Walking

bwhitty67
bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
edited December 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Have people been truly successful at just walking to aid in weight loss? Or do you suggest adding some strength training along with it? If I walk at least 5x/wk and did strength 2x/wk or should it be more like 3x/wk?
Thanks in advance :smiley:
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Replies

  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    Speaking from recent experience, I've been hiking and walking, but not doing much for my upper body and it shows. My legs are well toned, my arms are really flabby looking. I think a minimum of 2x per week for strength training. If you are eating at a deficit to lose weight, maintaining what muscle you have is very important.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Strength training ALWAYS gets a yes. As we lose weight we lose fat + existing lean muscle mass. I'm over 50 and can't afford to lose lean muscle mass. Strength training is one thing that helps preserve it, it's great for bone health too.

    As far as number of times.....pick something you will be consistent at. Exercise is for health & fitness. Hopefully a lifestyle change for me (as long as I can).
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    Walking is great. It is good to do some sort of strength training atleast 2 days a week. Good Luck
  • haleylhagin
    haleylhagin Posts: 6 Member
    A few years ago I started walking 3-5 miles per day, 3 days per week. I lost 30 lbs in 3 months! I was still eating *kitten* food, drinking booze with sugary mixer, and not sleeping enough. (I don't recommend that diet program, by the way) Do something that works for you. Right now I'm trying to walk 6 days per week (thanks to my StepBet challenge!) and hitting the gym 3-4 times per week for strength training or power pilates.
  • sohosocialclub
    sohosocialclub Posts: 299 Member
    Lift weights and walk. Great plan. Read a bit of Jim Wendler.
  • TMacKtwenty4
    TMacKtwenty4 Posts: 3,256 Member
    bwhitty67 wrote: »
    Have people been truly successful at just walking to aid in weight loss? Or do you suggest adding some strength training along with it? If I walk at least 5x/wk and did strength 2x/wk or should it be more like 3x/wk?
    Thanks in advance :smiley:

    Walking is an excellent form of exercise for weight-loss. As @haleylira states walking worked for her. I myself started a walking regimen of minimum 45 mins four times a week at as fast a pace as I could manage, and ensured that the other days I met the step goal as set out by my Vivofit (Garmin). Walking and counting calories with MFP helped me lose 30 pounds, and keep it off. I've officially logged in for 400 days now and still walking. I occasionally use my stationary bike in inclement weather. My job is a physical one so I have yet to add a strength training regimen.

    Long story short yes walking will help you lose the weight and keep it off if you stick with it.

    Good luck on your journey.
  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    Thank you thank you thank you!
  • sfcrocker
    sfcrocker Posts: 163 Member
    I walk about five miles every day, but am trying to throw in some running intervals to amp it up a bit. However, just increasing my walking from a mile a day to five miles has helped me lose about 20 pounds so far. Lost 9 since joining this site, and 11 before that. I also do upper body strength training twice a week, though, because walking doesn't do much for upper body.
  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    I need to amp up my walking that is for sure... I got lazy and quit doing on-purpose exercises but back at it!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited August 2016
    You can burn quite a few calories by walking. It's the only exercise i do, i aim for 20,000 steps (10ish miles) 7 days a week. I don't hit that every single day,life sometimes gets in the way, but i have more days over it than under.
  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    You can burn quite a few calories by walking. It's the only exercise i do, i aim for 20,000 steps (10ish miles) 7 days a week. I don't hit that every single day,life sometimes gets in the way, but i have more days over it than under.

    How long does 10 miles take you? Do you walk in different chunks of time or all at once?
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    bwhitty67 wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    You can burn quite a few calories by walking. It's the only exercise i do, i aim for 20,000 steps (10ish miles) 7 days a week. I don't hit that every single day,life sometimes gets in the way, but i have more days over it than under.

    How long does 10 miles take you? Do you walk in different chunks of time or all at once?

    I do it in chunks all throughout the day, usually around 3000 step blocks at a time. I average between 150-170 "active minutes" a day, according to fitbit.
    I get pretty bad shin splints and struggle to do huge amounts all at once. Plus doing it like this keeps me active all day long.

  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    Thanks for the insight @Christine_72
  • basiliscus
    basiliscus Posts: 27 Member
    I've lost 20lbs by staying in low calorie deficit and 4 times a week before work for half an hour. Consider Nordic Waking as it engages 90% of your muscles and burns more calories than standard waking.
    After few months I've added strength training, and currently I do weights three times a week and waking four times. The great thing about waking is that it does not impact your muscle recovery.
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
    I love walking for exercise and try find routes with a few steep hills to walk up and down to work different muscles. I've recently started doing strength training too and noticed my strength in walk has increased going up those hills.
  • huntersvonnegut
    huntersvonnegut Posts: 1,177 Member
    I've lost over 40 lb in a little over a year by mainly just walking 5 miles every morning. I also lift weights at the gym but I'm more pleased with myself for my walking streak. Haven't missed a day since around the middle of May 2015. Recently I've added a weight vest currently loaded to 25 lb to compensate for my fat loss burning calories.
  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    I try to walk outside in the warmer non-icy months but also have a treadmill in my garage gym, I use the "weight loss " cycle of it which uses the incline and speed in variations
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I've lost 80 pounds with power walking (and using walking videos by Leslie Sansone) as my main source of exercise. I get in anywhere from 3 - 8 miles a day most days of the week.

    I strength-train and do other workouts as well, but walking helped me get into shape and it helps makes maintaining my weight loss easy.
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    We lost a lot of weight with diet and walking(down 50 pounds each), but were flabby. Lifting is great, goodbye flab. When DW started lifting she was a size 8, few months later and only a couple of pounds down she's a size 4!
  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    Happy to say I hit the 12k mark today, some of that was errands and store walking the other was 45 mins on the TM :)
  • NicoleMulberry
    NicoleMulberry Posts: 6 Member
    Hi all, pls add me as friend. Could use some motivation re walking. Not big fan of excercising, hence current weight, but realised i can trick my brain into 'not hating' walking :) lost 20lbs but off the wagon last 3 months -back again. Also using -map my walk
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    If you can add hills to your walk, it helps a lot.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Another huge yes to strength training in addition to the walking, maintain lean muscle mass and bone density, a win-win.
  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    lithezebra wrote: »
    If you can add hills to your walk, it helps a lot.

    I usually use my treadmill and have a setting that uses the incline frequently so I do get some changes. I know the TM is probably different then actual outside walking but when I do walk outside I need to find a more hilly walk :)
  • 19forever
    19forever Posts: 2 Member
    I've been trying to lose weight with just walking as my exercise of choice, this time. I use to do some running a few years ago. I lost some weight with it but hated it. When I stopped, I gained back over 35 lbs. My question is: if I were to add some strength training, exactly what exercises do you guys recommend?? I have no exercise buddies to keep me motivated and on track, so it has to be something that's easy to stick with and won't be discouraging if I'm not good at it right away. Any suggestions???
  • bwhitty67
    bwhitty67 Posts: 162 Member
    19forever wrote: »
    I've been trying to lose weight with just walking as my exercise of choice, this time. I use to do some running a few years ago. I lost some weight with it but hated it. When I stopped, I gained back over 35 lbs. My question is: if I were to add some strength training, exactly what exercises do you guys recommend?? I have no exercise buddies to keep me motivated and on track, so it has to be something that's easy to stick with and won't be discouraging if I'm not good at it right away. Any suggestions???

    For me I just have different pound hand weights and do the usual bicep curls, hammer curls and others about 6 different ways. I do them 3x and 20 reps. I also do push-ups and sit-ups.
  • basiliscus
    basiliscus Posts: 27 Member
    Personally I think for beginners circuit training is the best way to loose way and maintain/gain muscles. It basically means you do one exercise after another, targeting different groups of muscles in each exercise.

    You need some back and leg exercises because they are the biggest muscles and will have the biggest impact on metabolism when exercised. Core muscles to develop core strength and stability. And then some chest and arm exercise to make sure you give your whole body a nice workout.

    If you are a member of a gym, ask the resident personal timer to design a workout routine for you. If not, buy some kettlebells or dumbbells and grab a book from Amazon with a complete body workout for one of those specific weights and you're settled! Have fun and good luck!
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    Walking and hiking was and is my main form of exercise (I walk to work 50 min each way). About a year ago I introduced weights and 4 months ago I joined a gym for more weight training (and some cardio). Just 700g from goal now
    I like the zen part of walking and it has helped me greatly with my weightloss.
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