I can lose weight by just walking, right?

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  • ClareWantsProgress
    ClareWantsProgress Posts: 173 Member
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    My legs are far more toned from walking than they would be if I just ate fewer calories, so I'm not sure if I agree completely with the few above poster.

    I lost 22 pounds from walking and watching my diet. I love it, and I sympathize with you since I hate classes and gyms and all of that. I do free weights at home and skip all the other stuff you mentioned because I, too, find it tedious and unmotivating.
  • CharisSunny
    CharisSunny Posts: 276 Member
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    By all means! I wear my HRM and walk almost everyday, 500 or 600 cals burned on my lazy days and 1000 otherwise. Walking rocks!!!!
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    no more so than by not walking and eating less. walking and cardio does nothing more than if you were to just eat less.

    Nonsense.
  • CharisSunny
    CharisSunny Posts: 276 Member
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    By the way, walking a dog= super effective and good for the doggy too :)
  • Jynus
    Jynus Posts: 519 Member
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    My legs are far more toned from walking than they would be if I just ate fewer calories, so I'm not sure if I agree completely with the few above poster.

    I lost 22 pounds from walking and watching my diet. I love it, and I sympathize with you since I hate classes and gyms and all of that. I do free weights at home and skip all the other stuff you mentioned because I, too, find it tedious and unmotivating.
    congrats. you just discovered how you lost 22lbs.
  • Jynus
    Jynus Posts: 519 Member
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    no more so than by not walking and eating less. walking and cardio does nothing more than if you were to just eat less.

    Nonsense.
    great. can you explain to me how doing 200 calories burned worth of walking will give improved fat loss compared to not doing walking and eating 200 calories less?
  • christamt
    christamt Posts: 48 Member
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    The answer to your question is simple. YES you can and will lose weight just by walking.

    The faster you walk the better cardio you get and if you incoporate your arms even better = more calories burned.
    I do Leslie Sansone walking DVDs when I can't get outside also. Check her out.
  • supplemama
    supplemama Posts: 1,956 Member
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    Yes you can lose weight by walking! I currently walk 7-8 miles a day at 5mph. I burn A LOT of calories, particularly during my 5 mile evening walk (768 calories). I have lost 11 pounds this month alone, and I feel great.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    I don't see the problem with walking. You will lose weight as long as you also eat at an appropriate level. At some point, you may find you stop losing weight, in which case, you will need to change things. Come back and ask if you experience this.
  • Prahasaurus
    Prahasaurus Posts: 1,381 Member
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    But is walking enough? Right now it's what makes me happy and gets me off the couch. Opinons?

    Do whatever you enjoy. Walking is enough.

    But it's 80% about your diet, anyway. That's the key.

    --P
  • ShrinkingShawna
    ShrinkingShawna Posts: 186 Member
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    Definitely walk! There are more benefits to walking than JUST weightloss. I didn't walk for 3 years, and the muscle atrophy in my legs and back were so bad I had to go through physical therapy. I still have to use a wheelchair if I'm going to be somewhere on my feet for more than 15 minutes. IT SUCKS!!!! I long for the day I can take an hour long walk. You enjoy it, you'll stick with it, just do it!

    As my physical therapist says, "Use it or lose it".
  • ClareWantsProgress
    ClareWantsProgress Posts: 173 Member
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    I believe I've read many places that exercising boosts your metabolism and keeps it burning even when you finish exercising (especially weight-bearing exercise, just as walking or lifting weights). Therefore I would think it would give you a slight edge, plus the advantage of working your muscles.

    I think eating very little and no exercising would lead to the dreaded "skinny fat" result. :) Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I believe the OP would like to be fit and have some endurance, not just be thinner.
  • bstamps12
    bstamps12 Posts: 1,184
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    The exercise from walking will boost your metabolism more than just the right nutrition alone. That said, watch your nutrition closely because about 80% of losing weight is nutrition with the other 20% being exercise. In comparison to zumba or a stationary bike, for the most part, walking will burn a calorie the same. That said, some other things like home exercise DVDs or other gym classes may build strength on top of burning calories. I would suggest that you walk as much as you can for now and just stick to walking. It makes you happy and you have plenty of opportunity with no excuse not to do it. If you hit a weight loss plateau along the way, maybe go back and try a class or DVD then to shake up your metabolism.
  • Gallen67
    Gallen67 Posts: 5
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    Man seriously, if you can't do more then walking is an awesome way to start. Yeah you lose weight.
  • Jynus
    Jynus Posts: 519 Member
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    Yes you can lose weight by walking! I currently walk 7-8 miles a day at 5mph. I burn A LOT of calories, particularly during my 5 mile evening walk (768 calories). I have lost 11 pounds this month alone, and I feel great.
    1) You did not burn that much. about 70% of that tops. To put it into perspective, running at 70% VO2max with 188BPM heartrate for average guys produced a calorieburn of about 520 calories/hour as measured in a metabolic chamber, which is deadly accurate. I'm assuming you're nowhere near that level of exertion...

    2) did you by chance in addition to this walking pay closer attention to your diet?
  • brendaschmitt1
    brendaschmitt1 Posts: 218
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    Walking is good for you. I started off walking after I hurt my neck. It is not so bad on your knees and joints as some cardio exercises.
  • EpiGaiaRepens
    EpiGaiaRepens Posts: 824 Member
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    no more so than by not walking and eating less. walking and cardio does nothing more than if you were to just eat less.

    Hahahahaha. Ummm. No. Using your body is better than not eating, even of the net cals at the end of the day are the same.
  • SoViLicious
    SoViLicious Posts: 2,633 Member
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    no more so than by not walking and eating less. walking and cardio does nothing more than if you were to just eat less.

    I lost 32lbs walking and watching what eat. sooooooo?
  • desertdutchman
    desertdutchman Posts: 14 Member
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    Yes, walking is good for you. In fact, slow or moderate walking will burn more fat than "cardio" fast walking or running. I've adopted the Primal Blueprint method for fitness and it is perfect for me. For reference, see this post at Mark's Daily Apple: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/health-benefits-moderate-exercise/#axzz1zK7IAf11
  • CharisSunny
    CharisSunny Posts: 276 Member
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    <----walked for 32 mins today, burned 390 cals. Walking is quite effective.


    Edited for spelling error

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