This 7-Day Walking Plan Is the Simplest Way to Kickstart Your Fitness Goals

It might seem strange to kick off the plan with a rest day, but starting the second week, you'll want this time to do a gentle yoga routine or unwind in a dry sauna (assuming no health issues) to help improve blood flow and reduce any soreness. For now, go for a 15-minute walk at a moderate pace to get your heart pumping and ease into this new routine.

Try this quick interval workout, "then increase by one interval each week," Goelzer said.

• Find a flat area near a hill and walk for eight minutes at a moderate pace.
• Walk uphill for two minutes and downhill for one to two minutes.
• Repeat, completing five rounds in total.

"Once you can get to the top of the hill in those two minutes, race yourself and see if you can beat your time," he added.

Choose from these five dynamic movements — you can do them all or just a few:

• Lateral shuffles
• High knees
• Walking backwards
• Walking on the outside of your feet
• Walking on the inside of your feet

Walk for two minutes and do each dynamic movement that you've selected for 30 seconds each. Start with two rounds for the first week, then add another round every third week.

Do the same interval workout from earlier in the plan, again building on it each week:

• Find a flat area near a hill and walk for eight minutes at a moderate pace.
• Walk uphill for two minutes and downhill for one to two minutes.
• Repeat, completing five rounds in total.

Take the day off or do these full-body stretches to keep yourself limber and help you recover faster.

Keep track of your steps using a fitness tracker. Start by walking two miles and increase by 10 percent each week. The more you incorporate this into your training, the further you'll be able to go, Goelzer said. Once you've increased your distance, sign up for a 5K or 10K race to challenge yourself even more.