IS WALKING ENOUGH?

katkins3

Walking is a great way to exercise! What is more natural?
Since funds are tight, you may get a stationary bike or a few hand weights on Craig's List, for those days you can't get in a good walk. Good Will is also a good place to get low cost videos, books and equipment. Your public Library will have some good books on fitness and may have some suggestions that appeal to you.
Many before you have started, and continued, on the fitness path with walking.
Keep up the good work. :flowerforyou:

minnesota_deere

its not the exercise, its the heart rate. the faster you rev the engine (within reason) the more gas (calories) you burn.

castadiva

I would suggest that walking is enough for you at this time. However, don't fool yourself into thinking you can "eat back" extra calories because you walked. The number of calories you might burn from the walking is probably not as great as you think it is. Just add the walking calories to your caloric deficit for each day. Eating them back will stall your weight loss. Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise according to Tom Venuto in "The Body Fat Solution." The important thing is to maintain a caloric deficit of -500 calories a day from your BMR to lose 1 pound a week. Walking will urge your body not to burn the muscle but rather burn the fat. As you lose weight, increase the pace of your walk to brisk. Increase that to jog as your weight loss become safe for your knees. The important thing is not the walking but rather your diet.

While I agree with the comments later in this post, I must disagree strongly with the idea that eating back exercise calories, including those burned by walking, will stall weight loss. It is important not to overestimate calories burned, of course - use a pedometer or HRM to have a more accurate idea - but a two-hour walk at a steady pace will burn a significant number of calories. I walk for exercise because I can fit it into my commute, which is my only 'blank' time in the day - between tracking my calories, burning some off through walking, and eating those back if necessary to ensure that my net calories are never too low, I've lost just under 30lb in three months. Walking absolutely can be enough, is free and can be done anywhere.

The only thing I'd suggest to the OP - is it possible to do an hour six days/week, instead of two hours three times/week? It is likely to be less hard on your body, and easier to sustain in the long run. Good luck!

AngelikaLumiere

Walking is one of the best exercises for fat burning. I started my weight loss with walking. I still try to walk every week weather permitting. The aerobic and strength training can be added later for stamina and body sculpting. Good luck!

UpEarly

Yes! Absolutely - don't ever let anyone convince you that walking is 'only for beginners'! I consider myself to be very fit, and walking is still my primary form of cardio. (I also lift weights and sometimes I'll do step aerobics or cardio drills when I don't have enough daylight to fit in a walk).

Start off with walking at a moderate pace on level terrain. As you progress, go faster - add hills - wear a weighted vest or carry a backpack.

I am currently walking at a 4-4.5 mph pace and I climb hills (I live in the mountains) with a 15 pound backpack. I can easily burn 600 calories in an hour - walking really gets my heart rate going!

Missensitivity

Wow! Wow! I had to say it again you have done great I will like to hear more

vickie28

Walking is great ! If you have a library some have exercise d v d "s , and another friend on here uses you tube says they have 10 min. videos like of kick boxing and other work outs-- have not check that out yet-- but both would be free + to build muscle do push ups, left food cans or any thing with weight to it keep up the great work -- walking will slim all parts of you , hard to believe but true Maybe not the arms not to sure on that . :happy:

Givemewings

I started losing weight by walking. It's a very good way to start in my opinion. I continued to walk until I felt my fitness was improving and I needed more of a challenge . Then I started the couch to 5 K programme which gets you jogging using intervals of walking and jogging/running. I still take my dog for walks and gof or walks at lunchtime at work and this burns calories and helps to keep me fit but I do other things like fitness videos and go to the gym. If you don't have access to these things I think that walking is a good option but am some point you may find it is no longer challenging enough.

Kristinemomof3

I would also suggest an hour six days a week, vs. 2 hours/3 days, I would not eat all of your calories back, but make sure you are at least eating 1200 calories after the deficit. Also, Leslie Sansone has some great videos and some that also include toning bands, should work your muscles to start as well.

Walking is great, if I don't feel like doing high impact, it's what I do.

tammy510

Buy the Leslie Sansone walk at home dvd's, she has an awesome set available on QVC. I spent the last year going to the gym and came to a halt in my weight loss, bought her dvd's and they are the best change my body has seen! You will be amazed at how good walking is. She has real people on the dvd's that have lost over 100 lbs and it is low impact so you can protect your joints. You won't even miss going to the gym! I lost 8 lbs the 1st 2 weeks and when I had my weigh in at the doctors they have a special scale that measures fat, muscle, water, etc... I had lost 1.4 lbs in fat and gained 1 lb in muscle just from doing the dvd's daily.

akf2000

Excellent thread! I'm also 'only' walking. I get off 3 tube stops early and walk 5km home, Mon - Fri and 7km on the weekend. It's all about making a great iPod playlist and listening to new albums, it's my favourite time of the day and I look forward to it.

AdAstra47

Finding the right diet for your particular body type & metabolism is much more important than exercising. Don't get me wrong, exercise is good for you, and personally I get antsy if I go for several days without a walk. But I have lost 65 lb now, and all the exercise I get is from housework, singing, playing musical instruments, and taking the cat for 20-30 minute walks once or twice a week. So, not exactly a strenuous & strict regimen.

I'd say, as long as you're doing *something* to keep from being a complete couch potato, you're fine. If you feel like you're not losing enough, adjust your diet, not your exercise. Which doesn't even necessarily mean eating fewer calories. It may mean eating fewer carbs and more protein, or eating smaller meals more often during the day. The big thing is just finding whatever diet works for your particular metabolism.

JipsyJudy

Walking is awesome! I've walked off 30 pounds in a year and a half. My ticker says only 12, because I started dieting and walking long before I started MFP. Someone here suggested sit ups, but be careful with that as it can hurt your back. There are other things you can do at home. I do partial push ups off kitchen counter and half knees bends repeatedly during the day. You can do five or ten at a time and see how many sets you can manage over the course of a day. I also have 5 pound dumbells that I use the same way. I do 5 or 10 arm exercises at a time and try to do that 5 times during each day. There are a number of web sites that have illustrations of exercises you can do at home with no equipment at all.

maryjay51

i got my start walking and you are way ahead of me on that then i was back then. keep walking . some day you will find you want to walk faster or jog some. just listen to your body and try to challenge yourself now and then. i used to time myself on how long it took to get to a designated area and then i would try to beat that time.

if you have health insurance , alot of them pay partial, or all ,for a gym membership. you should look in to it if you havent already .. in the mean time keep doing what you are doing. you are on the right track!!

Missensitivity

yes I fine that walking, is enough to reach one's goal, but I also feel that lite weighs will help built muscle, and muscle really help burn calories

ElizBald

Yes, walking is plenty enough. You might like to buy Trekiing poles and use them. I got mine at Walmart for twenty bucks. According to studies at the Cooper Institute they will increase the benefits of your workout by twenty percent. This gives your arms a mild workout and increases your stability. How to instructions are available on YouTube.
Also, in a fifty plus year study at Harvard, alumni who walked two (2) miles a day were the ones who lived longest and healthiest.
So, I'd recommend trying for two miles a day and occasionally, on the weekend or a day off, going for a longer walk in a special place.
I like to walk near water and in the mountains myself. We only have hills near here but there are some very pretty walks around various small lakes.
I'm in the process of recovering from cancer, chemo, radiation therapy and BMT. During treatment, under the supervision of a specialist, I began trying to eat nutrient dense foods and exercise as much as I could. I still was in very poor condition after the transplant. But this past weekend I managed two one-and-a-half mile walks. I've also lost over twenty pounds and am pretty proud of myself on all accounts. So a little bit every day can really add up to a lot of improvement over the long haul. Good luck and keep trying.

songofserenity81

Walking is a fantastic natural and free way of helping one's weight loss journey. I tend to walk 6 miles in 90 minutes at least 5 days a week when I am able. Gradually building up speed will ensure that you can still get your heartrate going. I am starting to intersperse small stints of jogging in my walk now, jogging between 3 streetlight walking 2 jog 3 etc. I also got a cheap hydrobackpack so can keep myself hydrated while also carrying some extra weight . Can you find yourself a walking buddy? that way your not limited to daytime walks.

vim_n_vigor

It is an excellent, low impact workout. As you continue and lose weight and get stronger, you can also add - for free, in your home - push-ups, jumping jacks, crunches, squates, etc.

UsedToBeHusky

I've lost most of my weight walking, but as you lose, I would suggest exploring some other types of exercise. Also, eventually, you will want to incorporate some strength training, but I would wait until you have dropped a good portion of your body weight. My weight loss slowed down when I started strength training. But I love it! I'm very toned now, and my body feels great, so eventually, you might want to take a look at it.

sgirl29

Walking is an excellent form of cardio exercise. As long as you’re moving your burning calories. Walking is a great start!