#1 Way to Walk Off Weight

We love inspirational social media posts from Today weatherman AI Roker about his walking workouts. We also love why he makes 'em: to show folks how big an impact such simple movement can have-even for those of us who haven't exercised in ages. "We hear a lot about walking 10,000 steps, but you don't have to start with that," he insists. "Maybe you just go around your block or take a 15-minute walk after dinner. Studies show how beneficial it is. You don't even have to walk fast!" It was the exact message Detricia Woods-Meadows needed to hear. "I could only manage 3,000 steps a day at first," recalls the Dallas project analyst, 52, who walked almost entirely inside her home. Yet it was plenty. In mere weeks, "I woke up and realized my back didn't hurt anymore." Within a year, she'd reversed prediabetes and shed 65 pounds. Keep reading for scientific proof that tiny daily step goals can speed us toward lean, good health.

- ALLISON NEMETZ

How did Detricia’s walking journey begin? “I was scrolling on Facebook and read that two friends had passed, one from heart disease and one from diabetes,” she recalls. “They were my age, and it scared me.” Besides blood sugar and back trouble, “I got winded easily, had constant knee pain and was always tired. But I wasn’t ready for ‘RIP’ next to my name.”

Detricia called her cousin Anthony in a panic; he agreed they’d get healthy together. She then hit the internet to do research. She found the story of a retired nurse who lost 55 pounds and canceled knee replacement surgery after changing her diet and counting steps with help from the Start TODAY Facebook group. “It said she was just walking inside her house. Suddenly, I knew that’s what I was going to do too.”

Detricia and Anthony agreed 3,000 steps a day was a doable target for her. She walked a little route through her house, using a step-counting app to track her progress. “I know it doesn’t seem like much, but I loved that it was free and easy to jump in,” she recalls. Experts say because 3,000 steps seemed like no big deal is likely why it was so effective…

Why step counting is magic

Walking does a lot of great things for our bodies no matter how we do it. But step counting—a strategy whose devotees include Al, Detricia and many members of the Start TODAY program— has distinct advantages. “Step counting makes being active like a game. And if something is fun, we’re more apt to do it,” shares certified personal trainer and Today fitness contributor Stephanie Mansour. “It’s also flexible. You’re not saying, ‘I have to dedicate an hour to walk.’ You can go to the mailbox, do laundry, run errands. It all counts.” Mansour adds that, just like passing a level on Candy Crush, racking up 1,000 steps “gives you a hit of dopamine,” a brain chemical that makes things feel good. “It makes you want to walk more and more.”