How Walking Helped Me Reset My Body — and What It Can Do for You Too!

In 2020, I reconnected with my body in the simplest way possible: walking.

What started as a coping strategy during lockdown turned into a powerful wellness reset — one that brought benefits I didn’t expect. From fat loss and better energy to clearer skin and a stronger back, walking changed things for me. And based on the science, it can do the same for you.

My Story: From Lockdown Movement to Rediscovery

It all began during the COVID lockdowns in 2020. I started walking 5 to 8 kilometers a day around my neighborhood. To my surprise, I began noticing shops, buildings, and side streets I had driven past for years without ever seeing. The walks cleared my mind, lifted my mood, and gave me a fresh perspective — both mentally and physically.

But life shifted. In 2022, I started a demanding corporate job. I spent 10 to 12 hours a day sitting at a screen, and slowly, my energy slipped away. Then in 2024, I experienced a bit of lower back irritation during a workout. The discomfort, combined with long days of sitting, brought me face-to-face with something I hadn’t seen before: new belly fat and cellulite on my legs. Under the kitchen lights, it was glaring.

That same week, I decided to change my breakfast routine — and I started walking again. Slowly, carefully. Even at a snail’s pace, I hit 8,000 steps that first day.

Two weeks later, my back irritation was gone, my energy was back, and I felt more like myself again.

What Walking Does to Your Body (According to Science)

Walking isn’t just gentle movement. It’s a full-body reset.

A 2014 study by Hong et al. found that walking just three times a week for 50 to 70 minutes created major changes, including:

• Reduced belly fat (both surface and visceral)

• Better blood sugar control

• Lower inflammation

• Increased adiponectin (a hormone that helps you burn fat)

And this wasn’t extreme power walking — just steady, consistent movement.

For Women Over 40: The Metabolic Shift Is Real

As we age, especially after 40, our metabolism changes — and so do our hormones. Carbs that felt fine in our 20s may suddenly lead to bloating or weight gain.

This isn’t imagined. Lower estrogen levels contribute to insulin resistance, which makes it easier to gain belly fat and harder to burn it.

Walking helps reverse that. It improves insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation, and re-engages the body’s fat-burning systems — all of which are critical for women navigating hormonal changes.

Let’s Talk About Cellulite

No walk will magically erase cellulite, but walking regularly can reduce its appearance by:

• Lowering total body fat

• Boosting circulation and blood flow to the skin

• Improving lymphatic drainage

Personally, I didn’t have cellulite before, and after implementing my new routine, it stayed that way. The change was subtle, but real.

Walking and Back Relief: What the Research Says

While I only had back irritation — not pain — I wanted to understand why walking helped me so quickly.

According to a 2017 study published in Clinical Rehabilitation, walking improves spinal mobility, strengthens postural muscles, and increases circulation to lower back tissues — all of which can help reduce mild back discomfort and prevent future injury.

Another study in The Spine Journal found that a structured walking program was just as effective as physical therapy in reducing chronic low back pain over time.

This supports what I experienced: gentle, consistent movement relieved pressure and helped re-align my body in a safe, sustainable way.

My Walking Routine Today

Today, walking is my wellness anchor.

I aim for 5,000 to 10,000 steps per day — sometimes more, sometimes less. Some days I pair my walk with squats, lunges, or planks. Other days, I just walk.

I don’t pressure myself. I just move — and the payoff is powerful:

• A tighter waist

• More visible muscle tone

• Better sleep

• A clear, grounded sense of wellness that’s hard to describe

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The Takeaway

If you're feeling off — low energy, bloated, disconnected from your body — walking might be the simplest way back to yourself.

Start small. Don’t aim for perfection. Just move.

Have you started walking again recently? Or are you thinking about it? Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear your story.

And if you’re into honest, research-backed wellness for real life, check out my other blogs here at Love UR Body — where every post is written with heart, science, and lived experience.