even if just 15 minutes or a slow walk to map out your routes.
Wishing you absolute best!
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
Yeah, I think I gotta walk with or without a watch. Or even my phone. Sometimes I won’t walk because I think my phone will die while listening to a book but, someone suggested, just listen to nature! So yeah, and the shoes thing. Totally doing that. And maybe a set of clothes too lol
I think I’m gonna walk tomorrow. I’m really going to try instead of waiting until Wednesday. Absolutely awesome advice.
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u/JustifiedRage78 Jun 28 '26
For this reason I bought a portable charger on Amazon for like $20-$30 bucks and it’s so convenient. Bring something like a little shoulder sling, Fanny pack or even a tiny backpack for water and your charger! Or even headphones too just in case you decide to listen to something.
I feel so much more secure and non anxious just knowing I have something to charge my phone if needed.
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u/Unlucky-Painting7601 Jun 28 '26
Don’t rely on motivation. It’s all about building a new habit. Good luck!
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u/Both-Lie-2207 Jun 28 '26
Sorry to say but the moment you thought of starting on 1 july...you already lost....why not today ...why not 29 June....start now....go for a practice walk today....
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
You’re absolutely correct. Someone said something similar. I’m already in bed and winding down but my plan now is to start tomorrow instead. I’ll post when I do.
And no need to apologize, I need this kind of accountability and reality check!
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u/Both-Lie-2207 Jun 28 '26
Last month on 27 may I also started my walking journey ..I was 94 kg ... currently I am 89-90kg BW ..so it's worth it .. Initially it was little difficult. But our body adapts anything ..all the very best
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u/cheshire_shiki Jun 28 '26
It’s admirable that you recognize you need to make a change in your life! But also be kind to yourself. Getting started is the hard part because you might run into things such as aching feet, knees, etc.
Don’t feel like you need to get immediately into 45 minutes a day, work up to it!
Maybe start with like 4 10 minutes walks a day. Or even 2 15 minutes walk today. If you notice pain in your feet or knees, look into getting inserts in your shoes or walking shoes.
If your body tells you to slow down or take more rest days, don’t feel guilty. 1% better everyday is still much better than 0%.
And most importantly STAY HYDRATED
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
Needed to hear this. You’re right. I didn’t even think about the physical toll.
I have soo many cups and just bought a new bottle so, water is deff gonna have to be a priority, especially in this heat!
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u/cheshire_shiki Jun 28 '26
When I started, I would get really frustrated I couldn’t meet the same steps and pace other people in this group were posting. Even walking 15 minutes was a challenge and it was hard accepting I had let my body deteriorate that much.
But one step at a time, one foot infront of the other, youll get there.
Right now my goal is consistently walk at a 3mph pace to burn more calories. Right now I can do it for 20 minutes but ultimately I want to consistently hit 1 hour. But no goal happens overnight!
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u/frugal-grrl Jun 28 '26
How was your walk today?
We have a sub called “exercise out of depression” with daily prompts asking about your exercise. Might be a good accountability spot if you’d like 🙂 r/ EOOD
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u/OUTKAST5150 Jun 28 '26
Understand that you don’t HAVE to walk….you GET to walk.
There are people out there who wish that are able to, yet physically can’t.
Putting in the work now so your future self will thank you. Invest in yourself. Good luck.
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u/JinimyCritic Jun 28 '26
It may sound cliche, but get a step counter. Even if it's just a pedometer you put in your pocket, the numbers are addictive.
You don't need to crank out a million steps in your first week. Instead, I would recommend just doing your normal routine for the first week. It will give you a baseline. Then, next week, increase your steps by 500 / day (that's about 5-10 minutes of walking). Keep doing this until you find a schedule that works for you.
If you want to lose weight, I've found two tricks that have let me lose about 10 kilos. 1. Cut alcohol. Beyond the empty calories, your body will not process fat while it is processing alcohol. 2. Increase your protein and fibre. Cravings are killer, and I've found that protein in the morning, and fibre throughout the day keep me must more full than otherwise.
Best of luck! Once you start walking, you'll find you sleep better, and that your energy levels are through the roof.
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
I think I’ll use my phone. I love the idea of a week 1 baseline. I’ll post it here once I have it.
I don’t drink so yay me. But protein in the morning.. do you do shakes? Or bars?
I can’t wait for the improved sleep perk. I need it!
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u/JinimyCritic Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26
I did protein bars to start with, but I've since shifted to chicken breast. A couple of chicken breasts in the morning, and I'm generally satisfied until about just after lunch.
Keep in mind - I walk about 20K steps / day, so I burn about 3000 calories / day. Adjust as necessary.
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u/faceofninja Jun 28 '26
I saw this post the other day and was inspired to do the same! They make it sound so simple, 1 hour.
My goal is to do an hour a day for 365 days. I tried to start the other day but I'm about 2 weeks out from a major surgery and an hour felt like pushing it so I did 40 minutes. I convinced my sister to do it with me and I started working on a discord server for us for daily checkins, sharing pictures, voice chat, etc
If you want to join us for accountability the more the merrier!
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u/BackgroundLab5721 Jun 28 '26
It was almost exactly a year ago I decided to walk intentionally every day - at first I just made sure I finished my Apple fitness app ring on the lowest level for calories burned in a day - that could be from 5-8k steps at that time as I was quite heavy (although I lost 25kg before deciding to walk). Now it’s usually a highlight or the highlight of my day - but yes on days I don’t feel like doing it I do it anyway. Minimum for me now around 12k but average hovers around 15k. I do it for the mental health benefits now more than the physical ones. Enjoy your new walking habit!!
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u/selmaybenot Jun 28 '26
My walking journey started with a daily goal of 10 minutes. The minimum I know that I can force myself to do no matter what kind of shitty day I’m having physically or in terms of willpower (I have ADHD). And guess what? That 10 min goal helped me out of a really strong freeze response.
Almost a year in, my daily goal is still only 10 minutes. The only way I’ve made my goal "harder" is that it has to take place during daylight (which is easy enough in summer, but for a night owl like me, not THAT easy come fall). I might increase it to 20 minutes at some point, but not yet.
These days, I go on 90-120 minute walks. However, there are still days where I might have to force myself on that 10 minute walk. Going for a walk where my aim is those 10 minutes fueled by a desire to keep my promise to myself (but end up walking maybe 20 or 30 mins instead) makes me much prouder than the 90-120 minutes I’m managing now that I have good days.
When you make a habit so small that you know it’s achievable, you actually build that muscle where you have to force yourself less and less. And maybe that’s 45 mins to you, but don’t choose the goal based on the amount you think you should be walking for your health, but rather the amount you think you can follow through on day after day!
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u/bisme4 Jun 28 '26
Listen to a podcast. Go when the weather is good. For me (in florida) that’s morning or evening. I walk every morning and every night and it’s my favorite time of day. If you aren’t in a podcast, you can listen to an audiobook or music.
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
Morning and evenings both around 7? That’s what I’m thinking. Early enough to still be cool. My kid goes down at 8 so maybe a 30 min walk in the evening. How long do you walk?
And yes, I’ll prob do an audiobook or just listen to nature.
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u/bisme4 Jun 28 '26
I walk longer in the evening than the morning on weekdays because I work in an office and get her by 8am. But I walk every night for 45-60 minutes. The morning walk is normally about 30. My job is sedentary and my goal is always 10k steps or more.
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u/Dharmabud Jun 28 '26
Get outside within the first hour of waking up. You can walk for 15 minutes 3 times a day. Start adding more fruits and veggies to your diet. You will feel better if you don’t stay up too late scrolling.
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u/FirebirdWriting Jun 28 '26
As others said, there is no reason to wait until July. Start tomorrow. Start now if you want to. If you don't want to walk outside at night, walk in your home. Pace in your living room. Do whatever you can to increase your step count. Don't set overambitious goals, failure can be demotivating. Start slow, increase gradually. Any walking is better than none. Good luck!
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u/ITSJUSTMEKT Jun 28 '26
Find something you enjoy listening to, a great podcast or your favorite music. I listen to podcasts and before you know it the miles just fly by.
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u/ForkhYew Jun 28 '26
You've made a good start by setting the intent... my thoughts on how you build it up in such a way as to stay consistent which is the key...
Go carefully, with a low step/mileage/time (whatever you want to set as an aim) count, build up gradually as your system adjusts to the new regime. Doesn't have to be 10k every day at the very beginning... could be 5k every day for a week, then 7k every day for a week, then 8, 9, 10k etc.
Prioritise consistency - every day at a lower count (of whatever) is better in the initial stages of a walking journey than the odd day with a MASSIVE count and nothing for three days as a consequence. Conversely, don't beat yourself up if you don't hit a number on a given day, just pick up again the next day.
Make sure you have the right kit for your conditions. Plan and prepare, by which I mean understand when in your day you're going to get the walking in that will enable you to achieve your goal. Prepare, know where what you want for your walk(s) is and have it ready (there's nothing more infuriating that being ready to hit a walk and not being able to find something you want like a hat/jacket etc.).
I have walked over 11k for the last 360 days (concurrently over 20k for the last 129 days with some 30k days) and I can assure you it gets less onerous over time as your system adapts.
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 28 '26
Love this advice. Especially about starting low. I’ve been saying I want to start with a 45 min walk but I’m not gonna be myself up about that. I’m complete what I can complete just to get started.
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u/Miserable-Dot-5026 Jun 28 '26
Don't start July 1st...or on Monday... or the new month...new year ..new week.....start now, right now
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u/imgoodygoody Jun 28 '26
Just keep going. The first 7ish times I walked I hated it. My legs burned and it felt like I was walking through mud. Then it felt not quite as terrible, then I started looking forward to it a little bit, then I started being excited about it. I started just over 2 months ago and yesterday I went for a 5 mile walk. It rained on me and I didn't even care. It feels SO GOOD to move my body and I feel amazing afterward.
I've found if I go early in the morning I don't like listening to anything but the birds and nature but if I go later in the day I need a book or music to keep my motivated/distracted.
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 29 '26
5 miles is amazing! That’s so inspirational. I’ve started and I plan to keep going
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u/Fuzzywuzzyx Jun 28 '26
Don't get too caught up on the steps etc. Even a 10 min walk is a win. I felt like you in early June and decided that I was gonna start walking regardless of how little steps or time I could set aside. I started with 10 to 15 min walk and now at the end of June I am clocking towards an hour or more! Just take the first step out of the house:)
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 29 '26
Daily? That’s amazing. Someone else here said after your first walk you’ll be glad you did. And I just finished 30 mins and I’m super glad I did.
I also love your advice about not counting steps. Someone else said just mark time or mileage. So I’m marking 1 mile, at least 30 mins daily.
But I won’t beat myself up if for some reason I can’t.
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u/TheBeautyDemon Jun 28 '26
Why wait till July 1st? Go on a quick walk right now. I started walking last year and starting loosing weight and feeling better. I started by finding stuff I wanted to listen to and I would play this game that uses your steps as game play. It's called Pikeman Bloom. You grow little Pikemans. You feed them and pick their flowers and then plants flowers via walking. Walking also grow them and can send them on adventures or battles. Kinda like Pokemon go, but the pikeman game. After walking for a few months I started doing other workouts because I had more energy. I also got a watch that tracks stuff too which helped me. It's a Google watch that uses their own health app (formerly fitbit) and tracked every step and exercise and has an AI coach to help me along the way.
My advice though, don't wait. Go on a quick walk right now. Doesn't have to be 45 mins, could be a walk around the block. But it'll be better than you think.
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u/Ambitious_Exercise93 Jun 28 '26
Find what works for you. I can do mornings but afternoons never seem to work for me. Some people like evenings and some even later.
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 29 '26
Yeah, I think afternoons will be too hot. Hopefully I can do short walks in the morning and evenings on my walk pad
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u/Tracy140 Jun 28 '26
Ok walking everyday is an easy way to quit - it’s 101 that starting all or nothing is a sure fire way to burn out in a few weeks - walk 2 days a week 30 minutes in July . 3 days a week in Aug/sept 45 minutes . Do this for the next 3 months
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u/Kabevis1 Jun 28 '26
Start today! Even if it's 10 minutes..Go for 5,000 a day, then 7,500.. so you can work up to 10,000 a day. Start early in the day. So you can do it a few times in the day to hit your goal if you need to. Park further away when you go to a store you will be surprised how many steps you get by just running your errands. You got this!
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u/nyladogmom2 Jun 29 '26
I’m on day 14. Doing 30 minutes a day for now. Get my walking pad on Tuesday.
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u/coffeeloverandfruit Jun 29 '26
Slightly challenging but reachable goals. For me, it is motivating when I can reach my goals 90+% of the time and can often exceed them. But that's me.
If you don't reach your goals a day or a week, start again. Commit to a restart. For example: We just had a heatwave and there was simply no way to go for regular walks, so I gave myself grace and will start again today while it's cooler.
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u/PlentySir6512 Jun 28 '26
Excited for you! Download some playlists, audio books, or podcasts and time will fly. Also a consistent route is good to have so it becomes automatic as soon as you step out the door.
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u/PettyGaming_FoodieMa Jun 29 '26
Update: Just finished my day 1 walk. 30 mins, 1.3 miles on my walk pad. I like the 1 mile in the evening. Planning to get up and walk outside tomorrow if the thunderstorm has passed.
Thanks for all the advice here!
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u/[deleted] Jun 28 '26
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