Is walking enough at a brisk pace for 30+ mins a daily a good way to lose weight?

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  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
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    Keep in mind that walking doesn't burn a WHOLE lot of calories.

    For example, as a 5'7" 155lbs woman, I burn about 115 calories for a moderate-paced 30 minute walk.

    One Reese's chocolate cup is 100 cals, to put it in perspective.

    The main point here is: walking is great for health - both physical and mental. But it's almost negligible when it comes to weight loss, especially when done in only a 30 minute increment. Weight loss happens in the kitchen. :)
  • Schazey45
    Schazey45 Posts: 2 Member
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    sarahbums wrote: »
    walking's great! i do at least an hour most mornings. It's been pretty much my only exercise, and I've managed to drop 35lbs. Just make sure to maintain a decent pace. You could also add in a few intervals of jogging if you wanted.
    sarahbums wrote: »
    walking's great! i do at least an hour most mornings. It's been pretty much my only exercise, and I've managed to drop 35lbs. Just make sure to maintain a decent pace. You could also add in a few intervals of jogging if you wanted.

    I'm also walking 90mins a day . Can you advise on diet... that's where I'm failing I think still eating too much .

    Please share your daily menu I can follow similar I need to drop 35lbs
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,746 Member
    edited May 2017
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    desperate33dubai wrote: »

    I'm also walking 90mins a day . Can you advise on diet... that's where I'm failing I think still eating too much .

    Please share your daily menu I can follow similar I need to drop 35lbs

    Hi, there is this great app and web site called my fitness pal...it allows you to log everything you eat....

    Run the guided setup. Unless you're obesse, very tall, or extremely active do not pick 1.5lbs or 2lbs a week as your goal. 1lb a week is already a 20% (i.e. substantial) deficit for most people

    Log truthfully, accurately, guage your progress using a trending weight app or web site... Profit from technology and succeed.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,746 Member
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    OP walking is a great addendum to watching your calories and can be used effectively as your primary exercise based on your starting point and individual circumstances.

    Using walking to perform your weekly quota of moderate exercise activity recommended by the WHO for all adults implies that you're walking at ~100 steps a minute, or maybe even a tad faster.

    As such 30 minutes of moderate exercise walking will produce approximately 3000 steps.

    ALL steps, of course, do count, and if the walking is performed in continuous bouts that are as short as 8 minutes there is cardiovascular benefit and improvement!

    However do keep in mind that the first 35 to 40 minutes off non sitting activity (or approximately the first 3500 steps) a day are already accounted for in the definition of sedentary used by MFP.

    So do make sure that your 30 minutes are on top, as opposed to of instead of other activity!!! :smiley:
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
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    Yeah, that's great exercise. Calories overall is most important, of course.

    But it is a great stress reducer, a good way to replace boredom snacking. Also, individuals really should get a certain amount of cardio whether to lose weight or not - it's good for your heart and for bone density and all sorts of things.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
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    It works...and is a healthy habit with benefits other than weight loss.

    If you can work in some hills, that will burn even more. Or try experimenting with varying your pace...every few minutes walk a bit faster for a bit.
  • drabbits2
    drabbits2 Posts: 179 Member
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    I am a fan of outside walking. Our family belongs to the local YMCA, which I go to for swimming laps, yoga, or elliptical, but walking outside is far and away my favorite things. Find music or a podcast that you like and go walk. I am listening to Alec Baldwin's terrific podcast Here's the Thing right now-love it and each episode is between 35 and 60 minutes. I try to get up at 5:15 and get in a 35 minutes before work and then another 35 in the evening if possible. Totally doable and enjoyable!

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