Valecia Weeks is licensed through the state of Texas as a therapeutic massage therapist who specializes in providing on-site chair massage for corporations and events. She currently provides massage for such organizations as the Houston Ballet and Houston Methodist Hospital. Valecia is also a certified personal trainer with NESTA, as well as a licensed ZUMBA instructor.
RISE -n- STRIDE…When would you say is the best time to exercise? As soon as you step foot out of the bed, of course! We are some of the busiest creatures on the planet and it’s been proven, ladies, that AM exercisers tend to stick with their workouts because nothing else, besides sleep (of course), has an opportunity to get in their way. So if you are reading this article, first thing in the morning, here is a progressive four-week walking program specifically with YOU in mind to start or continue with your morning walking routine. If morning has already passed and you are just starting to read the article, you can, of course, still do these workouts, on a treadmill or outdoors, or any time of day. This would be a great opportunity to meet up with girl friends and keep your walking workout social and motivational to one another…remember, there’s power in numbers!
*RPE – Rate of Perceived Exertion: measuring physical activity intensity level based on how hard you feel like your body is working. (5=low, 10=high)
WEEK 1
| DAY | WORKOUT | INTENSITY | TOTAL MINUTES |
| Monday | Practice maintaining a consistent pace | RPE: 5 | 30 |
| Tuesday | Power walk 5 minutes; really push for 1 min. repeat 5 times | RPE:5-6 | 30 |
| Wednesday | Time your walk: increase your pace at least 4 times along the way |
RPE:5-6 |
30 |
| Thursday | Hum a song and walk the pace of the song | RPE:5-6 | 30 |
| Friday | Increase pace at least 4 times | RPE:5-6 | 30 |
| Saturday | Power walk 5 minutes; really push for 1 min. repeat 5 times | RPE:5-6 | 30 |
| Sunday | REST |
WEEK 2
| DAY | WORKOUT | INTENSITY | TOTAL MINUTES |
| Monday | Walk up & down hills as many times as possible | RPE: 6-8 | 35 |
| Tuesday | Power walk as fast as you can | RPE: 8 | 35 |
| Wednesday | March for 6 min, then power walk for 2; repeat 5 times | RPE: 6-8 | 40 |
| Thursday | Jog at a steady pace | RPE: 5 | 40 |
| Friday | Race your girlfriends uphill | RPE: 6 | 30 |
| Saturday | March for 6 min, then power walk for 2; repeat 5 times | RPE: | 40 |
| Sunday | REST |
These charts show only 2 weeks’ worth walking routines. Let these motivate you to add two more weeks, making it a total of 4 weeks. Add things like working your gluts, occasionally changing your incline on your treadmill, running up and down a hill nonstop and repeating moves from weeks one and two, and just watch the pounds/inches fall off.
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