5 Fat Loss Benefits Of Walking Over 40
Feb 20, 2026
One of the most effective fat loss tools is walking. In this video, I am going to show you the benefits of walking and how you can fit it into your busy schedule for efficient fat loss.
Walking and Insulin Control
One of the main benefits of walking is insulin control. After you eat a meal, especially one that is high in carbohydrates, your blood sugar level rises and that is perfectly normal. Insulin rises in response to help move that glucose out of the bloodstream and into your muscles and liver to be used for energy.
When muscles are active with exercise, a couple of things happen. They increase their demand for glucose dissolved in the blood. They also become more sensitive to the effects of insulin.
Walking After Meals Improves Blood Sugar
If you are concerned about insulin resistance, especially as you get older, exercise will help. Walking after meals improves insulin sensitivity, meaning your body handles carbohydrates more efficiently. When insulin stays more stable, energy stays more stable and mid afternoon and evening cravings are much easier to manage.
Studies show that even a five minute walk after a meal has a measurable effect on moderating blood sugar levels. The beneficial effect of walking seems most noticeable in the 60 to 90 minute window after a meal.
How to Walk After Meals
After meals, aim for a calm, easy walk, not speed walking and no sweating. You should be able to breathe comfortably and hold a conversation. Start walking about 10 to 15 minutes after finishing your meal and keep it slow and gentle.
If you go too fast, it becomes more strenuous and stomach contents can start to reflux upward. If you have ever tried to work out immediately after eating, you know the feeling.
Walking for Digestion and Reflux
I started walking after my breakfast and lunch. After dinner, my family and I usually tidy up, clean the kitchen, vacuum, and take the garbage out, so there is natural activity built in. I am doing it after breakfast and lunch because I have IBS and GERD, which I have struggled with for over 25 years and it has been worse lately.
Walking is good for digestion. If you have ever felt heavy, bloated, or uncomfortable after eating, gentle movement can make a noticeable difference. Walking stimulates gut motility, helping move food through the digestive system more efficiently.
Staying Upright After Eating
If you slump down in a chair after eating or recline on the couch, it can trigger acid reflux and heartburn. Staying upright for at least a couple of hours after eating is helpful. For me, with my digestive issues, I need at least three hours.
As we get older, digestion tends to get worse. We gradually produce less stomach acid and gut motility may decrease. Walking after meals can help, even for people who once had cast iron digestion.
Walking in the Lean and Strong POWER Framework
In my fat loss system, I use the POWER framework. You can get more details about this in the Lean and Strong 40+ Plan, which you can get for free at the link in the description. P is for Prioritize Nutrition. O is Overload with Purpose, which is strength training for fat loss.
W is Walk and Move Daily because many jobs are sedentary and lifestyles involve less movement as we get older. E is Establish New Patterns, which is changing mindset and habits. R is Recover Sufficiently, and walking supports recovery from weight training and helps with stress management.
Walking and Energy Expenditure
Walking supports your energy expenditure in a powerful way. One of the most overlooked factors in fat loss is NEAT, non exercise activity thermogenesis. NEAT includes all movement outside of formal workouts, such as standing, cleaning, and moving around throughout the day.
For most people, when life gets tiring, NEAT spontaneously reduces. That is why tracking your steps is useful. Walking is baseline movement that keeps energy expenditure steady even on days when you do not train.
Why Walking Works When You Are Tired
One reason walking works so well is that it is doable when you are tired. Heavy training can feel overwhelming after poor sleep, which most of us deal with as we get older. Walking usually still works.
When my digestive issues are bad, it is often the only thing I can do, and it helps keep me moving and improves my mood. For many people, walking can reduce depression and anxiety. A long walk along the water helps me clear my head and get focused again.
Walking as Stress Management
Walking is ideal for stress management, not only for the physical benefits but for the mental ones too. On low energy days, you do not have to push, just walk. Dory said, just keep swimming, but I say just keep walking.
Walking During Recovery
Walking can be especially useful when you are recovering from illness or injury. You do not want to jump straight back into intense training, but doing nothing often leads to stiffness, low energy, and a big drop in daily movement. Walking is usually the first form of activity people can tolerate safely during recovery because it does not overload your system.
Gentle walks are often the safest and most effective first step before returning to more demanding training.
Make Walking Easy to Stay Consistent
Walking makes it easier to stay consistent. Any friction is the enemy of consistency. In winter, it is easy to make the weather an excuse, especially if you work from home.
Whether you walk outside on your lunch break, around your home, or while you are working, you can get the benefits. Choose the option that makes consistency easiest for you. Even a short walk helps maintain momentum and prevents the all or nothing mindset that stops consistency.
To find out what other things you will need to succeed with fat loss step by step, watch the VIDEO HERE.