Why do people disregard walking?

Art63

Late to this thread but another walking fan here. Walking got me moving. Hooray for that. I live a pretty sedentary life and the pounds kept creeping on. Little by little each year I was getting bigger. Started walking. Incredibly short distances and times at first. Literally short. Five minutes or so was all I could do. But I kept at it. Tried desperately to walk every single day or I feared I'd quit. Many days I just barely slogged my way around the block. But kept at it.

Great motivator to then eat just a bit less than normal. Half a bag of M&M;s instead of the whole bag...you know what I mean? Well, it worked. A few months went by and I was a few pounds lighter. Not much but I knew I was doing the right thing.

A bit later I found this site and started counting calories. The pounds came off faster.

That may be why some dismiss walking as of little value. I agree that eating less has a bigger impact on losing weight than walking but it sure has helped me stay involved with doing something other than sitting in front of the TV or computer screen.

SundayGirl1989

What do you log the leslie sansone workouts as? just walking? because the pace increases as you go along

spud_chick

Walking is still the majority of my exercise. I walk on average 65+ miles per month in my hilly neighborhood. I just got a stationary bike to supplement walking when it's darker, colder or wetter than I'd like to be out walking in, because last winter frequently sucked for all that. I don't enjoy the bike as much, although it does work different muscles nicely. I also try to do hand weights 2-3x per week.

I have a bad back, bad hip, bad knee, and terrible scarred up asymmetrical feet, so I'm delighted to be able to walk at all, with the help of a good chiropractor. So far (taking it deliberately slow on the weight loss) I've lost 23 lbs, gone from a size 14 to a size 8, my endurance and overall carriage and posture are much improved, and I feel better than I have since I was in my late 20s. I have no interest in gyms nor in becoming an athlete--running has zero appeal for me. My goal was simply to become stronger and leaner, and walking was about 90% responsible for getting to where I am now. If you do it thoughtfully and push just a little, you can really shape your backside with walking.

Most importantly, the time I spend walking is also spent listening to audiobooks and taking in the scenery. It really feels like something I'm doing for myself and not like something I'm punishing myself with because I'm "supposed to". I am grateful that it's safe for me to walk both at home and at work, I know that's not true for everyone. I'd go nuts trying to walk on a treadmill.

whitebalance

Big walking fan here. Walking several miles a day to and from school is what kept me from being a fat teenager despite my atrocious eating habits. Fast forward to the mid-40s, when nothing could compensate for atrocious eating habits and ridiculous levels of sedentary-ness (sedentarism? sedentaritation? yeah, sitting on my ever-growing butt too much) and I was about 40 pounds over where I should be. Before I started MFP, I started walking again... a lot. I dropped my first 20 pounds in 2-3 months with pretty much no other changes -- I was more mindful of my food, but not counting calories at that time. I walked to the store for my soda, I walked around the block while talking on the phone, I walked door to door for a friend running for office, I walked on a treadmill while watching movies on my laptop at midnight. Throughout my weight loss phase, I aimed to walk 5-10 miles every day. It worked. I've been maintaining and "recomping" since sometime in May. After my surgery, I was up and walking a few miles a day the following week.

Walking is still my main cardio exercise. It's easy on my joints compared with running. It's good for my legs, it's good for my heart, it's good for my mind. I do a little running too, but less of that since I started lifting heavy in earnest. My calves tend to seize up when I run more than a mile or so within 24 hours after lifting. But walking... I can do that every day, any time, any place.

Walking is just awesome.

whitebalance

This bum was made for walking, by walking.

QuietBloom, you are gorgeous. That is all.

cathychapman75

My go to exercise is also walking. I walk at least 6 days a week and love it, I love the friendliness of fellow walkers who you pass on the way with a cheerful "good morninig" like you are a member of some secret club. I love the fresh air and most of all I know my fitness levels are improving as areas that I walk that were once a bit of a struggle I now find are much easier to deal with.

So keep it up, if you really enjoy it you are more likely to stick with it.

Makoce

I'm down 50lbs thanks to walking.
I love to hike, too -- last Thursday I walked 10 miles.
But generally I try to walk up to 2 miles a day.

QuietBloom

This bum was made for walking, by walking.

QuietBloom, you are gorgeous. That is all.

Many thanks love!

williamsge

Love walking success stories! It works!

losing_it_2013

I walk at least twice a day - 30 mins in the morning, 40 mins after dinner. I walked 150 miles in September! Having a German Shepherd pup helps with the motivation :happy:

Mr_Knight

Yep they were not outrunning predators.

It's not about about outrunning the predator.

It's about outrunning your cave-mate.

janglo

Walking IS exercise! In no-snow months my husband and I power-walk our cross country ski trails on the mountain and our local 11 mile river trail. In snow months we walk the lighted community college campus and XC ski 2 hrs 3x/wk. Walking the ski trails is GREAT exercise and altitude conditioning for XC skiing. And power-walking keeps our ranch mutt conditioned!!

Carelovehappy

I walk five miles every day I'm on my crutches and do it for my physiotherapy

afortunatedragon

I love walking/hiking as well.
But one question - how is it possible to get a heart rate of 150 from walking?
If I walk normal I now dump around 105, quick walking gets me to 115 to 120.
Only a hike with a good incline gives me 130 to 140.
Walking down from the hill my heart rate plunges down to 95.
What are you doing to keep the heart rate up?

psicocat

Lost all my weight walking for exercise :-)

wjelly

I run every other day and do body weight workouts on the days in between but, when I'm asked what is the best workout to get in shape and/or lose weight, I always say "whatever exercise you will actually do and STICK WITH." If that's walking, then you go right ahead and walk your butt off!

^this^

I couldn't have put it better.

Oneironaut

I love walking. I don't walk fast enough to get a cardio workout (that comes from the bike at the gym) but I still burn plenty of calories with it.

Graelwyn75

Although I do a lot of other exercise, like boxing, cycling, weights, elliptical, running... I have always been a big walker, even as a kid.
If I were in the countryside, rather than a city, I would walk a lot more. As is, I try to get 5 miles walking in most days, and sometimes do 8-12 mile walks as well if I have worn my legs out with my other activities.