Is my body used to walking?

LozzieMidgley

Hi, everyone! So 5 years ago I moved into my current house which is about 3 miles from where I was at school at the time. I'd walk every day, get a real sweat on (which wasn't great for my self esteem back then , but I digress) and when I left school and started work I did exactly the same, only now it's a shorter walk of about 2 miles.

Now, they say to do 10,000 steps a day and the combination of walking to/from work and being on my feet for about five hours whilst working gets me roughly 15,000-17,000 alone. So my question is this: is all this walking still effective exercise? I'm aware that the body gets used to routine exercise and I'm planning to start at a gym soon , as well.

On top of that, my Fitbit tells me that all my walking burns almost 1000 calories but I'm reluctant to trust it until I know if it's true or not. I've lost 8lbs since starting MFP just over a month ago and haven't eaten back any of those burnt calories, so I'm inclined to believe that yes, my body is used to all the walking. Really I just want to know if any one else has had a similar experience or could confirm what I've come to assume.

Hope you're all having a lovely day

AllanMisner

Walking most certainly is exercise. Congratulations for not taking a car (as 99.9% of people would). That said, your body can reach an equilibrium with your current routine and effectively plateau.

If your primary concern is weight loss, then look to your diet first. Not just calories but the nutritional content. After you get that sorted, you can continue to improve your body composition by beginning a weight training program along with some HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). Make sure it is something that is progressive (slowly) and you'll see continued improvement over time.

LozzieMidgley

Thank you! This is really helpful!

WalkingAlong

So my question is this: is all this walking still effective exercise? I'm aware that the body gets used to routine exercise and I'm planning to start at a gym soon , as well.

On top of that, my Fitbit tells me that all my walking burns almost 1000 calories but I'm reluctant to trust it until I know if it's true or not. I've lost 8lbs since starting MFP just over a month ago and haven't eaten back any of those burnt calories, so I'm inclined to believe that yes, my body is used to all the walking. Really I just want to know if any one else has had a similar experience or could confirm what I've come to assume.

Hope you're all having a lovely day

Yes, even if you've gotten more efficient at walking, it is still great exercise! My Fitbit led me through a lot of losses, so I trust it (for me, and I didn't use MFP's plan just a straight deficit from what I burned). If you want to check its math maybe take your miles walked for the work trip (there and back) and multiply it by this formula from Runners World, to see if Fitbit is in the ballpark. .57*weight in pounds*miles walked. I wouldn't apply that to your 'work day' steps or others because that formula assumes you're going a certain speed, not just 'on your feet'. 15,000-17,000 steps is a lot. Good work! If you've lost 7-8 lbs in a month I'd say keep doing what you're doing!

Gwen_B

Someone who does the same activity all the time is likely to plateau much sooner than someone who varies her workouts. Just as you can get bored by always doing the same exercises, your body can also adapt to these exercises so that they don't offer the same benefits that they once did. A little variety might be just the thing you need to get the scale moving again or bust through that strength plateau. "Variety" means either changing something about your current routine (adding speed, distance, hills, resistance, etc.) or trying a totally different activity. If you like some consistency and don't want to change your workout each time you hit the gym, change your routine at least every 4-8 weeks (this includes incorporating changes to both your cardio and strength training exercises). This will keep your muscles challenged, your body guessing, and the results coming!
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=874

LozzieMidgley

Thank you all! This is all really helpful I have noticed a plateau recently so I think when I do start at the gym (hopefully this week or next) it'll kick start things again, and then after that I'll be sure to mix things up every so often

WalkingAlong

Be forewarned that starting resistance training can cause you to lose slower at first, too, but it catches up in the end. It causes water retention in a lot of women.

I wouldn't worry too much about your body getting too acclimated to walking. It's not like you're doing the same workout video every day, it's walking, a basic human function done by all. Right now you're concerned with calorie burn mostly, right? Your body can't get so efficient at walking that it changes that basic equation above all that much. Think of a car. You can take off the side mirrors and put better tires on and you might improve its MPG a little but for the most part it just takes that much gas/energy to move that car x miles. As you lose weight, you burn less but that's going to be the main thing that changes your walking burn, in my opinion.

Azdak

There is a difference between "activity" and "exercise". All of the walking is definitely accumulated "activity" and thus has a calorie expenditure associated with it. However,walking as an activity of daily living (ADL) is usually not "exercise"--meaning it does not improve fitness--unless it is done at a training intensity.

One does not have to "exercise" to maintain a calorie deficit, so saying that ADL walking is not "exercise" is not a pejorative statement. And all activity has general health benefits.

Unless your weight changes, if you are walking the same terrain and speed, then calorie expenditure will remain roughly the same.

YouHadMyCuriosity

PPs have said most of what I would have, so I won't beat a dead horse. I will reiterate that walking certainly will burn calories for you! If you are looking to see changes in your body, though, doing something different in addition certainly won't hurt. Lifting heavy, swimming, bicycling, rollerblading, trying some workout videos, yoga, dancing... I like to mix it up, not because I really have any great science behind it, but becaise I personally can FEEL different muscles getting sore, getting stronger, etc- most importantly, it keeps me from getting bored, which keeps me from quitting

LozzieMidgley

This is all really great advice, thank you so much