{"id":2020,"date":"2025-04-03T07:42:18","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T07:42:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/2020\/"},"modified":"2025-04-03T07:42:18","modified_gmt":"2025-04-03T07:42:18","slug":"how-swapping-running-for-walking-helped-me-lose-fat-for-the-first-time-in-my-40s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/2020\/","title":{"rendered":"‘How swapping running for walking helped me lose fat for the first time in my 40s’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Running might burn more calories minute-for-minute than walking<\/a>, but that doesn\u2019t make it superior for fat loss. In fact, fat loss coach Katie Penland<\/a> says that quitting running for walking is the one \u2018most natural (yet controversial)\u2019 thing she did \u2018to lose fat and see definition in my 40s\u2019. As a former endurance runner<\/a>, Penland went from running<\/a> 40+ miles a week, plus regular marathons<\/a> and half marathons<\/a>, to walking<\/a> 8000-10,000 steps a day. <\/p>\n

\u2018I gave myself six weeks and a plan for peri\/meno women AND never looked back!\u2019 she says. \u2018I saw more change in those six weeks than I had in years. If you\u2019re doing the same old thing you did in your 20\u2019s, 30\u2019s and STUCK, that\u2019s why! Our bodies change as we age and so do our needs when it comes to fitness and losing fat.\u2019<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what happened \u2013 and everything she learned. <\/p>\n

1.I rebuilt the muscle I had lost<\/p>\n

    \n

    \u2018If you\u2019re 40+ and trying to lose weight\/tone, running alone isn\u2019t going to get you there,\u2019 she writes on Instagram. <\/p>\n

    \u2018Too much intense cardio can tear down the muscle tissue you DO have to use for energy. Sure, you can have a good sweat session, hop on the scale, and see some numbers go down, but that\u2019s a temporary weight loss.<\/p>\n

    \u2018Muscle burns more calories than fat. It\u2019s more metabolically active and requires more energy to maintain than fat tissue. This means ladies with more muscle mass burn more calories while doing nothing (hello Netflix)\ud83e\udd2f!<\/p>\n

    \u2018AND not just that\u2026during exercise, women with more muscle mass burn more calories because their bodies need to produce more energy to support the increased rate of muscle contraction. Women naturally lose muscle with age so it\u2019s even more important to focus on building it. AND if you\u2019re stuck, thats probably a big reason why.<\/p>\n

    \u2018I\u2019ve built more muscle in my 40s than I ever had in my 30s.\u2019<\/p>\n

    2. My cortisol levels reduced
    <\/p>\n

    \u2018Women runners have higher cortisol levels than others. Cortisol is a stress hormone that can have negative effects on your body if you don\u2019t keep it in check: increased blood sugar levels, weight gain, yucky immune system, digestive issues, and heart disease to name a few. So combine that with other daily stressors, peri\/meno, and wacky hormones\u2026\u26a0\ufe0f no bueno.<\/p>\n

    \u2018Walking can help you do this!! Walking generally lowers cortisol more than running because it is considered a lower intensity exercise, causing a smaller initial spike in cortisol. AND it allows a quicker return to normal levels while still providing the benefits of physical activity!\u2026especially those with high stress levels (hello ladies).\u2019<\/p>\n

    3. She gained strength<\/p>\n

    \u2018I actually gained 15+ lbs during this time. It wasn\u2019t until I stopped the intense running and incorporated strength training\/walking that I got my body in check!\u2026and not just in check, but stronger than EVER. If you\u2019re actually wanting to lose fat and tone up during peri\/menopause, you have to lift some weights and get your cortisol in check.<\/p>\n

    \u2018If you\u2019re peri\/meno, running on the daily, and not seeing the change you want to see\u2026LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. It doesn\u2019t mean you can never run again\u2026you just need to find a different balance.\u2019<\/p>\n

    4. She stopped using weighing scales <\/p>\n

    In a separate post on Instagram, she wrote: \u2018stop focusing on a weight you *think* you want to be\u2026it\u2019s holding you back. I\u2019d much rather weigh more and have muscle than weigh less with none. The person that weighs more with muscle most likely looks smaller anyway bc muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue. This means that a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.\u2019 <\/p>\n

    5. She stopped counting calories \u2013 and started tracking macros <\/p>\n

    \u2018I started fueling properly with macros. Helloooo metabolism. The longer you\u2019ve been depriving yourself, the longer this process can take. Be patient. Your body is trying to figure out what the heck is going on.<\/p>\n

    \u2018Women 40+ are naturally losing muscle with age. We have to be a little more specific with what we eat to ensure we are getting enough to support muscle growth and retention. If we under eat for too long, it prevents your body from having enough energy to repair and rebuild muscle tissue. This can lead to MUSCLE LOSS! So no matter how hard you\u2019re working in the gym, if you\u2019re not fueling your body properly, you won\u2019t see as great of results.\u2019<\/p>\n

    6. She added 30-minute strength training workouts \u2013 and focused on form<\/p>\n

    \u2018I incorporated 3 and\/or 4 days of 30 minute strength training workouts a week,\u2019 she wrote in another post. <\/p>\n

    \u2018I wish I had really focused on form earlier than I did. Using proper form can SPEED UP THE PROCESS! Sit in the uncomfortable parts. Squeeze those muscles targets. Pay attention to your core and posture\u2026IT HELPS!\u2019 <\/p>\n

    7. She aimed for 8 hours of sleep daily <\/p>\n

    \u2018[Sleep] is where ALL the magic happens. This is when your body repairs and rebuilds muscle tissue so it can GROW!! Aim for 8 hours.\u2019<\/p>\n

    8. She prioritised rest days <\/p>\n

    \u2018I was super guilty of this. Rest days are so important to see muscle growth. That\u2019s actually when your muscles repair and rebuild. This is when your body is actively healing and repairing damaged muscle fibers so that muscle growth can happen.\u2019 <\/p>\n

    RELATED STORIES\"Headshot<\/p>\n

    As Women\u2019s Health UK\u2019s fitness director (and a qualified yoga teacher), Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism. She secured her first role at Look Magazine, where her obsession with fitness began and she launched the magazine\u2019s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!. Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner\u2019s World and Red.<\/p>\n

    Now, she oversees all fitness content across womenshealthmag.com.uk<\/a> and the print magazine, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as \u2018Fit At Any Age\u2019, where we showcase the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise. 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.<\/p>\n

    Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.\u00a0<\/p>\n