just walking...can you lose weight this way?

laralosingit42

I need to lose 100+ lbs. Never thought i would say that. anyway....i have 3 big dogs (labs) and I used to be a runner but cannot run longer than 5 minutes anymore (so sad) so I thought, what if i start by walking my dogs for 1-2 hours a day? I LOVED running years ago as i am just not a gym person or a "boot camp" junkie. I can do DVD's but i just get bored with them. I could walk two dogs at once for 3 minutes and come back and get the other one and rotate them daily (very hard to walk 3 at once and be able to enjoy it). If i did that and just did 5 minutes of pushups and sit ups per day would that work? I know i need a calorie deficit...duh...but want to hear some success stories of people who walk only and lose a lot of weight. Thanks.

higgins8283801

Since weight loss is about a deficit, you will lose as long as you're eating less than you burn.

Walking is a great way to improve your fitness levels though!

higgins8283801

I lost my first 25lbs by strictly walking

Springfield1970

Fabulous idea! I burn about 300 cals an hour walking, and there's no risk of injury. Just make sure you eat the calories back (or half of them), as MFP will already have you in a deficit.

Liftng4Lis

Caloric deficit for weight loss. Walking to increase the deficit and for your health.

jazzy550

Walking is a great way to assist in your journey and so are the sit ups push-ups and DVD's. You can get some had weights for inexpensive too. Before you know it you'll be running again!

laralosingit42

i know this whole work out as hard as you can thing is in style right now with "insanity" " P90x" "cross fit" etc. however, everytime I am going to try to do those things i hurt myself or get so sore i dont want to exercise for days. I love to exercise for mental reasons too, it helps my anxiety (i eat because of anxiety). how much should i aim to walk daily (as it time...i have 3 large dogs). I can make time for this, it is a priority. I need to lose this weight SO BADLY but am so so sick of following methods that somebody else told me to do that i end up hating (not wanting to do) or some diet i hate. I feel that i just need to do what i like which is outdoor walking or running. I thought about throwing maybe a jilliam michaels workout daily (one of her 20 minute ones) too as I love her 30 minute shreds but dont want overdo it but my poor dogs never get walks (my husband never walks them and dont see him doing it) but walking more than 2 at once is just not fun. Ideas for how i could do this? I dont mind walking 1-2 hours per day.

jgnatca

It is a great idea. My first year about the only exercise I got was walking. It got ever easier as I lost weight so when the walking got too easy I started to run.

honkytonks85

I think you have a good approach (PS my name is Lara as well!)
I lost a lot of weight without walking at all. I didn't actually do any exercise. I just ate at a deficit and lost weight. I added in exercise at a later date. Walking is great but don't overdo it with exercise as you may injure yourself. Losing weight is 90% diet. So focus on that and do the walking just for your mental health and to increase circulation etc.

kramrn77

Yes! You definitely can loose weight by walking! On whole, walking is why most European countries have lower obesity rates then America- their major cities are set up for walking. It will improve your muscle tone, heart health and joint health.

Good luck!

Y_U_NO_SKINNY

Yes. I once lost 12 lbs walking, with a strict 1250-1300 calorie intake in about 6 weeks- 2 months.

ErinK09

When I first started out all I did was walk and watched what I ate. I lost a good amount of weight doing that.
Good luck!

segacs

Yes, most certainly you can lose weight "just" via walking... as long as you log and track your food and eat at a deficit.

Having said that, once you've lost some of the weight, you'll probably find yourself more able to do more and more other exercise, too. And finding exercise that you love can be hugely beneficial -- not just to your weight loss, but to your overall health.

See if you can add some sort of strength exercise to your regime, which will help you not just lose the weight, but also hold onto your lean muscle and get the toned results you're looking for.

mk2fit

I lost my first 13# walking and counting calories.

girlviernes

If you've been pretty sedentary, build up slowly. You are going to have to rebuild some strength. You could be vulnerable to things like plantar fasciitis if you jump right into 1-2 hour walks. Also, wear good, support footwear.

alaynavee

I think your idea is fabulous - start tomorrow and just do it!! You can download walking tracks off prevention.com for free, eventually you can work up your pace. Start slow, you may risk injury or over exertion if you go out for more than 15 minutes to start. Make a chart and keep track of your progress or use your calendar, you may find that very motivating. Your dogs are going to love you

stephc002

I have lost 8 lbs in 3 weeks just cutting calories according to MFP and mostly walking. I occasionally play the wii or have dance parties around the house with my daughtet, but mostly just walk. I bought myself a fitness band for xmas and that had kept me moving all day everyday trying to meet my daily step goal. I honestly think its a godsend. Gives me something to shoot for everyday. I walk in place while cooking dinner, talking on the phone, watching tv, etc. I have walked over 90 miles in 3 weeks, and could physically barely walk 20 mins at a time when i started!

Papatoad194

higgins8283801 wrote: »

Since weight loss is about a deficit, you will lose as long as you're eating less than you burn.

Walking is a great way to improve your fitness levels though!

YEAH! What Higgins said A better lifestyle and attitude towards food is what helps us lose weight.

Eating habits for weight

Exercise for fitness and the cool thiing is they SOOOO compliment one another.

BWBTrish

I changed my life style at the first of October 2014.
First i started eating less and I count every calorie by weighing my solid food and measuring my liquids.

After some time i started walking and because i wasn't fit enough and an injury i couldn't walk a half mile( speed between 1.5 to 2mph). I would be soaking wet and out of breath and my knee and back hurted like hell. And only between 5 to 15 minutes. But i sticked to it.

Now 4 months later i walk at least 4 miles a day and at a speed between 3.5 to 4 mph and for 60 to 90 minutes. I do Aerobic again and dance. And yes on good days when my knee cooperates i can even jog between 5 to 20 minutes.
I lift 3 times a week ( light) for 20 minutes.

I lost 62 pounds in the meantime and still going strong

So yes with walking you can start to get more fit for sure.
Changing my eating habits and in calorie deficit made me lose the weight and the walking just helps.

noexcusesjustresults2014

higgins8283801 wrote: »

Since weight loss is about a deficit, you will lose as long as you're eating less than you burn.

Walking is a great way to improve your fitness levels though!

I agree with this. Of course as your fitness improves you may wish to add other forms of exercise as well

laralosingit42

thanks everyone. I am actually in pretty good overall shape even though i am obese because i had a trainer last year (who had me on this weird diet that was horrible and did not work...note to self, do not take diet advice from fitness trainers...). I have been pretty active even while overweight up to the last few months just because of the holidays and stuff. I just eat too darn much...far too much. exercise is good for me as it reduces my anxiety which in tern makes me want to eat less as i eat from anxiety a lot. I think i could walk one hour per day at least. My dogs need it as much as i do honestly

segacs

laralosingit42 wrote: »

note to self, do not take diet advice from fitness trainers...

QFT

laralosingit42

TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »

I changed my life style at the first of October 2014.
First i started eating less and I count every calorie by weighing my solid food and measuring my liquids.

After some time i started walking and because i wasn't fit enough and an injury i couldn't walk a half mile( speed between 1.5 to 2mph). I would be soaking wet and out of breath and my knee and back hurted like hell. And only between 5 to 15 minutes. But i sticked to it.

Now 4 months later i walk at least 4 miles a day and at a speed between 3.5 to 4 mph and for 60 to 90 minutes. I do Aerobic again and dance. And yes on good days when my knee cooperates i can even jog between 5 to 20 minutes.
I lift 3 times a week ( light) for 20 minutes.

I lost 62 pounds in the meantime and still going strong

So yes with walking you can start to get more fit for sure.
Changing my eating habits and in calorie deficit made me lose the weight and the walking just helps.

wow, you lost 62 lbs in 4 months!!!!! holy cow, that is awesome. Sorry but that is amazing. did you do anything extra besides just counting calories and walking (and now lifting)? I need to lose 60 lbs pretty quick because of blood pressure and other issues and yes, i am under supervision of a doctor, but i am very impressed so any tips send my way!!! Congrats on your success, your an inspiration!

gvj777

bump for later comment

laralosingit42

yea bump again

drabbits3

Yes to walking! when it's nice out that is what I do the most. I live two blocks from Lake Michigan and I LOVE walking on the lake trail. I walk all year as long as it's reasonable. I actually don't mind when it's cold-just bundle! One thing I have done is put Pandora radio on my phone and make a bunch of different playlists that I really enjoy. I also put NPR and a public radio/podcast app on the phone--all free. I downloaded all the episodes of Serial and have been listening to those when I walk. I actually will keep walking to finish one of the hour episodes of Serial. There are lots of podcasts to download on that app and they are all free. Makes the time go faster! Yes to walking!!!

NFMendoza

Springfield1970 wrote: »

Fabulous idea! I burn about 300 cals an hour walking, and there's no risk of injury. Just make sure you eat the calories back (or half of them), as MFP will already have you in a deficit.

Are you supposed to eat your calories back when ur trying to lose weight?

BWBTrish

laralosingit42 wrote: »

TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »

I changed my life style at the first of October 2014.
First i started eating less and I count every calorie by weighing my solid food and measuring my liquids.

After some time i started walking and because i wasn't fit enough and an injury i couldn't walk a half mile( speed between 1.5 to 2mph). I would be soaking wet and out of breath and my knee and back hurted like hell. And only between 5 to 15 minutes. But i sticked to it.

Now 4 months later i walk at least 4 miles a day and at a speed between 3.5 to 4 mph and for 60 to 90 minutes. I do Aerobic again and dance. And yes on good days when my knee cooperates i can even jog between 5 to 20 minutes.
I lift 3 times a week ( light) for 20 minutes.

I lost 62 pounds in the meantime and still going strong

So yes with walking you can start to get more fit for sure.
Changing my eating habits and in calorie deficit made me lose the weight and the walking just helps.

wow, you lost 62 lbs in 4 months!!!!! holy cow, that is awesome. Sorry but that is amazing. did you do anything extra besides just counting calories and walking (and now lifting)? I need to lose 60 lbs pretty quick because of blood pressure and other issues and yes, i am under supervision of a doctor, but i am very impressed so any tips send my way!!! Congrats on your success, your an inspiration!

Here is the link were i describe how i do it. And ty very much

disneygirl626

I noticed that you said you feel restricted by diets you've tried. I completely understand how you feel about them. MFP has really helped me because I still get to eat anything I want, as long as I can fit it into my calories - which means that yes, I have exercised just to gain a few extra calories sometimes lol. I also try not to stress about going over by a couple hundred calories every now and then. I take a very casual approach to all of this because I want it to fit my lifestyle and so far it works for me. I'm down 14 pounds since I last restarted (nearly 40 overall). All I've done is log my calories consistently and get moderate exercise (walks, the occasional workout dvd, Just Dance on the Wii). And I drink a lot of water every day. I rarely drink soda anyway so I haven't given it up - it's just a rare treat now. My drinks of choice are water, tea, and 2% milk.

I have found though that the longer I log the more I pay attention to what I'm eating beyond just the calories. For instance right now I'm trying to stay within my calorie goals but up my iron and protein intake. I don't find this restrictive at all and in fact it's kind of a fun little challenge, trying to find foods I like that have a lot of protein.

Good luck, and feel free to add my if you need a friend.

laralosingit42

TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »

laralosingit42 wrote: »

TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »

I changed my life style at the first of October 2014.
First i started eating less and I count every calorie by weighing my solid food and measuring my liquids.

After some time i started walking and because i wasn't fit enough and an injury i couldn't walk a half mile( speed between 1.5 to 2mph). I would be soaking wet and out of breath and my knee and back hurted like hell. And only between 5 to 15 minutes. But i sticked to it.

Now 4 months later i walk at least 4 miles a day and at a speed between 3.5 to 4 mph and for 60 to 90 minutes. I do Aerobic again and dance. And yes on good days when my knee cooperates i can even jog between 5 to 20 minutes.
I lift 3 times a week ( light) for 20 minutes.

I lost 62 pounds in the meantime and still going strong

So yes with walking you can start to get more fit for sure.
Changing my eating habits and in calorie deficit made me lose the weight and the walking just helps.

wow, you lost 62 lbs in 4 months!!!!! holy cow, that is awesome. Sorry but that is amazing. did you do anything extra besides just counting calories and walking (and now lifting)? I need to lose 60 lbs pretty quick because of blood pressure and other issues and yes, i am under supervision of a doctor, but i am very impressed so any tips send my way!!! Congrats on your success, your an inspiration!

Here is the link were i describe how i do it. And ty very much

i dont see the link..can you repost

BWBTrish

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10059910/crushed-my-first-goals-onederland-here-i-am#latest


here it is sorry