Walking a form of cardio?

peggyalex

walking can be a HELL of a workout all depends on how hard you go at it and actually I have ran and walked and only burn about 100 cals less walking than running the exact same distance...........much better on your joints also than running.........do what you like and the Heck with the nay sayers! thats how I lost my first 50lbs is walking so please tell me again how it isn't a workout..............

EvelynBfly78

I am generally not one to exercise so walking is all I do. I started with my dog for about 15 mins 3 times a day at slow speed. We have increased our speed & distance & still stayed at 20 mins twice a day & then 40 mins once a day. Every day I try to go further. Some days I go farther than others. Going from 0 to walking over an hour per day is an accomplishment for me.

OP--walking is good for you. Do what is best for you. If that's the only exercise you do, it's better than nothing. Besides, it's FREE. Some of us don't have the $$ to join a gym or the room to have a treadmill at home.

eldamiano

You won't get abs from walking...

I got news for you honey--we're not all interested in "abs"

Honey? Stop flirting. There's a perfectly good place for that but it's not on here...

Not flirting, I just think that the fixation on "abs" especially by the "guys" is a bit much. They don't turn me on a bit. My husband is a walker and we walk for hours--he has a great bod.

Your husband is a walker? Thought for a minute you were going to say something else then.

holliebevineau

When I 226lbs, way before I discovered MFP, I lost weight from diet alone. Then I started walking and lost more weight and after while I could tell that I needed to do more, like speed walk. Eventually I got up to running a 14 minute mile. Today I clocked myself at 11.4 min/mile. Walking changed my life. Good luck OP!! And make Yourself a nice playlist to walk to. Music motivates!

CyberEd312

In 2009 at 560 lbs. unable to stand for more than 30 seconds at a stretch let alone walk anywhere, my doctor wrote me a script for aquatic therapy which would allow me to use water displacement to let me stand long enough to exercise. I spent the next 17 months in the therapy pool walking from one side of the pool to the other. Every month that passed I moved from the deeper end to the shallower end (letting gravity take effect and allow me to take on my of my own weight). I added in ankle weights and webbed gloves for resistance as well and in that 17 months I lost 170 lbs. Do Not be so fast to short change walking, there is absolutely nothing but benefits from it and as you progress you can start adding in many variable... Now 312 lbs. lighter with 2 bad knee's and wearing braces I do interval incline treadmill routines that burn 1000 calories in an 80 minute session... By all means OP, do not let anyone discourage you or anyone else from the results anyone can get from walking... In the end, it is a hell of alot better than sitting on the couch..... Best of Luck

lpshizza

I just wanted to add (after reading everyone else's comments about walking being "good for a beginner" or whatever) that I am 2 years into this, can go 2 hours on the elliptical at a high intensity level, have lost 65 pounds, and still consider walking as exercise. No, it's not very intense, but it's relaxing and something that I actually enjoy, and like I've already said, it burns a decent amount of calories.

If you like walking, keep doing it. It will only benefit you!

I agree, I would rather take my baby for a walk any day then go to a gym and as long as your burning calories....YOUR BURNING CALORIES!

Railr0aderTony

In 2009 at 560 lbs. unable to stand for more than 30 seconds at a stretch let alone walk anywhere, my doctor wrote me a script for aquatic therapy which would allow me to use water displacement to let me stand long enough to exercise. I spent the next 17 months in the therapy pool walking from one side of the pool to the other. Every month that passed I moved from the deeper end to the shallower end (letting gravity take effect and allow me to take on my of my own weight). I added in ankle weights and webbed gloves for resistance as well and in that 17 months I lost 170 lbs. Do Not be so fast to short change walking, there is absolutely nothing but benefits from it and as you progress you can start adding in many variable... Now 312 lbs. lighter with 2 bad knee's and wearing braces I do interval incline treadmill routines that burn 1000 calories in an 80 minute session... By all means OP, do not let anyone discourage you or anyone else from the results anyone can get from walking... In the end, it is a hell of alot better than sitting on the couch..... Best of Luck

Serah87

I walk 6 miles a day, 5/6 days a week, averaging around 4 mph and burn approx. 700 calories according to my fitbit.

I am 44 yrs old and my cw is 128.

ETA: I also do weight lifting.

Stayskinny1999

walking for an hour at 2.5mph will burn you 150-200 calories depending on your weight

QuietBloom

For anyone who thinks walking is not a form of exercise . . .

^ this.

every soldier who has ever marched 20 miles is in agreement.

every postal deliveryman who walks his route delivering mail is in agreement.

every cop who walked a beat is in agreement.

etc.

walking is actually one of the best exercises. people can walk longer and further than they can run and they can avoid many of the common injuries that runners face.

one can burn quite a lot of calories on long walks (and hikes).

anybody who makes their living on their feet all day can well attest to how many extra calories they burn.

there is also a 10,000 step movement of people (and doctors and researchers) who believe that walking 10K or more steps a day strongly correlates to longevity and quality of life late into life.

in many ways, walking is the perfect exercise for humans because we have been designed for it.

I like walking, but it's harder on your feet than running is (believe it or not). And I read an interesting article that stated humans are built for running. Large glutes, and large achilles tendons (amongst many other attributes).

I started with walking, but got bored and wanted to get it over with faster. That's when the running came in.

Here is the Nature article:

http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/krigbaum/proseminar/Bramble_Leib_2004_nature.pdf

running gives me shin splints and i've turned my ankles a bunch of times running. i used to force myself to run when i was younger (in my 20's and 30's) and hated every minute of it. i even hated it when i had to do it for football and baseball (not during the games of course). i never ran more than 2-3 miles at a time for exercise. now that i walk, i can go for much longer distances and much larger burns. my usual daily walk (when i do it) is 8.5 or 9.7 miles at a comfortable pace.

I definitely count walking as exercise, don't get me wrong. I am lol'ing at some of the arguments contrary I am reading.

QuietBloom

Walking is Cardio and it is a great workout for everybody . I found out that walking my HR reaches 188 while even doing insanity can't go up there... Find your limits then you will see that as soon as your body gets used to it you can increase speed until you can incorporate even some running..

188 bpm while walking?? I'm calling shenanigans.

dorrymc

Well done OP. Great start. I love walking too and love going to the gym. It is mood & weather dependent. My walking is encouraging me to think about starting to run in 2014. For me, the great thing about walking is that I can do it OUTSIDE in the fresh air. Walking through my local park and on to the beach. My body knows I've been moving afterwards but my head feels clearer. For me the whole health & fitness thing is about more than just losing weight although that's been going well. I'm trying to make healthier choices with food, drink and activity. There's a lot of conflicting info out there so I do read it but I try to keep it simple and generally eat less and move more most of the time. All the best with your journey

Phaedra2014

I lost my first 90 pounds with ONLY walking. No jogging, no running, no weights, no push ups. Just walking 5 days a week. Then I added all the other types of exercise once my joints could handle it.

I still love to walk and go for long walks as often as possible.

BeyMe

I'm not sure why some of you felt the need to make snarky comments. I'm quite positive you all started some where too. There is no need to come in here on your high horses.

Thank you to the people who actually had something helpful to say.

delicious_cocktail

I'm not sure why some of you felt the need to make snarky comments. I'm quite positive you all started some where too. There is no need to come in here on your high horses.

Thank you to the people who actually had something helpful to say.

Please, please trust me when I say that the best thing to do is not acknowledge it.

BeyMe

I'm not sure why some of you felt the need to make snarky comments. I'm quite positive you all started some where too. There is no need to come in here on your high horses.

Thank you to the people who actually had something helpful to say.

Please, please trust me when I say that the best thing to do is not acknowledge it.

Thank you.

WalkingAlong

If your goal is to burn more calories and get healthier, walking is an excellent choice. It is 'cardio' if your heart rate gets elevated. Regardless, it's better than sitting.

Yes, running burns more calories. Running uphill in sand wearing a weight vest burns even more. Does that mean we all should only be running uphill in sand with a weight vest?

It's better for your body to do something you like consistently than something you don't sporadically.

MissSaturday

Walking is Cardio and it is a great workout for everybody . I found out that walking my HR reaches 188 while even doing insanity can't go up there... Find your limits then you will see that as soon as your body gets used to it you can increase speed until you can incorporate even some running..

188 bpm while walking?? I'm calling shenanigans.

yep max 188 bpm and avarage of all workout 147. did it yesterday 30 minutes walking, speed 4.5 (don't know if my tradmill is in km or miles.. i think km) .. after the first 20 minutes when i get tired the hr starts to flash up. i wear a polar tf7.. and i am 100lbs heavier than you the polar says that my maximum heart rate is 196. bpm so let's believe him

nuttyfamily

I didn't read all the replies as I already saw some elitist attitude responses.

When I lost my initial 50 pounds, my only form of exercise was walking. I'd always work on going faster and longer.

I wear an HRM now. I burn around 80 calories for a one mile walk and almost 100 calories for a one mile run. You are still burning calories and it is a good form of exercise.

It is a great place to start. No shame in walking.

J72FIT

Walking is great... it is the foundation to any balanced exercise program.