Walking for Exercise - rest days?

katesmash

I've started back at exercising for health and weight loss. I'm currently wearing a Fitbit and aiming for minimum 10k steps/day. I've been actively working at exercise and watching my calories for 2 weeks now. I primarily have been going for walks, with the occasional day of Zumba, Kickboxing, or Pilates/yoga. I'll be adding biking in as well.

My question is, if I'm focusing on using walking, and averaging 10-12k steps/day, should I also be incorporating a rest day in there? Can I still go for a walk and hit my 10k on rest days, or should I aim for a lower step count? I have an office job so there are days where I don't hit more than 3000-4000 steps on a week day unless I go out for that walk in the evening.

ClubSilencio

Listen to your body. If you're sore or fatigued, rest. Otherwise walk as much as you'd like. I've seen old Indian and Asian people in my neighborhood walking around damn near half the day. Studies say that even 1-2 hours of exercise/day still won't override the negative impact of working in an office for 8 hours so you might as well keep walking.

futuremanda

I think walking is a great rest day activity. I also think it may be more important for sedentary people (who are able to) to push to get *some* form of intentional activity on a rest day. We are resting more than someone with an active job, just throughout the day. (But this may just be me/my experience!)

I would make it leisurely though, no hiking up hills or jogging or anything, if the intention is rest. I'd also point out that as you're adapting to your new lifestyle, you may find you need a full rest day now and then, and that regardless, a day to rest is something that's good, that's always an option, and that's nothing to feel guilty about.

Timshel_

I don't do many full rest days. I have light cardio recovery days where I still walk, but no other moderate or heavy cardio or training.

RozieRunner

don't think you really need a rest day from walking. humans are supposed to walk! Have a rest day from the more strenuous activity (well done for all that by the way!) - thats what'll be making you tired. If you really don't feel like walking don't but you don't actually NEED a rest day..

maxit

Another vote for walking daily - for me it helps with muscle soreness between lifting days, and I am averaging 10K a day (lowest has been around 6K highest has been just over 20K). The only time really I have had a flat-out-do-nothing rest day is on 10 hour car trips.

cwolfman13

you need rest days from strenuous activity...you're fine to walk. I still usually walk a few miles on my rest days as the dog still needs her walk..add to that, going to the zoo for a few hours, etc. Our bodies are made to walk...a lot.

shadow2soul

ClubSilencio wrote: »

Listen to your body. If you're sore or fatigued, rest. Otherwise walk as much as you'd like.

^ Another vote for this.

Walking is great for you and low impact. I take rest days from high intensity workouts like my running and lifting, because they are harder on my body. Walking is one of those things that to me doesn't seem to need a rest day and is one activity that I will do when I'm taking a rest from my other workouts (another thing I do on my "rest" days is yoga).

DawnieB1977

Walking 10,000 steps IS a rest day for me . Taking my son to school and back is close to 10,000 steps, and I don't consider that to be that much exercise. I did 7000 steps the other day at work (I'm a teacher).

urloved33

I power walk 1 hour 5 days weekly (and do yoga and lift weights) but yes I take rest days from my power walking...to let my joints, hips, knees, ankles...feet rest and recover.

sympha01

Frankly, I think we would all do well to replace the phrase "rest day" with "recovery day." We need to recover from strenuous effort -- lifting heavy, or high intensity cardio. We don't necessarily need to "rest." For instance, one very sensible recovery strategy is to alternate cardio with weights, and it's very common to alternate weights between upper and lower body days. This is to give the system you worked a chance to recover while you're working a different system. You don't necessarily need total body rest. "Rest" confuses people into thinking they can't do stuff like walk every day. Yes, you can walk every. darned. day. Including on days you're recovering from more intense exercise.