Many couples, families and friend groups are taking on the 28-day walking challenge as their New Year’s resolutions for 2024. And we love that because losing weight together means staying on track together. And there’s a huuuuuge plus, social encouragement is the #1 way to stay accountable, as long as you engage in a healthy matter. The concept for the competition is simple: walk consistently, and win the challenge. But we need to ask ourselves, is this an efficient way to lose weight? We’ve consulted several sources to make sure that if you do this challenge, you are losing weight effectively. 

What is the 28-day walking challenge?

The 28-day walking challenge is designed to be simple so you can achieve your goals. First, choose a step count that you’d like to achieve daily for 28 days. You can either stay in your comfort zone or challenge yourself intensely. Since we love step counting at Stompers (we made a whole app for it), here are some guidelines for you to try to aim for:

• Beginner: Aim for 2,500 steps daily

• Intermediate: Aim for 6,000 steps daily

• Expert: Aim for 10,000 steps daily

No matter what you decide, try to keep yourself engaged. The hardest part of working out and losing weight is staying committed. If you have to shoot lower to stay consistent with your goals, that is better than shooting higher and losing your commitment.

Can walking alone help you lose weight?

We at Stompers have been studying step tracking and how it correlates to mood and health. We’ve looked at the data and asked several of our users before and after their walking challenge journey whether it worked for them or not.

Take “Locust & Honey” for example. “Locust & Honey” gave birth to a beautiful baby but the post-partum journey can be very difficult. But once she committed and had the right motivating factors, she was able to double her step count per day.

The first step of any weight loss challenge requires you to commit and that’s the hardest part. But honestly, we’ll tell you the truth. There are several easy ways for you to stay on track.

Tips for Success

• Keep your motivation
  The hardest part of any challenge is motivating yourself. One way to motivate yourself is to have social support. Our app lets you add friends and compete in daily step-tracking races with each other. It even has some fun power-ups to help you win or sabotage your friends.

• Keep tracking easy & accurate
  Tracking your challenge can be hard. There are several tools out there to help you track your challenge. Take it from Victoria Song from The Verge:
  As a fitness tech reviewer, futzing around with step counts is a fun thought experiment. I’m as guilty as anyone for getting too obsessed with metrics that don’t really matter. 

• Stay consistent
  Setting dedicated time every day can help you stay consistent. It’ll stop you from procrastinating and keep you focused. A mental or physical reminder like an alarm of “Oh, it’s 4 pm, that means it’s my walking time” is a massive help in staying consistent.

How do I convince others to compete with me?

Have you ever tried making plans with friends or family and it’s just too difficult to get everyone to commit? Yeah, I know what that’s like. Prescribing a healthier lifestyle always works but it’s hard to keep everyone engaged. Just using a pen and paper may not work because it requires too much upkeep in management. Using passive tracking technology is a great way to keep everyone engaged and the competition on track. The Stompers app does this all for you – just send a link to your friends, sync your contacts, and compete with your friends on the app. You’ll be able to check each other's step counts and motivate each other if anyone is falling behind.

Now is the time to get started!

The 28-day walking challenge works best when viewed as part of a larger commitment to health and wellness. It’s not a quick fix but rather a stepping stone to a more active lifestyle. If you’re consistent, pair it with a balanced diet, and make adjustments along the way, you’re likely to see positive changes not just in your weight but in your overall well-being.

So, lace up your walking shoes, grab your partner, and start your 28-day journey today. Remember, every step counts—literally and figuratively—on the path to better health.