Walking for weightloss
timetogetfit86
Posts: 24 Member
How successful is having walking as primary exercise. I walk 3-4 days a week for 2-4 miles each time depending on how I feel and if there's a time restraint. Is it possible to lose quite a bit over time by doing that plus watching what I eat and tracking calories? I am usually either baby wearing or pushing a jogging stroller.
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Replies
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Walking is great
Go further and faster each week ...it's about progression
Diet is key though4 -
Of course... walking is a great exercise, it burns calories and can make you feel good and if you are at home with a baby, then getting out and about is probably going to be good for your mood as well as your body.
As part of a balanced approach - as you say, watching your food and tracking cals - great idea.3 -
My only exercise is walking, I've lost nearly 70lbs by tracking my intake and walking. Calorie counting is the most important part of the equation, though.11
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I think that walking is a great way to exercise but I'm biased as I started out walking, a mile a day. Increased the pace and distance over time and I can now, thirteen months later, easily walk between 6-10 miles at 4mph. As I got more active and confident, I added in other exercise (just because I wanted to) so I now cycle 25 miles daily as well and occasionally go swimming. I also maintain a caloric deficit and eat back some exercise calories. Over the last year I've lost nearly 50% of my original (starting) body weight.
Carry on with the walking (sometimes it's the easiest thing to do with small children) and good luck
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My only exercise is walking, I've lost nearly 70lbs by tracking my intake and walking. Calorie counting is the most important part of the equation, though.
How long did it take you to lose the weight? I have at least 100 to lose. I know it may take a couple years amd I'm okay with that.2 -
timetogetfit86 wrote: »My only exercise is walking, I've lost nearly 70lbs by tracking my intake and walking. Calorie counting is the most important part of the equation, though.
How long did it take you to lose the weight? I have at least 100 to lose. I know it may take a couple years amd I'm okay with that.
I don't really have a timeframe for the first 30lbs, as I had lost more and gained some of it back. But since May 2016, I've lost another 40lbs. I started with 200lbs to lose, though, so my losses are naturally going to be bigger.3 -
That's awesome! I'm shooting for a 60lb loss to get into the one-derland then my stopping weight depends on where i feel the most comfortable. According to BMI charts, I should be about 130 lbs which would put me at 130lbs as my loss.0
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After four months of really trying to increase my walking I managed to log a month where no day was below 5000 steps
I probably lost less than 10lbs in that time frame and was 280lbs at the end of that time period.
I then started watching what I ate in addition to continuing to increase my walking.
I now seldom have a sub 15000 step day. I also weight ~157lbs
Do I think I should be doing MORE than just walk? YES. Have I? Nope.
Did walking contribute to the weight loss effort? Absolutely.7 -
After four months of really trying to increase my walking I managed to log a month where no day was below 5000 steps
I probably lost less than 10lbs in that time frame and was 280lbs at the end of that time period.
I then started watching what I ate in addition to continuing to increase my walking.
I now seldom have a sub 15000 step day. I also weight ~157lbs
Do I think I should be doing MORE than just walk? YES. Have I? Nope.
Did walking contribute to the weight loss effort? Absolutely.
Oy @PAV8888
Lifting
Now
:bigsmile:3 -
After four months of really trying to increase my walking I managed to log a month where no day was below 5000 steps
I probably lost less than 10lbs in that time frame and was 280lbs at the end of that time period.
I then started watching what I ate in addition to continuing to increase my walking.
I now seldom have a sub 15000 step day. I also weight ~157lbs
Do I think I should be doing MORE than just walk? YES. Have I? Nope.
Did walking contribute to the weight loss effort? Absolutely.
Oy @PAV8888
Lifting
Now
:bigsmile:
sidelined, oh @Sued0nim ous Rabbit, due to hernia (and general laziness)!
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timetogetfit86 wrote: »How successful is having walking as primary exercise?
Walking is a good exercise. And you can reach your goal just doing that.
However, weight loss is generally also about body composition and trying to retain muscle mass during loss, both for aesthetics and metabolic function.
Consider the value of adding other exercise as you move along and change your lifestyle - walking will not significantly help in muscle retention, long term cardiovascular fitness or functional fitness. Find something you like and stay active,
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After four months of really trying to increase my walking I managed to log a month where no day was below 5000 steps
I probably lost less than 10lbs in that time frame and was 280lbs at the end of that time period.
I then started watching what I ate in addition to continuing to increase my walking.
I now seldom have a sub 15000 step day. I also weight ~157lbs
Do I think I should be doing MORE than just walk? YES. Have I? Nope.
Did walking contribute to the weight loss effort? Absolutely.
Oy @PAV8888
Lifting
Now
:bigsmile:
sidelined, oh @Sued0nim ous Rabbit, due to hernia (and general laziness)!
Hmmmm,
Adapt
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Love walking. Have enjoyed a walking commute for the last three years. It most certainly contributed to a 47lb weight loss in just over 7 months. Along with a calorie deficit, too, of course.
Somewhat sadly I have to change to a cycling commute soon because we are moving farther away from my work and I REFUSE to drive. Love walking. Hope to love biking once again.3 -
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Walking is wonderful exercise and a great way to get started. It would be even better if you could pair that with a progressive strength training program like Stronglifts 5x5 to get the maximum benefit. You can buy used equipment (don't need much to start) and it works in a garage/basement -- wherever you have space -- and the baby can watch. I'm 5-7" and started at 220, down to 150 with a goal of 130. I walk 5-7 miles a day and keep to 1500 calories. Most important patience and planning.0
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Calories earned from walking are what allowed me to not feel deprived Halloween to New Year's last year and still lose weight.4
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Walking is the best exercise! I have a Fitbit and just walking to the gym for about 25 mins I burn 160 calories! Since October last year I have been making an effort to walk more and I feel better for it! I am saving money on peterol and I have met more people in my local area! It's a win for me!2
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60lbs in 99 days only walking and calorie deficiency totally doable 3
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I hit 100 lbs lost after 17 months of logging. My only exercise is walking and the VERY sporadic resistance workout. The key is accurate food logging.5
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I hit 100 lbs lost after 17 months of logging. My only exercise is walking and the VERY sporadic resistance workout. The key is accurate food logging.
Yep, you could walk to the moon and back everyday and still gain weight, "Calories in" are the key to weight loss. Sure, exercise helps in creating a deficit, but it is very easy to eat those calories you burned straight back.2 -
timetogetfit86 wrote: »My only exercise is walking, I've lost nearly 70lbs by tracking my intake and walking. Calorie counting is the most important part of the equation, though.
How long did it take you to lose the weight? I have at least 100 to lose. I know it may take a couple years amd I'm okay with that.
I am in a similar situation. I started at 387 with bad knees and a bad back about 18 months ago and couldn't even imagine walking long distances. I needed to push the cart at any store and had to lean on it.
Starting with portion control helped get me to the 350's and that was enough to start walking. We have a nice little boardwalk through a nature area across from work that is just long enough to walk at a good pace across and back in my 15 minute lunch for a 1 mile walk and I started doing that when work would allow it (as in I actually had time).
Then I started walking the dogs (they get so excited when the harnesses come out) for a little over a mile in the neighborhood and then started doing the big neighborhood loop myself which is 2.5 miles. One day after going nuts on calories before 11am I started walking to burn some of it off and 2 hours and 6.2 miles later I was back at home and told myself if I could do that (yes, it hurt for a few days) I could do daily walks longer and started routinely doing 3.2 to 4.2 depending on the route I traveled or from where the wife left me to walk home.
The latter really started to kick it in gear. Set at sedentary on MFP and 2 pounds per week I was just under 2200 calories. Between the exercise, eating more responsibly and following a low carb/high protein diet (80/160) due to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome I got down to 295 after about 16 months total even after eating most of my calories back.
True, I have backslid the last few months but now that I am back to starting to eat right again and starting the neighborhood walk it will fall back off.
Your results may vary based on you but eating at a deficit and walking at a good pace for the distances you are is surely a positive direction that should produce a positive outcome. 3 -
I lost 60 pounds with walking as my main exercise. I also do some yoga, but I was only walking when I first started. The most important thing for weight loss is to eat at a deficit.0
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Seconding all of the wonderful people here who have lost weight by just walking and being in a calorie deficit. I have lost over 50 pounds since last August. I'm 5'1", 53 years old, and I started at 201 and am now 148.5
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Ultimately it's calories in calories out but walking is a great way to boost your calories out. It's my primary method and works great for me.
Totally possible to lose weight by watching calories and walking regularly. Probable even.2 -
Another good thing about walking is you can do it anywhere anytime. No need for expensive gym memberships, and if you have time, which thankfully i do, you can walk for hours everyday, 7 days a week.
And an added bonus is, you can read the mfp forums while you're exercising
I save the big long debate threads for when I'm walking. Yes, I've broken a couple of toes by walking into *kitten* lol But I've got power walking and reading my phone down to a fine art now 
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Christine_72 wrote: »Another good thing about walking is you can do it anywhere anytime. No need for expensive gym memberships, and if you have time, which thankfully i do, you can walk for hours everyday, 7 days a week.
And an added bonus is, you can read the mfp forums while you're exercising I save the big long debate threads for when I'm walking. Yes, I've broken a couple of toes by walking into *kitten* lol But I've got power walking and reading my phone down to a fine art now
Hah I do the same thing. Does mean I spend a lot of time editing out autocorrect errors from my posts.2 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »Christine_72 wrote: »Another good thing about walking is you can do it anywhere anytime. No need for expensive gym memberships, and if you have time, which thankfully i do, you can walk for hours everyday, 7 days a week.
And an added bonus is, you can read the mfp forums while you're exercising I save the big long debate threads for when I'm walking. Yes, I've broken a couple of toes by walking into *kitten* lol But I've got power walking and reading my phone down to a fine art now
Hah I do the same thing. Does mean I spend a lot of time editing out autocorrect errors from my posts.
Same, same. I still haven't got the hang of typing (coherently) and walking..0 -
I'm getting this operated on this Wednesday. I'm praying it's not going to involve much down time
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When I first got my Fitbit HR, I set the auto recognize activity feature to 10 minutes. I've been surprised by how many calories I burn just walking to meetings around my campus, and since I live in the city how much it helps to walk everywhere for groceries, going to the movies etc. it really can add up to a significant amount of calories burned!0
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