Walking for Weight Loss: The Most Underrated Fat-Loss Tool for Women Over 40

When it comes to losing weight in midlife, most women think they’ve only got two options:

1. Eat less (hello, hangry monster).

2. Train harder (cue sore knees, exhaustion, and 'stuff it, I deserve a block of chocolate').

But here’s the truth: neither of those are particularly sustainable.

And if you’re a woman over 40, dealing with shifting hormones, hot flushes, stress, and sleep struggles, trying to eat like a teenager or train like a 20-year-old athlete is a one-way ticket to burnout.

So what’s left?

✨ Walking.

It might not sound glamorous, but when it comes to fat loss after 40, walking is the sneaky hack most women overlook. And it’s time it got the credit it deserves.

Why Walking Works for Weight Loss

At the end of the day, weight loss boils down to creating a calorie deficit—you need to burn more energy than you consume. You can do this by:

• Eating less (but slash too far and your metabolism slows, plus your hormones—including oestrogen, leptin and ghrelin—can go haywire).

• Exercising more (but piling on extra intense sessions raises injury risk, spikes appetite, and can even eat into precious muscle mass).

That’s where walking comes in.

Walking increases something called NEAT—Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. NEAT is the energy you burn outside of structured exercise: walking to the shops, cleaning the house, gardening, even fidgeting.

👉 Research shows NEAT can account for up to 2,000 calories per day between individuals of the same size.¹ That’s a massive difference that comes down to how much (or little) you move in daily life.

Adding a brisk 15–20 minute walk (around 2,000 steps) can burn an extra 80–100 calories. Do that every day and, without changing anything else, you could lose up to half a kilo (around a pound) per week.

Walking and Menopause Weight Loss

Hormonal changes in perimenopause and menopause affect how your body stores and burns fat. Lower oestrogen slows your metabolism and encourages fat storage around the tummy.

This is where walking shines for menopause weight loss:

• Gentle on hormones – Walking lowers stress and cortisol (which loves to store belly fat).

• Protects recovery – Unlike long cardio sessions, walking won’t leave you exhausted or sore.

• Manages hunger – A stroll won’t leave you ravenous like a bootcamp might.

• Boosts mental health – Walking reduces anxiety, improves sleep, and boosts mood²—all critical for fat loss and hormonal balance.

Walking is also perfect for breaking through weight loss plateaus, because it increases calorie burn without overtaxing your body.

How to Use Walking for Fat Loss

You don’t need to hit 10,000 steps a day (fun fact: that number started as a Japanese marketing slogan in the 1960s). Instead, focus on small, consistent increases:

• Add 2,000 steps per day (about 15–20 minutes).

• Break it up—walk 10 minutes in the morning, 10 after dinner.

• Try a post-meal walk—even 10 minutes helps control blood sugar.³

• Use walking as social time: phone a friend, walk with your partner, or pop in your favourite podcast.

• For stubborn fat, try a brisk walk straight after strength training—it helps maximise fat burning.

Walking for Sustainable Weight Loss

Walking isn’t flashy. You won’t collapse in a puddle of sweat or earn a badge of honour for 'beast mode.' But that’s exactly why it works.

For women over 40 navigating hormonal changes, walking is sustainable, effective, and—dare I say it—life-changing.

So instead of cutting more carbs or adding another punishing workout, try this instead: lace up your sneakers and go for a walk.

Simple. Sustainable. Effective.

References

1. Levine JA. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002.

2. Buman MP, et al. Reallocating time to sleep, sedentary behaviors, or active behaviors: associations with cardiovascular disease risk biomarkers. Ann Behav Med. 2014.

3. DiPietro L, et al. Three 15-min bouts of postmeal walking significantly improve 24-h glycemic control in older people at risk for impaired glucose tolerance. Diabetes Care. 2013.

XO Jane