Anyone lose weight just walking

HexyleneGlycol
HexyleneGlycol Posts: 56
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been on my weight loss journey going on 3 months now. I've been doing aerobics and strength training and walking whenever I can. I've only lost 5 pounds in almost 3 months and not ready to give up yet.

Ive recently taken a completely sedentary job where Im practically glued to my desk for 8 hours and I only get half an hour lunch (which I need to use to eat my lunch) I obviously get up and walk around whenever I can but my question is. Do you think I can continue to lose weight just walking home from work everyday. (Exactly 50 minute walk. At 4.5 mph 5 days a week) Strength training a few days a week and maybe aerobics 2 or 3 days a week?

I would like to do more intense workouts but by time I get home Im too exhausted to do anything high energy.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? Im considering also walking to work which would be 50 minutes there aswell, but I find it hard to get up on time in the mornings as it is.
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Replies

  • Binky_Muffin
    Binky_Muffin Posts: 191 Member
    I got good results when I was walking approximately 10km per day 5 days per week. If you walked to and from work at a brisk pace, I think you would get great results that way. Throw in some regular strength training and there is not reason why you won't get results. Of course, you have to keep your food intake in mind.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I walk 4-5 km a day to and from work in addition of strength training. I worked for me but now I am pretty much at maintenance.

    Good luck
  • TheCatwoman2014
    TheCatwoman2014 Posts: 1
    Should be losing more than that I would think, maybe have a look at your diet? Are you on high protein and low carb?
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    Should be losing more than that I would think, maybe have a look at your diet? Are you on high protein and low carb?

    I agree with looking at your diet.
    Weightless is mostly in your diet anyhow (calorie deficit)
  • embaudin
    embaudin Posts: 45 Member
    Obviously you'll lose more weight by including proper cardio exercises, but walking will actually do a lot more than you think. When I first started my weight loss journey, I made sure to walk a minimum of 3 miles a day and swim 3 times a week. I dropped 3lbs in the first week! So why not endeavour to at least walk home from work if mornings are a problem? Bring a bag with a pair of shoes better suited for walking and change into them just before you leave work each day.
  • TallGlassOfQuirky
    TallGlassOfQuirky Posts: 282 Member
    All I did for the first 30 pounds or so was to walk. I kept walking throughout. It's a wonderful, low impact form of exercise.
    Good luck!
  • STrooper
    STrooper Posts: 659 Member
    I lost most of my weight by simply walking every day. I went from a top weight of 250 pounds to 190 by just walking and very few changes to diet (no logging of food). I did log my steps.

    I started out at 14000 steps per day, then quickly moved up to nearly 17,000. As my weight came off I gradually increased to 20,000 a day. I plateaued for 1 year at 190 while walking 20,000 steps/day. But my body continued to change (4 inches off my waist, hips and chest each during that year.

    I dropped the last weight by a step change of walking to 22,000 / day and I started to log my food. That dropped weight over the next 11 months.

    I now run and walk and my weight has been stable since November 2012.

    So, yes, you can lose all your weight just by walking. I tracked all my steps by a pedometer and then by a FITBIT (electronic pedometer).
  • missyont
    missyont Posts: 79
    Yes you can but what you are eating is what is really going to count.
  • Sunitagt
    Sunitagt Posts: 486 Member
    I'm about 50 lbs down, and I've been walking and doing a strength/cardio circuit 3x a week. I probably could have lost it just with walking, but the circuit days I can eat more and be under my calorie goal. For losing, it's about how much (calories) you eat vs. what you burn.
  • HexyleneGlycol
    HexyleneGlycol Posts: 56
    Thank you all for your kind words and motivation!!!
  • HexyleneGlycol
    HexyleneGlycol Posts: 56
    Should be losing more than that I would think, maybe have a look at your diet? Are you on high protein and low carb?

    As far as I know....I have cheated a bit on Christmas, New years ....and around Halloween....I feel like I should be losing more too...but when I read about other people...5 pounds in 2 months is fairly normal.....I know it sounds a bit cliche...but I think Im naturally muscular and fit....I could be wrong....


    As far as I know for the most part Im eating what I should be eating and how much I should be eating....I started at 1200 a day but I was still starving all the time....now Im at 1350, seems to be working better.
  • TallGlassOfQuirky
    TallGlassOfQuirky Posts: 282 Member
    All I did for the first 30 pounds or so was to walk. I kept walking throughout. It's a wonderful, low impact form of exercise.
    Good luck!
  • gduncan229
    gduncan229 Posts: 11
    In th beginning I lost most of my weight just by walking. Lost about 60lbs from just doing that. Especially if you try to push the speed a bit. I was trying to walk about 4 miles and hour minimum. I did however kind of hit a wall after the 60lbs, but it was moreso because I wasn't losing it as fast as I wanted to. Not because I wasn't losing weight.
  • nicoleashley_24
    nicoleashley_24 Posts: 144 Member
    I lost all of my pregnancy weight with #1 from walking and doing at-home strength workouts a few times a week. With that said, I wasn't happy with my body composition even though the number on the scale was what I thought I wanted to see. When I started lifting heavy and focusing on that, not cardio, I saw the difference I was looking for.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    I agree with looking at your diet.
    Weightless is mostly in your diet anyhow (calorie deficit)
    THIS....you can lose weight without doing any exercise at all, if that's your only goal. If you want to get in shape and have some muscle tone though, you're going to need to do more. :ohwell:
  • TracieWomble
    TracieWomble Posts: 10 Member
    i've lost 5lbs this year by going from 3000 ish steps a day to 10,000 steps a day and uping my stairs goal from 10 flights to 15 flights a day using a fit bit. Haven't really changed my food intake except eating more fruit.
  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
    I'm just doing a mile a day with the OCCASIONAL Zumba at home and I'm losing great. I just watch my calories and try to keep my day under 1500 cal.
  • jessihoover
    jessihoover Posts: 63
    movement is key! get at least 10,000 steps in...and jeez 4.5mph is my running speed! ;)

    i lost lots of inches (not lbs) by strength training also.
  • ellenmg
    ellenmg Posts: 26 Member
    I think you are doing great! Walking is a great exercise!
    Maybe on the weekends, do something fun like Zumba classes or Yoga or Pilates, just to mix it up.
    Is there any way to squeeze in 10-15 minutes of something during your work day? I'm sure the last thin you want to do is walk, but maybe some tricep dips in your chair or something silly like that? I have a desk job as well, but on 15 minute breaks, I do some laps around my workplace which includes some stairs. I try to go visit the person I need something from too instead of emailing them.
    But I think you are on the track! Good job!
  • dmk1029
    dmk1029 Posts: 2
    When I was able to walk to and from work, I use to also carry 2 lb weights to increase the work out. They also are good for protection, hopefully that won't ever happen. I lost 60lbs.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    Like any exercise...it all depends on your diet. And yes I've seen people reach their goal weight by walking.
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453 Member
    When I first started losing weight I went for 30 minute walks everyday. Any kind of activity that burns calories is beneficial.
  • Lauren344
    Lauren344 Posts: 50 Member
    my mum lost 100lb (7 stone 2 lb) by just walking and eating a healthy diet
  • Gearjammer71
    Gearjammer71 Posts: 151 Member
    I've been losing at the same rate with or without exercise. Walking has always been my go to exercise as well... No matter how sore, or beat up I am I can always go for a walk. While it doesn't seem to really have a dramatic impact on my weight loss, the other benefits that I get from exercise, make it as equally important to me as the weight loss.
  • tattedlady75
    tattedlady75 Posts: 185 Member
    I have lost over 40lbs and most of my exercise has been from walking.... I started out doing 5,000 steps and am at between 13 and 16,000 steps a day. But I would not have lost anything hadn't it been for me eating at a deficit. No matter what kind of exercise you do or don't do it all comes down to your diet, you have to eat at a slight deficit in order to lose weight. But also don't eat below your BMR either, this is the calories needed for your body to function at a minimum.
  • Lonestar5775
    Lonestar5775 Posts: 740 Member
    I am 56 and sedentary at my job. Lost 25 lbs. (my goal) over 6 months walking about a mile/day.
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
    You can lose weight just as quickly and easily with no exercise at all. Weight loss depends on your diet alone. Exercise is just a tool to use to get you there.

    Now having said that, I think it is very important to exercise and my preference is strength training over cardio to hang onto LBM while in a calorie deficit. But if your main goal is just weight loss you can absolutely lose weight with just walking, but there again, if your diet is not in order it doesn't matter how much you walk.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    You can lose weight with NO exercise, you just have to eat less. Honestly just like someone else said I lose the same amount of weight with or without exercise and I never eat my exercise calories back because then the scale tends to move up instead of down. So if it's about losing weight just eat less, if it's about getting healthy then exercise and YES walking is very good for you if that's what you want to do. Remember people have their own views on what you should or shouldn't be doing (including me), but don't let others discourage you from walking just because they think you should be doing more. If walking is what you can do then by all means do it, you may have to adjust your calories if your not losing what you think/want to be losing. I personally don't buy into the EMTWL way of thinking, just because it did not work for me. I ate more I gained but you may be different, so try something new.
  • Rerun201
    Rerun201 Posts: 125 Member
    You can lose weight just as quickly and easily with no exercise at all. Weight loss depends on your diet alone. Exercise is just a tool to use to get you there.

    Now having said that, I think it is very important to exercise and my preference is strength training over cardio to hang onto LBM while in a calorie deficit. But if your main goal is just weight loss you can absolutely lose weight with just walking, but there again, if your diet is not in order it doesn't matter how much you walk.

    ^What he said^

    No one loses weight just through exercise; it is calorie deficit that allows weight to come off. Exercise helps to increase the number of calories burned, increasing the deficit, and, along with genetics, can be something of a determining factor in how you look once you've lost the weight.
  • eAddict
    eAddict Posts: 212 Member
    Yes you can but what you are eating is what is really going to count.
    I was rather large when I started. Walking and diet were the only two options. Walking leads to more things though!

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