Why do people disregard walking?

Options
1…34689…19

Replies

  • soyum
    soyum Posts: 49 Member
    Options
    " Why do people disregard walking?"

    They don't. Or more to the point if they do, they are just flat out wrong. When done daily, it can really be effective.
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    Options
    Personally, I have always walked a lot and I managed to get fat anyway. Maybe I'd have gotten twice as fat without it, who knows, but for me, walking is just an incidental part of my day, not my exercise routine.

    Actually you got fat from eating more than you burn, not from walking or not walking.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    Options
    I don't know why people disregard walking. But I know we have a lot of MFP's that swear by their fit bits, upbands or nike fuel bands. I am one of them. I count steps all day long and try to get in as much as walking as possible, and I try standing 10 minutes of every waking hour. I do wii fit yoga or barre3 for 10 to30 minutes every day as well. I applaud the people who "lift heavy" or "run and train for marathons". To each their own fitness plan!
  • TINAHUNTER1969
    TINAHUNTER1969 Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    I had problems with my BP so had to give up pilates, zumba, bootcamp - the only thing I could do was walk so I started a couple of miles once or twice a week - now 9 months later I walk at around 3.5mph and do 12 miles a week. I go straight after work and go walking with friends or on my own. We change our routes so that we have banks to walk up and stairs to go down. Walking along with counting calories is helping me lose weight from all over. Walking is FREE so I don't know why people would diss it!!

    My starting pace was around 2mph so you can see in 9 months how much it has improved and 2.7 miles used to take me an hour to walk, now this same distance takes me 40 minutes so for anyone who doesn't believe that walking makes a difference they don't know what they are talking about!!

    Exercise - find something that YOU like and that you know you can MANAGE/STICK WITH and ENJOY :flowerforyou:
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    We love to walk. We go hiking around the countryside with the dog for miles and miles in all weathers.

    It's a pleasurable activity and we love being outdoors.

    Personally I could never walk in front of my TV, as for me the whole attraction is to be outside in fresh air.

    I also don't think you can quite compare outdoor walking to walking in front of your TV, as you're not dealing with any changes underfoot in the way you would outdoors, not use the core strength you would if you actually had to look where you're going, but whatever floats your boat.

    I disregard it in the sense that I personally don't eat back walking calories. I track my walks but it's not an activity that requires fuelling in the way that my other training would. But it's pleasurable and good for your health overall.
  • stephiehampshire
    stephiehampshire Posts: 160
    Options
    walking is brilliant exercise! I went for a brilliant 4 miles walk, yes it took me almost an hour but I burned around 390 calories, watched the sunset, walked along the seafront and then through the woods, it was fun and my legs felt so much better for it.

    I aim to run, cycle or walk at least 6 days a week

    Sometimes I'll choose to walk the 2 mile journey into town instead of driving if I'm not in a rush, or I'll park a mile from work and walk the rest of the way

    Walking is my go to exercise if I have blisters or I am tired or hurting from the previous days workout

    Whatever works for you just stick to it! x
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
    Options
    It is a giant joke because you paid money for a DVD about Walking. Instead of just going outside and...walking.

    I have to say I see some truth in that statement.

    Unless I were severely agoraphobic or lived in the desert I don't understand why anyone would prefer to do leg lifts in front of the TV over being outdoors but maybe that's just me...
  • jelawton3
    jelawton3 Posts: 32 Member
    Options
    It is a giant joke because you paid money for a DVD about Walking. Instead of just going outside and...walking.

    I have bought these at the advice of my sister as they incorperate a bit of low impact arobic activity in some of the videos. They have also come in handy on rainy days when I can't get outside. I have used in my office at work during my lunch hour on bad days as well. I think another reason is for those who can't handle the Texas summer and can't afford a treadmill/gym membership. I would never say it's a joke, the joke is doing nothing and complaining about why you're not improving.
  • jxspxr
    jxspxr Posts: 150
    Options
    Walking is great! It is a very important part of my exercise routine:

    - I used walking to burn calories when I was still 95+ kg, which was quite a while since I came down from 106 kg. I did not feel like running at that weight, so I decided not to frustrate myself and just go for regular walking. People already mentioned it here: the best exercise is the one that you keep doing.
    - Now that I am lighter, I still take walks. Once or twice per week I take a 1-2 hour walk with a friend - it's nice to talk while walking and I can burn some calories and stay fit at the same time. I could do this on exercise days or non-exercise days.
    - I also walk alone once or twice per week on days that I don't swim, run or do athletics - I think it's good to move every day and I like it as a moment of relaxing.
    - I often walk to the city centre (4-5 kilometre back and forth), the supermarket (1.5 km back and forth), university (depending on the building, 1-3 kilometre back and forth) or my garden (2 kilometre back and forth). Otherwise I would take the bike for these distances, but when I have the time I like to go walking, which fortunately is most of the times for the shorter distances.

    Because of this, I think I walk about 20-40 kilometre per week. A few years ago I'd walk only 5-10 kilometre per week, so you see that this is a lot more and it should make a difference in terms of burning extra calories and exercising my muscles. I think all this walking has helped me a lot to lose weight during the last 7 months.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Options
    walking is GREAT!! and well done on doing so well :) I also love Lesley Sansone plus Jessica Smith does great walking workouts too - youtube is just great for variety :)
    Keep up the great work!


    and yes some of us have to make do with indoors cos it hardly EVER STOPS raining lol - I'll go outdoors when I can for a walk but indoors is better than nothing :)
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
    Options
    I LOVE walking! Doesn't feel like I'm exercising and I love to walk in the nearby forest, countryside, etc.
  • rhondatime2chg
    rhondatime2chg Posts: 92 Member
    Options
    Keep up the good work. I do Leslie Sansone videos as well and can burn a good amount of calories while doing them because my heart rate stays up.
  • sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
    sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Posts: 2,757 Member
    Options
    When I was on restricted workouts last year, speed walking hills did my body some real favors. I got the curvy thighs and tighter butt I wanted.
  • ingeh
    ingeh Posts: 513 Member
    Options
    Im getting back into Leslie Sansones 5 mile fat burning walk. Monday is the start of me doing it 3 days a week plus three 20 in kettlebell circuits a week. It really helped slim down my legs when I did the walking a few months back and its one of the only workouts I can stick to and by the 3rd mile im sweating and tired but push myself.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Options
    Walking is my main exercise ... every day after work in whatever weather I do about 7km by walking straight past train stations I could use but choose not to.

    Great not just for burning some energy but for mental health, getting in touch with your surroundings and all that.

    I also take the stairs over lifts everywhere and I work in 2 tower blocks. Soon adds up ...
  • jmayerovitch
    jmayerovitch Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    People definitely underestimate racewalking, specifically. Either that or they just know it looks ridiculous (which it will, if you're doing it right) so they figure it must not do much. Because only activities that make you look cool burn calories and build muscles!

    Walking an 11 min/mile (what I get up to) is WAY harder than jogging a 10 min/mile. On my HRM, that's usually a difference of 185 bpm vs. 165 bpm.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
    Options
    I DON'T!!!
    I do a different thing every day,
    and walking is part of my exercise.
    ITS GREAT!
  • murdie
    murdie Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    I love Leslie Sansone!!!! I tell people all the time about her. She is a great way to get into exercise.
  • SkinnyWannabeGal
    SkinnyWannabeGal Posts: 143 Member
    Options
    I have lost lots of weight just by walking in the past. One of my bosses used to go for a walk during his lunch break every day and dropped like 30 lbs in a few months doing so. I love to get outside and walk at a park or walk up and down some hills. It's a great stress reliever for me. Feeling the sun on my skin and the wind on my face is a mood booster. I love it.
  • webbeyes
    webbeyes Posts: 105 Member
    Options
    The same people who trash walking as exercise are the same morons who will trash you for bench-pressing 80lbs instead of 250lbs, or for doing Zumba on your XBox 360 at home instead of in a Zumba class.

    Doing "add-ons" to walking just makes sense - build muscle, etc while doing another simple activity just makes sense.

    The "incidental" steps I track using my Fitbit Flex just add to my overall calorie burn, and to my overall health and well-being

Categories