{"id":538625,"date":"2026-07-08T04:21:17","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T04:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/538625\/"},"modified":"2026-07-08T04:21:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T04:21:17","slug":"clare-balding-lost-1-5-stone-by-walking-heres-the-step-count-and-pace-she-followed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/538625\/","title":{"rendered":"Clare Balding lost 1.5 stone by walking \u2013 here\u2019s the step count and pace she followed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many people assume losing weight comes only from intense gym sessions or punishing HIIT workouts<\/a>. Spoiler: it doesn\u2019t. For 55-year-old broadcaster Clare Balding, one of the biggest changes she made to burn fat was far simpler: she walked. A lot.<\/p>\n

The Wimbledon presenter previously revealed that a consistent walking routine<\/a> helped her lose 1.5 stone after deciding it was time to prioritise her health. ‘The main thing is I walk like crazy,’ she told Good Housekeeping.<\/a> ‘I walk the dog every day for an hour in the morning and 40 minutes in the evening. I walk at 4mph, which is pretty quick.’ Alongside the daily dog walks, she also played golf, occasionally went to the gym and did \u2018special sit ups\u2019, but it was walking that formed the backbone of her routine. <\/p>\n

Balding also said in her book, Walking Home, that she aimed for a minimum of 10,000 steps a day, using a fitness tracker gifted by her wife, Alice Arnold, to help her stay consistent. <\/p>\n

Clare Balding’s daily walking for weight loss plan:
Morning: 1 x 60-min walk at 4mph
Evening: 1 x 40-min walk at 4mph<\/p>\n

As PT Samantha McGowan<\/a> explains, \u2018When it comes to walking for weight loss, it\u2019s all about energy balance. You need to be in a calorie deficit \u2013 burning more calories than you eat. An increase in any movement will help with this, but walking is an accessible starting point for many people since it doesn\u2019t require any kit or skill and is low-impact.\u2019<\/p>\n

A quick caveat: sustainable weight loss isn\u2019t driven by exercise or nutrition alone. Movement helps preserve muscle, support metabolic health and improve how your body uses energy, but what you eat still matters. The most effective approach combines smart training with nourishing, realistic nutrition habits you can maintain long-term.<\/p>\n

And if ever you needed proof that walking is a sustainable workout routine, Balding is it. More than a decade on, it\u2019s still a non-negotiable part of her life. Speaking on BBC Radio 4 series Ramblings<\/a>, where she shares inspiring conversations with other walkers, she shared: \u2018Walking has become an integral part of my life and I\u2019ve worked out that I\u2019ve walked more than 3,400 miles \u2013 25 years of 21 programmes a year, each one involving a walk of about six and a half miles.\u2019<\/p>\n

She also told BBC Radio 4: ‘I know how much the walking helps me because it gets you out for quite a long time. It’s not a painful sort of exercise; you don’t feel like you’re suffering. And it’s a great way to get to know your local area,’ while in an interview with The Times<\/a>, she said: \u2018I\u2019ve known lots of people turn to therapy and found it supportive and positive but I\u2019ve never felt the need, and I think that\u2019s because I walk in nature. It\u2019s one of the reasons I don\u2019t get stressed and can cope with high pressure and a big workload \u2013 I just walk and everything settles for me.\u2019 <\/p>\n

So, whether your goal is improving fitness, supporting weight loss or simply moving more, Balding\u2019s story is a reminder that one of the most effective forms of exercise can also be one of the simplest. Inspired? Try her daily walking plan.<\/p>\n

Clare Balding’s daily walking for weight loss plan Morning: 1 x 60-min walk at 4mphEvening: 1 x 40-min walk at 4mph \"Headshot<\/p>\n

As Women\u2019s Health UK\u2019s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.<\/p>\n

After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine\u2019s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!<\/p>\n

Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner\u2019s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in <\/a>print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as \u2018Fit At Any Age\u2019, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.<\/p>\n

She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks \u2013 all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n