Is This Like my Dr said - Worthless Exercise!?

rellyfive

i used to walk 3 miles to work and my trainer said it was worth nothing cause it was walking not running. they just want you to do more. ithink every effort is worth SOMETHING

inaweofhim

Walking to work instead of taking your car is a fantastic start! Well done! I walked to and from work for years and apart from anything it makes you feel good, lifts your mood and eases stress, this makes you want to do more and more so it's a fabulous starting point.

Take no notice of your Doctor - they are pretty clueless about some things

allieferriera

I think he mean because to get good cardio you need a half or or more. Or something like that. That being said, if you're just starting out from doing nothing, you're doing great! It's not worthless because it will hopefully help you work your way up to more! Everyone has to start somewhere. =D

sandislim

Get yourself an HRM and see how much your really working (check out heart rate target charts on other sites as see how close you're getting to your target on your walk)

I don't see why you can't make your walk to work your exercise. Once you're comfortable with what you are doing take a longer route to work - add a weighted back pack, increase the speed, increase movement with your arms - there are many things you can do to increase the intensity and calorie burn of your walk. Just do them slowly and check with your HRM because sometimes you perceive that you are not working hard enough when in actual fact you really are. Take things slow, increase the intensity gradually and you can be happy that you are exercising consistantly every single day which is what so many of us struggle to do.

whip67

Get a new doctor. He doesn't deserve your money.

slightlyable

I think anything helps, and this is a good start, maybe you can build up to speed walking then jogging and then running eventually

KC5ZRQ

Your Doctor is right. For the purposes of losing weight and becoming healthy, walking at a standard pace, will not significantly increase the number of calories that you burn.

This does not mean that you should stop walking to work. In fact I believe that people that are obese, BMI greater than 30, should not participate in strenuous, repetitive exercise. I think the risks of injury are too great. Instead use diet to lose weight and increase your overall activity level. I find that cleaning, doing chores, raking leaves, etc (walking to work) will help you become more active.

When you drop down to being overweight, BMI under 30, then start exercising. Walk, but walk as fast as you can, and do that for at least 30 minutes.

lrd2010

When I started out, the idea of walking to work was so awful that it made me feel ill.

You're doing so fantastically well to do what you're doing.

As you start to feel better you will *WANT* to do more, that's the amazing thing about the lifestyle change approach to losing weight. Rather than forcing yourself down the gym to pound out what you feel you should be doing on your diet, you actually develop as an (dare i say it) athlete!

I've been learning to swim for the last few months and have just bought myself a heart rate monitor to keep an eye on how i'm doing with my workouts.

It's the most amazing road you're on, don't let one speedbump annoy you, Dr needs to work on the old bedside manner!

Keep it up

BarbBroadie

Every little bit counts - 12 min each way still adds up to 24 mins. You only need 6 more minutes a day to make a 30 minute/day goal. This is really a start but you have to start somewhere. Also - this is a HUGE mental victory and you should be proud of yourself for that . Enjoy the walk, the time to yourself, the weather (good and bad) and build from there.
It might also be time to start working with a doctor who is more compassionate and flexible.

RisiM

good for you, every bit helps, bet your dr doesn't walk to work!

nkziv

honestly, a 24 minute walk burns MAYBE 60 calories total. that's like eating half a large banana. it's not enough, although i wouldn't stop doing it.

DeniseAS

I'd get a new doctor. Any activity is better than none and is not worthless. Whether it is done all at once or broken up throughout the day. Good for you and keep it up. Perhaps still doing this, but add a bit more to your day later on. But regardless, your doctor is wrong saying it's not worth it. Shame on him!

cassianise

If you have been sedentary for a while then any movement is an improvement. Your dr. is being negative and maybe you should change to a new supportive dr. Dr. OZ said if you get your 30 minutes in it doesn't have to be all at once. You probably are getting your heart rate up because you haven't been doing it before. I think as long as your trying and adding to it as often as you can you are doing better than before. I am making the same goals for myself. good luck to you.

jilers

Your Dr was right and wrong. In terms of actual exercise it is probably better to do something more vigorous. If you are use to doing nothing it is FABULOUS!!! You are mo ving which is great. It is not worthless for your body or your mind. You are doing great.

Delpfine

I just lost 100 lbs on a medically-supervised meal replacement diet. We were asked to burn 2000 calories a week in physical activity as part of the program. They define physical activity as moving through space. They would have *LOVED* any of us starting out doing what you're doing. You have to begin somewhere. You're off to a great start.

thpeek

I don't see anything wrong with what your doctor said. I wish more doctors were this honest with their patients, most would not even bother and just see the next patient. Your short walk may make you feel better but will do almost nothing for real weight loss, he is right. I think this is what is wrong with society now days and why so many of us are FAT. We dont want to hear the truth, just sugar coat it and feed it to me DOC but never tell me the truth, I can't handle that!

JennysMan

There have been many responses, and without reading each of them, I'm sure my response has probably already said in so many words. But your doctor has angered me, so I will respond regardless.

Anything you do that is more active than you have been in the past is positive. PERIOD!!! For anyone or anything to tell you that something you are doing which is a healthier alternative to what you were doing previously is a disservice too you and anyone trying to make healthier choices in their life.

A healthy change in lifestyle is made ONE decision at a time, ONE situation at a time, and must me made by YOU. Don't let your doctor discourage this positive step that you have taken!

Huffdogg

Your doctor is an idiot. Tell him so and go to a new one.

love2bthin

I do the same thing, I walk the long way to different areas at work to move more. I park my car where I work further out, just to get more exercise. My schedule is very hard to plan exercise in everyday so I am moving more now than I would if I didn't do all that extra steps. It counts!

AnninStPaul

Your doctor is a wanker. That's not to say he/she isn't right that you can always do more, as above poster said, it's a great start and anything is better than nothing! It's all in the delivery of the message. His/her "bedside" manner is obviously lacking.

Agreed - you are getting 24 min/day more exercise than you did before.

IMHO, doctors and governments do a huge disservice when they say people need to exercise x hours per day/week for it to be worthwhile. It's too much of a challenge, so people just give up.