Excercise

colesmilez

Hello All,
I'm new here and to the getting 18 lbs off. I'm 38 female, 5'4 155lbs. I'd like to be 137lbs. I am changing my eating habits and portion size. I'm drinking 80oz of water a day. I have started walking 1.7 miles 5 days a week. Is walking 5 days a week enough to reach my goal or should I include other exercise? Thanks Nicole

BlueBombers

I started my program by walking on my treadmill 5-6 times per week for about 40-45 minutes each time at a moderate pace. I made it more challenging by inclining the treadmill. Gradually I started increasing my speed. I lost 16 lbs in the first month just by walking. Obviously my diet had a part as I cut out all the junk, cut down my portions and drank lots of water just like you

You can gradually start incorporating some jogging/running, and if you want to tone you can start using some light weights.

Good luck!

colesmilez

Thank you for your reply. I live in the country and on my route it is up and down with hills and flats. I walk 1.7 miles and it takes me between 27-29 minutes. I just stared the walking this past Sunday. I'm wondering if I should increase the distance and time walking over time or is 30 minutes, 5 days a week a enough. I hate excursing to be honest. I find it very boring. But I know it's good for my body and mind.

jezwins1

~hi there i started out just walking and did so for a few months. I also started using the crosstrainer at the gym and found I was burning more calories on that so I started doing both but then found couch potato to 5k run in 13 weeks which is a podcast on NHS Choices. I now run every other day and exercise in the gym the other days. if you have an iphone type in fitness apps and there are loads to choose from on there. One of my favorites is the 7 minite workout.

Keep going you can do it

add me as a friend if you wish

BlueBombers

For sure, you can always increase your time and distance as it becomes easier....that's what I did. But it's always good to start off slow and gradually start building from that.

kbeardmore22

I've noticed that since joining MFP just 2 weeks ago that varying the exercise is key. I've lost 4 lbs over the last few weeks and
I've been trying to do a variety of cardio as well as weights 2-3 x a week. I am anxious to see what I've lost measurement wise, I do this on August 1, but my clothes are already feeling more comfortable Walking is excellent and I think if you stick to 5 days a week for that it's fine, but you may want to add some type of weight training or classes such as pilates and yoga. Good luck, for all of us it's a work in progress, but MFP is great for support, feel free to add me as a friend if you like as we all can encourage each other!

colesmilez

Thank you for your encouraging words and tips.
I'm a stay at home Mom of a 2 yr. old boy. So I'm limited to things to go and do during the day as far as working out. I've thought about my checking out YouTube for cardio workouts while he naps (2 hours). About 10 years ago I weighed 180 and went with weight watchers with little to no excurse and lost 35lbs. I lost on average 2lbs a week. I started this weight loss journey last Thursday and have lost 1.5lbs in a week. I'm hoping to lose 1.5lbs weekly this time also. My sister is a personal trainer and is telling me it will take over a year to lose 20lbs!! WOW really!???

TeaBea

Listen to your sister ...........slow weight loss is best. When you lose weight too quickly, you are likely losing muscle as well as fat. Part of why exercise in the first place is to maintain muscle.

I love walking ..... I can't do much outside right now ....90° ....ugh. So I "walk" indoors. If you're not enjoying exercise, keep looking for something you enjoy doing. You will be more likely to stick to it.

Here's are a couple youtube "walking videos"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rnB9rDRrCM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd9V8pJrMXU

colesmilez

So if I walk outside 5 days and do these videos the other 2 days. Will I have enough exercise in a week?

lisalisa27

I think if you did 5 days of walking, then videos twice a week that would be a nice amount of exercise. I have to say you are doing more than me right now.

Something I used to do was Pilates. It is not "intense" per se, but it really tones you up. It tones your muscles and if you have more muscle it will increase your metabolism to help lose weight.

Keep up the good work!

Oh2BeMaintaining

If it were me, I would continue the walking 5 days a week and if I was losing weight I wouldn't add more exercise. If I stalled I would increase the walking, or start a c25k program, or the videos whatever worked easiest into my life.

I am currently doing the Ease into 5K app. It's only 3 days a week and I am losing steadily so I'm not adding to that if I don't have to!

grimendale

Exercise is good, but not necessary for weight loss. MFP provides you with a calorie deficit that, if adhered to properly, will allow you to lose weight without adding exercise. That being said, I recommend adding exercise anyway. Anything is better than nothing, and enough is better than too much. Find something you enjoy and will stick to. It's better to be doing something that seems light, but that you can imagine yourself doing long term than to try to jump into it and burn out. Slow and steady is the way to go. Make sure you log exercise and eat extra on days when you work out (assuming that you are using the MFP default method). The calories you are given already include a deficit, and increasing the size of this deficit through exercise without eating to try and speed up weight loss will slow you down in the long run. Good luck.

colesmilez

Thank you. Like I said, I started this weight loss process last Thursday. Started walking Sunday. Walked Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. Weighed this Am and down 1.5lbs! Yahoo!!