We walked off three 石／投石する in four weeks! How five Mail readers （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 the bulge by walking 5,000 steps a day?

• Sports scientist Joanna Hall teaches a way to walk that 提携させるs the 団体／死体
• The technique can help 緩和する 支援する 苦痛 and help shed the 超過 続けざまに猛撃するs
• Five Mail readers were chosen to 参加する a four week walking challenge
  
• Each shed 続けざまに猛撃するs and has seen an array of other health 利益s
  

By Alice Smellie for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 22:04 BST, 27 July 2013 | Updated: 22:07 BST, 27 July 2013

It's a unique challenge: lose up to 10lb 簡単に by walking every day. Two months ago, The Mail on Sunday asked readers to try. Fitness guru Joanna Hall 約束d it was possible ? if you followed her 指導基準s on how to walk 正確に.

Hundreds 接触するd us to say they were willing to give it a go, and five volunteers were chosen. Each had an 初期の training 開会／開廷／会期 and a 一連の 医療の checks at BMI The London 独立した・無所属 Hospital.

They were 実験（する）d again after four weeks of walking 5,000 steps a day ? and the results were 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の.

Here, they chart their 旅行, while cardiovascular epidemiologist? and obesity specialist Dr David Ashton, 顧問 cardiologist? Dr T.?W. Koh and GP Dr Jonty Heaversedge give their 分析.

Five volunteers - pictured from left to 権利, Kerry Mclvor, Tony Butterworth, Barbara Carter-Dunn, Kathryn Davis and Diane Green - took up the four week challenge and saw 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の results

THE WALKACTIVE CHALLENGE

The volunteers first learned Joanna’s Walkactive technique, which 約束s postural, 機能の and cosmetic 改良s. Each read her 調書をとる／予約する, watched her DVD and took part in a? one-day workshop with her.

For the first three days, each volunteer had to 公式文書，認める their 普通の／平均（する） number of steps. They then had to walk a 最小限 of 5,000 steps a day using Joanna’s technique. This could be broken into three or four walks and 含むd normal walking around.

Each wore a pedometer to 手段 their 進歩 and, in weeks one and two, they also did three ‘pace walks’ ? 急速な／放蕩な enough that they were lightly out of breath.

Learning the technique: Volunteer Tony Butterworth and Kerry Mclvor pictured with fitness guru Joanna Hall

The length of the walk depended on individual fitness levels. In weeks three and four, they did four pace walks.

There were also daily 復部の 演習s that 伴う／関わるd 製図／抽選 the stomach muscles 上向き and inward and 持つ／拘留するing for さまざまな lengths of time.

They were also asked to not eat carbohydrates after 5pm.

'I CAN'T BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE IT HAS MADE'

Sales 経営者／支配人 Kerry McIvor, 42:

Kerry lives in Nottingham with her two children, 老年の 18 and 20. Kerry says: ‘In January I had the most 哀れな holiday of my life.

‘I was in Lanzarote with my boyfriend, but at 12st 2lb I was the heaviest I’d ever been.

'My thighs rubbed together, I covered up during the day, and I didn’t want to go out at night.

‘When we got 支援する from holiday, I took up rugby and watched what I ate but I still couldn’t lose my muffin 最高の，を越す or those last stubborn 続けざまに猛撃するs.

‘Learning the Walkactive technique was 半端物 at first but I quickly mastered it: shoulders 支援する, neck long, with a long stride 押し進めるing from the toes, and 武器 swinging almost at 権利 angles. ‘I’ve been walking every morning and have tried to do another 20 minutes at lunchtime and in the evening.

'I’ve lost my muffin 最高の，を越す and my 支援する fat. My size 14 着せる／賦与するs fit perfectly, and I have had countless compliments. I can’t believe the difference it has made to me both mentally and 肉体的に.’

Dr Koh says: ‘Kerry’s 残り／休憩（する）ing pulse 率 has gone 負かす／撃墜する ? this occurs with 正規の／正選手 演習 ? and means that her heart is working いっそう少なく hard and 機能（する）／行事ing more efficiently.’

Dr Ashton says: ‘Kerry has done 井戸／弁護士席 to lose 5lb. The 手段d 血 variables show no 重要な changes, but one would not 推定する／予想する there to be any given the modest 負わせる loss and short duration of the 熟考する／考慮する. ’

Dr Heaversedge says: ‘Kerry is 井戸／弁護士席 on her way to a normal BMI. We know that 安定した 負わせる loss is much more likely to be 支えるd. She has already lowered her 危険 of heart 病気 and 糖尿病 by 減ずるing her waist size.’

Banished the muffin 最高の，を越す: Kerry Mclvor, 42, pictured left, has lost 5lb in four weeks after taking up the walkactive challenge while Tony Butterworth, 65, 権利, walks five miles every morning and no longer feels 苦痛 in his 共同のs

'I WALK FIVE MILES EVERY MORNING'

Tony Butterworth, 65:

Tony lives in Halifax, West Yorkshire, with his wife Jocelyn, 58, a nurse. They have two grown-up children. Tony, a retired NHS 行政官／管理者, says: ‘I’ve always considered myself to be a reasonably active person.

‘My older grandchildren, who are 老年の nine and seven, think I 存在する to play football with them. But I put on 負わせる in 2005 and started to worry about my health.

‘I was 診断するd with two slipped レコードs so 演習 that wasn’t going to 傷つける my 共同のs sounded ideal. I started at 5,000 paces and? built up. Now I walk five miles every morning and I 完全に enjoy it.

‘When I saw my results written 負かす／撃墜する in 黒人／ボイコット and white, I was thrilled. I leap out of bed in the morning, I have more energy and I’m a 石／投石する はしけ. There is no 苦痛 in my 共同のs, and I’ll be carrying on.’

Dr Koh: ‘The 減少（する） in Tony’s 残り／休憩（する）ing pulse 率 would need to be 手段d over a period of time to show a 支えるd 減少（する）, but it is 潜在的に good news. His cholesterol has gone up, but without the 決裂／故障 of how much is ‘‘bad’’ and ‘‘good’’, it is difficult to draw 結論s.’

Dr Ashton says: ‘The loss around Tony’s waist is impressive. It is fat that is 堅固に associated with heart 病気 and type 2 糖尿病. His 削減s in glucose and pulse 率 are 一貫した with 増加するd physical activity.’

Dr Heaversedge says: ‘At the start, Tony was obese but now is approaching a healthy BMI. It is unsurprising that his 共同の 苦痛 has 少なくなるd. Walking 正確に can 緩和する 共同の 苦痛 by 強化するing muscles around them.’

Dropped a dress size: Barbara Carter-Dunn, 72, has gone from between a size 18 or 16 to a size 14

'I AIM TO DO 7,500 STEPS A DAY'

Barbara Carter-Dunn, 72:

Barbara lives in Blackpool with her husband? Leonard, 82. She is an Avon lady.? The couple have six children between them, 同様に as two grandchildren and two? 広大な／多数の／重要な-grandchildren.

She says: ‘I went to see my dressmaker last week. She sighed as she took my beautiful sea-green dress in yet again. In the past month I’ve gone from a size 16 or 18 to a size 14.

‘I was cock-a-hoop. I used to play tennis five times a week until I had a 膝 and ankle 交替／補充 two years ago.

‘I have been doing aqua-エアロビクス classes, but have 一般に felt unfit, overweight and a bit low. My incentive was a family wedding. I’ve been getting up and going for a walk every morning and I 目的（とする） to do a total of 7,500 steps a day.

‘I’ve felt a twinge in my bad 脚 on a couple of occasions, but I’ve just been careful to take? things more slowly. In the morning I’m energetic rather than lethargic. And for the family wedding? I felt fabulous!’

Dr Ashton says: ‘There is good 証拠 that mental wellbeing is 上げるd by 演習. A 2005 熟考する／考慮する showed that 急速な／放蕩な walking for 35 minutes a day, five times a week, had a 重要な 影響（力） on 穏健な to 穏やかな depressive symptoms.’

Dr Koh says: ‘Barbara should continue to 演習, so she may see more of a 削減 in her 血 圧力, which she can 支える.’

Dr Heaversedge says: ‘It is much harder to lose 負わせる when you’re older. The 団体／死体 燃やすs より小数の calories because of 減ずるd muscle 集まり, so Barbara’s 負わせる loss of 9lb in four weeks 代表するs a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of dedication.’

'I DO 20 MINUTES ON A TREADMILL BEFORE WORK'

Diane Green, 60:

Diane 作品 in accounts, lives in Romford, Essex,? with her husband Dave, 57, a printer. She says: ‘In July I was on crutches for eight weeks に引き続いて an 操作／手術. I 伸び（る）d 10lb.

'My GP 手配中の，お尋ね者 to put me on statins to lower my cholesterol. When I told him what I was doing, he gave me until September to get it 負かす／撃墜する through 演習.

'For the past four weeks I have been walking for 20 minutes on the treadmill before work and for 40 minutes when I get home.’

Dr Koh says: ‘熟考する／考慮するs have shown that 演習 lowers cholesterol ? it may 改善する its 輸送（する） through the 団体／死体 to the 肝臓, from where it can be expelled. She may need three months to 達成する her ultimate 目的（とする）. I imagine her GP would 許す her the 余裕／偏流 as the downward 傾向 continues.’

Dr Ashton says: ‘The 削減 in 残り／休憩（する）ing? heart 率 means that she has 改善するd her cardiovascular system.’

Dr Heaversedge says: ‘Her waist 測定 has gone 負かす／撃墜する by almost 4in, which 減ずるs her 危険 of heart 病気 and 糖尿病.’

'I SLEEP BETTER AND WAKE UP FELLING FRESH'

Kathryn Davis, 47:

Kathryn lives in Solihull, West Midlands, with her husband Richard, 58, and their two daughters, Ellie, 19, and Grace, 14. She 作品 for Birmingham City 会議.

Kathryn says: ‘I just hoped to lose a few 続けざまに猛撃するs and get a bit fitter. I 設立する it invigorating and quickly felt that I was sleeping better and waking up fresh.

‘I’ve managed to build up to 15,000 steps a day getting up 早期に in the morning and going for a walk before the 天候 warmed up. In the evening I’d go for a walk where 以前 I’d take the car. I feel so much better, and I’m over the moon that my waistline has 再現するd.’

Lowered cholesterol: Diane Green, 60, pictured left, has managed to lower her cholesterol level and lose nearly 4in from her waist while Kathryn Davis, 47, pictured 権利, has built up to walking 15,000 steps a day and says her waistline has 再現するd

Dr Koh says: ‘After four weeks of 演習 Kathryn’s 団体／死体 fat is 負かす／撃墜する by seven per cent, her BMI by three per cent and her waist by? 12 per cent. These are all 重要な 測定s. Imagine the 衝撃 after six months or a year of such 演習.

‘Kathryn’s waist circumference ? a 手段? of her 復部の fat ? has also come 負かす／撃墜する by 6in, which is 重要な.’

Dr Ashton says: ‘にもかかわらず the fact that there is no change in any of the 手段d 血 variables, Kathryn 明確に feels fitter and has more energy than before starting her? walking programme. The change in waist 測定 of 6in is much larger than one would have 予報するd.’

Dr Heaversedge says: ‘This level of gentle activity is ideal for those who are 本気で overweight, who often find it difficult to 参加する in 演習 programmes.’

WHAT THE TESTS SHOW

BMI (団体／死体 集まり 索引): A 割合 of 高さ to 負わせる. Between 18.5 and 24.9 is normal, 25 to 30 is overweight and over 30 is obese. The higher the BMI, the greater the 危険 of arthritis, 糖尿病, heart 病気 and other problems.

団体／死体 fat 百分率: The 量 of the 団体／死体 構成するd? of fat, 手段d using hospital-grade 医療の 規模s. Men should 得点する／非難する／２０ from 16 per cent to 21 per cent, and women between 22 and 31 per cent.

Cholesterol: A fatty 実体 決定的な for the normal 機能（する）／行事ing of the 団体／死体. An 過度に high level is a 危険 factor for heart 病気 and 一打／打撃s. The reading should be below five.

血 圧力: The 軍隊 of 血 against the 塀で囲むs of arteries. The higher it is, the more 緊張する on the heart and the higher 危険 of heart attack, 一打／打撃s and 腎臓 病気. The normal 範囲 is between 90/60 and 140/90.

Pulse 率: A 残り／休憩（する）ing heart 率 of more than 90 （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s per minute is linked to heart 条件s.

Waist 測定: Men should 手段 under 37in and women under 31.5in, によれば the British Heart 創立／基礎. Larger waist size is linked to the 開発 of heart 病気 and 糖尿病.

• bmihealthcare.co.uk

• Joanna Hall’s Walkactive Programme: The Simple Yet 革命の Way To Transform Your 団体／死体, For Life is published by Piatkus at £13.99. A starter pack, which 含むs the 調書をとる／予約する, DVD, a 25-minute 音声部の- coaching 開会／開廷／会期 download and pedometer, is 利用できる from joannahall.com at a special 申し込む／申し出 price of £29.99 加える £3.50 P&P. For more （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） on Joanna’s method, visit mailonsunday.co.uk/walkactive.