is walking bad!?!

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tiarajj08
tiarajj08 Posts: 82 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I walk 6 days out the week and do up to 3 to 4 miles. Im on a 1300 calorie count as well. Will this help me to lose weight? I was told that just walking will not help me lose weight.
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  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Can you think of one reason why it would be bad?

    Losing weight comes from your calorie deficit, walking can make your deficit a little larger-allowing you to eat more, and is good for your health.
  • tiarajj08
    tiarajj08 Posts: 82 Member
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    I was told because my body will get comfortable and nothing will change. I know this may sound dumb, but I want to know have anyone lost weight just by walking?!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    tiarajj08 wrote: »
    I was told because my body will get comfortable and nothing will change. I know this may sound dumb, but I want to know have anyone lost weight just by walking?!

    Yeah, a lot of people on here use walking as their major source of exercise/activity.
  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,779 Member
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    I recently had a lifestyle change that means much more walking and much less gym time and I'm having to up my calories to avoid losing too much muscle too quickly. (I have lost 3 pounds since the 18th and I'm in the 23-24 BMI range.) So based on my n=1 sample, definitely.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Maybe I should start walking more actually. I think I need to be a bit more active considering I'm doing no cardio.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,579 Member
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    I jog/walk everyday and have more maintained (since I'm only a little overweight) for years now.

    As arditarose mentioned, calorie deficit is what helps you lose weight. If you're not in a calorie deficit, there isn't any exercise that will help you lose weight.

    As for getting used to it, yes the body adapts. So the only thing you have to do to change it a little is WALK FASTER.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
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    Walking is a great form of exercise but there are different levels of intensity. Walking has been my primary form of exercise mostly because I have veinous insufficiency and my doctor said I shouldn't run anymore. So until I knew I could take on a little running, I walked--fast. I never walk slower than 4.0 mph. If you are using a treadmill take advantage of the incline setting. You can double your calorie burn easily.

    I highly recommend that once you start to see success with your weight loss that you add weight training to your workout plan.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    Walking is my sole cardio activity. I tried running, but expensive shoes are not my thing (I have "special" feet, LOL). So I walk. And walk. And walk...5-7miles six days a week (being a uni student helps--lots of hiking across campus daily). Coupled with a modest deficit (no more than 1/2lb - 3/4 lb loss per week), I "easily" lost 25lbs over the better part of a year.

    Took a "long" time to lose it, but I've gained some tremendous healthy habits for life. And a "workout" that is easily sustainable for a lifetime.
  • KKJackson91
    KKJackson91 Posts: 69 Member
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    I use walking as my major source of exercise, and it most definitely works. I've lost 23 lbs just from calorie counting on MFP and walking. This past week I started Couch to 5K which is an app if you have a smartphone, and it trains you over 8 weeks to run a 5k. I like that app because it's an introduction to running/jogging and is very gradual. For the first few weeks you run and walk until you get used to running, if that would be something you would be interested in later on. You most definitely will lose weight with just walking. :)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Do you guys who do a lot of walking and use the NEAT method just include it in your activity level?
  • KKJackson91
    KKJackson91 Posts: 69 Member
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    @arditarose I have an HRM with chest strap and I log walking as cardio with whatever my HRM says I burn.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    KKJackson91 wrote: »
    @arditarose I have an HRM with chest strap and I log walking as cardio with whatever my HRM says I burn.

    So you set yourself to sedentary? Sorry. I'm just really curious about this at the moment.
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
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    I should add that I do interval work on the treadmill. You can do 3-5 minutes of high intensity (high incline/speed) and then 1-2 minute of lower incline/speed. If you're just walking outdoors, try varying the intensity of your pace, eventually working up to a walk-jog-walk-jog-walk pattern. Walking doesn't have to be 45 minutes at 3 mph, 5 days a week. Mix it up and make it interesting and challenging :smile:
  • KKJackson91
    KKJackson91 Posts: 69 Member
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    @arditarose Yes, I set myself to sedentary. I don't include walking or C25K as "active." I just log it in my cardio.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    KKJackson91 wrote: »
    @arditarose Yes, I set myself to sedentary. I don't include walking or C25K as "active." I just log it in my cardio.

    Cool, thanks.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Do you guys who do a lot of walking and use the NEAT method just include it in your activity level?

    I let my Fitbit handle the calculations. So I suppose it's NEAT method. I have MFP set to sedentary. However, the way Fitbit works, if I set MFP to something else, the end result it tells me to eat is the same, anyway (just more "MFP" calories, with a smaller "Fitbit" adjustment).
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    williams969 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Do you guys who do a lot of walking and use the NEAT method just include it in your activity level?

    I let my Fitbit handle the calculations. So I suppose it's NEAT method. I have MFP set to sedentary. However, the way Fitbit works, if I set MFP to something else, the end result it tells me to eat is the same, anyway (just more "MFP" calories, with a smaller "Fitbit" adjustment).

    Yeah, I hear people talking about their fitbits all the time and I literally know nothing about them. I don't think I have a need for one.
  • marissafit06
    marissafit06 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Do you guys who do a lot of walking and use the NEAT method just include it in your activity level?

    I think it depends on how much you walk. I walk at least 6 miles a day so I have mine set at lightly active. I do use a Fitbit, but I imagine that even without it I would use lightly active because I'm walking a bit daily.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    marissafit06 wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Do you guys who do a lot of walking and use the NEAT method just include it in your activity level?

    I think it depends on how much you walk. I walk at least 6 miles a day so I have mine set at lightly active. I do use a Fitbit, but I imagine that even without it I would use lightly active because I'm walking a bit daily.

    I hope walking counts!
    I'm only 1 month in. Ive gone from 2000ish steps a day up to 20,000-25,000, or roughly 15kms.
    My scale broke and I haven't replaced it yet. It might be a happy or horrible experience when I weigh myself next.... :tongue:

  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    I think theres some confusion OP and either the person telling you doesnt understand what they are talking about or you have misunderstood.

    Walking is movement, which burns calories. You will only lose if you are at a calorific deficit i.e burn more than you consume, but exercise makes it easier to achieve. When the person said not good, it was possibly referring to the fact it doesnt burn as many calories as other activity per hour.

    Walking is a good starter activity.
    Its less stressful, especially if you are a beginner.
    Its easier to sustain for longer periods i.e you can walk for hours.
    Its easy to incorporate into everyday life, just walk places.

    So walking is a great way to lose weight, but it can be more time consuming.
    Eventually when you feel ready you can try other activities, which are a bit more vigorous, that get your heart rate going faster and will burn more calories. Thus you can do activities which burn calories 50%-200% faster, but are much harder work.

    Stick with walking consistently and when you feel ready, then walk a bit further or as niner said a bit faster, so you can get max benefit.

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