Walking not good exercise

2

Replies

  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
    There's nothing wrong with walking -- but it gives you a lower burn than other activities, which is likely what your friend was looking at.

    As others have said, it completely depends on your goals. Are you just looking to get more active? Or are you looking to create a bigger deficit through exercise? Are you looking to increase your fitness level significantly? etc

    Personally, I do a ton of walking in my every day life, and I still head out for walks in the afternoon/evening because I like to walk through the forest and sing to myself to destress haha.

    Depending on your goals though, you could consider trying a walk/jog system to eventually work your way into running, which has a higher calorie burn and helps improve your cardiovascular system more than walking, but not knowing your fitness level, I don't know if that is the right time for you yet.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Walking is not running-lite!

    It is it's own activity and has worth in-and-of itself.

    People always seem to be labelling it as a kind of poor man's running. Something to do until you're "able" to run. Drives me nuts!
  • flowrgal23
    flowrgal23 Posts: 33 Member
    I agree with the other posters; walking is great exercise, especially if you enjoy it. Walking and weightlifting have been my main form of exercise for the past 2.5 years.

    Have you ever tried walking DVD's such as Leslie Sansone, Debra Mazda, or Jessica Smith? Many of them are available on YouTube. Some of the workouts incorporate higher impact, the use of weights, squats, lunges, etc. I find them an invaluable tool when the weather outside is frightful, which in WI, is a good nine months out of the year.

    Don't let your friend discourage you, you're on the right path.

    What's the best exercise? One you will do consistently.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    If your goal is to burn calories by staying active without too much exertion, walking is great. A brisk walk, like you do, will slowly improve cardiovascular fitness, up to a point. If you want to improve beyond that, you'll need to add some higher intensity exercise. That could be race walking, which is lower impact than running. Or it could be something else. It doesn't need to involve a machine, though. These days I get my intense cardio from cycling and running, though I have done swimming and indoor rowing in the past.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    Your friend is wrong. Walking helped me to lose my first 35 lbs.
  • melindafritz1976
    melindafritz1976 Posts: 329 Member
    Many people here, myself included, will tell you that walking is a great exercise, and that it can help you to lose weight. You may burn more calories on an elliptical, but there is nothing wrong with walking.
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
    Walking 3.8 to 4 mph on hills is a good exercise. It's not like your doing a slow stroll on a flat ground surface ( but even that is still good ).

    Anyway, if you like walking then keep on doing it! Nothing wrong with the elliptical either, but you should do the exercises you want to do!
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Your friend is dead wrong. I lift 3 times a week and the rest of my exercise is walking. I used to use machines for cardio and all I got from that was repetitive movement injuries.
  • Broejen
    Broejen Posts: 414 Member
    Look at the pics in my profile. 98% of my exercise is walking...think they might change their mind?
  • misschoppo
    misschoppo Posts: 463 Member
    there is nothing wrong with walking.
  • flatlndr
    flatlndr Posts: 713 Member
    Psst ... Don't tell you friend that I lost my first 80 lbs by walking at least 5k at a 3.5-4.0 mph pace every day for 6 months. It can be our little secret.

    Just tell the friend I lost the next 20 lbs via weight training and elliptical ... oh, and a weekly 10k walk along rolling terrain.

    Clearly I was wasting my time walking during those first 6 months. ;)
  • sozirny
    sozirny Posts: 7 Member
    That's great !! Wow I will keep the secret ;)
  • sozirny
    sozirny Posts: 7 Member
    Thank you everyone I know I am on the right track to lose the rest of my weight. I enjoy walking and that is key for me to keep motivated. With winter coming I will have to try some fitness classes and a treadmill to keep me on track
  • handbagfan
    handbagfan Posts: 148 Member
    Go For It. I love walking :love: and YESSSS it does help with calorie burn. I also use and enjoy Leslie Sansone Walking DVD. Walking is so simple, no equipment needed (I have a step counter and use ankle weights) and helps calm and focus me.:happy: Find a time that works for you - maybe walking to work or shops rather than a strict "exercise" Often when I get in from work, which could be late, you will see me marching up and down the garden! :laugh: :tongue: :tongue: (Weather on turn now so won't be going out alone much)
    GO ON - CONTINUE TO ENJOY.:bigsmile: :bigsmile:
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Either friend doesnt know what shes talking about or was just clumsy in what she was trying to say.

    Agree with all the others that its a valuable form of exercise. Calories burned is calories burned. the nice thing about walking is its not that strenuous for most people and you can fit it in more easily into a daily routine.

    What she may have been trying to say is that its not the biggest calorie burner per hour.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    I was told by a friend that my waling 5k a day is not good exercise that I should try an elliptical or some other type of cardio machine. Its not like I go for a stroll I am walking at a 3.8-4.0 pace outside up hills. Am I wrong to think my walking will get me to my goals?

    your "friend" is a jerk. Of course its good exercise and the best part is you don't need any fancy machines to do it. It is my exercise of choice and I do it everyday. It has got me close to my goal so you tell me its not working and I will call anyone a liar. :drinker:

    Take this as a lesson to just do what you feel is best and know that a lot of people are just haters.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Walking is awesome. The best exercise is any exercise you enjoy doing and that you are willing to stick with. So if you like walking, go for it.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    I was told by a friend that my waling 5k a day is not good exercise that I should try an elliptical or some other type of cardio machine. Its not like I go for a stroll I am walking at a 3.8-4.0 pace outside up hills. Am I wrong to think my walking will get me to my goals?

    It depends what your goals are, but in general it's a solid approach to low impact base fitness. The limitation is that you're firly quickly going to reach a plateau of fitness improvement. If you want to continue developing then you need to keep pushing the boundaries of what you can do, and with walking you do reach a speed/ time threshold.

    I have to say that the idea of trading a walk outside for the purgatory of a machine inside a gym and staring at the wall sounds like the most perverse approach to fitness imaginable. Exercise machines are hateful devices.
  • bradsbaby1996
    bradsbaby1996 Posts: 154 Member
    I lost 110 pounds in 10 months and after adding in weight training and running, am maintaining a 108 pound loss..
    My first 5 months I walked 7 days a week, no exceptions! I weighed 264 when I started so I felt that was the only exercise I could do with all my health problems. .
    So personally I think walking is great exercise!
  • salevy
    salevy Posts: 208 Member
    My doctor and nutritionist told me that walking is the best exercise.

    I've lost 15 pounds just by walking.
  • kdhamner
    kdhamner Posts: 309 Member
    Walking is a great form of exercise. I walk daily. I do other forms of exercises 2 or 3 times a week, but walking is my #1.
  • JtKeil
    JtKeil Posts: 1,389 Member
    I lost over 100 lbs with walking as my main form of exercise. It's only recently that I've started a more varied workout routine that involves swimming and bodyweight exercises. One of the best things about walking is that you can do it at any time and easily fit it into your day to day life. For me walking helped lift my mood as well. Also, at my largest weight I didn't have the confidence to walk into a gym or join a running group or even swim. However, going for a 1-2 hour walk seemed like a normal healthy thing to do, and so I did it...and boy am I happy I did.
  • Docbanana2002
    Docbanana2002 Posts: 357 Member
    I was told by a friend that my waling 5k a day is not good exercise that I should try an elliptical or some other type of cardio machine. Its not like I go for a stroll I am walking at a 3.8-4.0 pace outside up hills. Am I wrong to think my walking will get me to my goals?

    You didn't really say your goals. If your goals are to be a bodybuilder, then no it won't work. :) If your goals are to improve cardio fitness, then yes! Especially on hills and pushing yourself to do harder paces. There are racewalkers who do 6 minute miles, you can't tell me they aren't fit!!

    Walking is also good for losing weight. If you want to be an overall fit person, you might want to add in some strength training (especially upper body work since your walking doesn't address that at all) and flexibility work like yoga in addition to the walking.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Google: Non-exercise activity thermogenesis
    Ignore your friend.
  • IHateThinkingOfAUsername
    IHateThinkingOfAUsername Posts: 568 Member
    Anyone who says walking isn't good exercise needs a slap. I went to visit a friend in the holidays who doesn't have a car... we walked MILES for HOURS! Literally. Now I am fit. Or at least I am in the sports/activities I regularly take part in. (Swimming, ellipitcal etc)... but OMG my body has not ached so much and for so long after those few days. My shins, calves, quads, hamstrings, buttocks ached. My lower back ached. I just ached. My poor body. I could have cried.
  • socalkay
    socalkay Posts: 746 Member
    10 benefits of walking:

    http://www.tescoliving.com/health-and-wellbeing/fitness/2013/october/top-10-health-benefits-of-walking-everyday
  • gretlarson
    gretlarson Posts: 52 Member
    Walking is wonderful exercise! I have lost weight more than once in my life and when I did it, walking was the main exercise that I did. Plus a good long walk is good for the spirit. You don't have to worry too much about your form or whether you are kicking with the correct foot you just walk. Sometimes I use the time to think about things and other times I use it to think about nothing.
  • mxmkenney
    mxmkenney Posts: 486 Member
    I know plenty of people who did nothing but walk and watch their calorie intake (aka: stay at a deficit) and lost a bunch of weight AND reached their weight-loss goals without doing more strenuous cardio/weights. Right now I am just walking for exercise and I have still managed to lose weight.
  • 424a57
    424a57 Posts: 140 Member
    In the last year and a half, I have lost 60 pound and spent maybe 5 minutes on an elliptical. On the other hand I walk 3-5 miles a day at 3.4-3.6 mph.

    Walking *is* exercise.
  • Ohhim
    Ohhim Posts: 1,142 Member
    Only contrary thinking is some recent research recommending "vigorous" over "moderate" exercise for heart health. Still, the definitions of each seem a bit fuzzy, and if you are doing 3.5-4mph up some steeper hills, I'd probably put that in the vigorous camp - at least as you are starting to work out.

    See: http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/03/study-vigorous-exercise-may-help-heart-failure/

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