Brits are ditching the dreaded ‘step count’ for an efficient and less time consuming way to lose weight and burn fatEleanor Fleming Senior Reporter and Laura Mckenna Audience Writer
04:33, 12 Oct 2025
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With Simple’s AI Coach, each user’s plan is adapted to them(Image: Simple Life)
We’re all familiar with the daily 10,000-step rule and its health benefits, such as maintaining or losing weight and burning fat. However, a new viral walking trend that’s even better – and incredibly simple – is making waves with walkers.
Contrary to popular belief, the 10,000-step rule isn’t scientifically backed but was actually a marketing ploy by a 1960s pedometer company. Current research indicates that while more steps are beneficial, a lesser number can be just as beneficial for overall health and wellbeing.
TikTok fitness creator Eugene Teo, confirms this idea and asserts that the Japanese walking routine offers ten times the benefits of achieving 10,000 steps a day in just half an hour. Better still, this routine is straightforward and low-impact.
But this isn’t just some passing trend – it’s grounded in science. The Japanese walking routine follows an interval training approach: a 30-minute, low-impact yet high-intensity walk divided into structured segments.
It includes three minutes of brisk walking (around 70% of your peak aerobic capacity), followed by three minutes of slow walking (approximately 40% of your peak aerobic capacity). This alternating pace is repeated for five sets, totalling 30 minutes, four times a week, reports the Mirror.
The Simple App provides a personalised walking plan
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For new users, the Simple app is currently on offer at a 60% discount
Even at the faster interval speed, those following the Japanese walking routine should still be able to chat comfortably whilst walking.
As a low-impact, moderate-intensity exercise, walking reduces stress on joints such as the hips, knees and ankles. This makes it a safer alternative to high-impact workouts like running, making it an excellent choice for those susceptible to injuries or joint discomfort.
The Simple app can assist in planning these walks by providing a personalised walking plan based on an individual’s optimal step count. Currently, new users can avail of a 60% discount on the app using the code REACH60 at checkout.
For those who might be doubtful about the potential results, they can look at the remarkable user transformations. Take Karen Heffernan for instance, who once weighed 26-and-a-half stone (168.28kg).
Karen Heffernan combined diet and walking to lose an incredible 14 and a half stone(Image: Simple)
After a “health scare”, she took control of her weight and turned to the Simple app, which guided her through a series of minor, incremental adjustments.
Over approximately 18 months, this approach helped her lose an incredible 14-and-a-half stone (92.08kg), reducing her to less than half of her initial body weight. Karen stated: “I can’t believe it’s actually been so simple. I’ve not felt deprived along the way, my motto just now is ‘delay don’t deny.’ You can have the treats, you have the yin and the yang, you build things up.”
She further added: “This isn’t through surgery, it’s not through medication or any of that, some vitamins along the way, yes, but good food, good exercise, good sleep and motivation to keep you going along the way.”
To kick-start their journey with the Simple app, users are required to fill out a short online questionnaire about their dietary and fitness objectives. The app then harnesses this data to devise a fully customised programme that aligns with their specific requirements and timetable.
With the aid of Simple’s AI Coach, each user’s plan is tailored to them, providing regular feedback. Furthermore, the Simple approach doesn’t involve calorie counting, eliminating essential food groups, or weighing every morsel – instead, it emphasises safety and sustainability, offering guidance throughout the process.
Alternatively, customers can opt for the MyFitnessPal app. This comprehensive food tracker, calorie counter, macro tracker and fitness tracker assists users in establishing long-term habits all in one place.
This new routine is backed by science(Image: Simple Life)
Another option is the Hevy app. This complimentary workout tracker for iOS and Android aids individuals in creating routines and monitoring progress alongside friends.
Trustpilot reviews for Simple are overwhelmingly positive, with users awarding an average 4.3 out of five-star rating, based on more than 7,000 reviews. One user praised the app as ‘consistently gorgeous’.
They said: “It’s a great project with a promising future… it’s reliable since it has its own exchange app outside (the) telegram. They are straight forward and care about the community.”
Another remarked on the app’s user-friendly nature, stating: “The experience was great due to the fact that it was easy to understand, not as complex as others.”
One individual left more critical feedback, noting that they have encountered network problems. They wrote: “The app is good, but improvements in processing speed is needed.”
Another user commented: “Simple and easy to use. I love this app.”
The Simple app is available on the website. Use the code REACH60 at checkout to save 60%.