Is walking a waste of time?

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Replies

  • ruwise
    ruwise Posts: 265 Member
    Walking is a brilliant exercise and one you can do your whole life barring any major accidents of course. If he did 30 minutes a day and maybe went on a longer walk at the weekends it would definitely help. It's the main exercise I've been doing so far. I strongly believe in it as I think if you are planning on making a change for life then the exercise you do needs to be something you can do for life.

    I don't see many 70/80 year old's in the gym but I do still see them walking.
  • KathrynKennewell108
    KathrynKennewell108 Posts: 72 Member
    A 30 minute walk will burn up a good two or three hundred calories, provided he doesn't ***** foot around. Bottom line. He's doing something. He's into it. It's a positive, and 80% of results come from tight nutrition anyway. You can lose weight and sit on your duff if your nutrition is right. Let him walk. He will gravitate to something else on his own terms... and that's the way it's gotta be to work for him.
  • symonspatrick
    symonspatrick Posts: 213 Member
    He is right about building up to it. He will push himself as he feels stronger and more confident. It is better to start out slower and not injure yourself. Weight loss is going to come from eating less calories than he needs. Any exercise will help to burn a few more calories. Walking is a great type of exercise.
  • metacognition
    metacognition Posts: 626 Member
    Walking has health benefits. But his body will get used to the movements and burn fewer calories as he gets used to it, over time. This is true for any exercise.

    If he likes walking, that's fine. It helps to bump up his AMR for the day and that helps with the weight loss.
  • stevenleagle
    stevenleagle Posts: 293 Member
    Walking is NOT a waste of time especially if the option is doing nothing. But I also think walking is essential at times for all of us too. When I'm tired I walk. When I'm lazy I walk. When I want to unwind I walk. When I want to think I walk. Walking has lots of benefits beyond weight loss and fitness. I also agree in the notion that you should walk before you run. If someone feels they are not ready to run (or do a 30ds) who are we to judge? Give them space and encourage them to take the steps they feel is necessary. At some point (if they are healthy and fit enough) they will look at other challenges hopefully in time.
  • tanersmama
    tanersmama Posts: 5
    Anything is better than nothing. I just started "working out" around Feb. 19 this year. I usually only walk 30 min 2-4 days a week. I have done 45 min once. My problem is that I get bored!! Encourage him with whatever he does. It REALLY helps when your significant other supports you. My husband is proud of whatever I do, even it it is only 5 minutes.
  • traceytwink
    traceytwink Posts: 538 Member
    LOL so you suggest, taking a baby outside in 16 degree weather when there is snow and ice on the ground? Yea, not putting my son in danger of getting hurt. I love my fiance, but our child comes first.

    Wrap your son up warm and go out children love being outside, I look after children and walk to and from school every day with lots of little ones, they get fresh air and stimulation from the world around them we are out whatever the weather 16 degrees isn't that bad we have been out in the minus numbers ????
  • chellebublz
    chellebublz Posts: 568 Member
    Thanks for the input, truly appreciated! Just for the record, I have NOTHING against walking, I love to go for walks. My main concern was if it would help him build stamina and endurance walking 30 min daily, as that is his main goal.
  • aussiesarah
    aussiesarah Posts: 68 Member
    I agree with everyone else.

    Walking definitely helps to burn calories and although it won't turn him into a super athlete overnight is is definitely a great place to start.

    I very much believe that you have to be realistic with exercise plans if you want them to last and not just be a one week wonder. As lots of the others have said getting fit is as much of a mental challenge as a physical one. If you do something that you can enjoy early on (rather than breaking yourself with unrealistic workouts) you are much more likely to keep it up. And if he has decided to do this of his own initiative then that is great!

    After 2 years of hard work I have finally got to the ponit where I'm in the gym 3-4 days a week and running 10-15 miles at the weekend, however I still walk to and from work every day (3 miles each way) and that gives me an extra 450 cals to play with and also saves on transport costs!
  • DelilaLightfoot
    DelilaLightfoot Posts: 53
    When I started walking in January I remember feeling like I was about to collapse after 7 mins on the treadmill at a slow pace and now I can do an hour at 5.5kms (probably still quite slow to some people but for me I feel a it's a huge difference). I know that walking will eventually enable me to do more and more as I progress.

    I wonder if programs like Biggest Loser play a part in making people feel that walking or starting slowly isn't good enough? Perhaps people who don't feel capable of approaching their weight loss regime in full on attack mode feel as if they have failed before then even begin because they aren't doing enough? Any activity is better than none and for many people walking is great way to get started.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    LOL so you suggest, taking a baby outside in 16 degree weather when there is snow and ice on the ground? Yea, not putting my son in danger of getting hurt. I love my fiance, but our child comes first.
    Wrap your son up warm and go out children love being outside, I look after children and walk to and from school every day with lots of little ones, they get fresh air and stimulation from the world around them we are out whatever the weather 16 degrees isn't that bad we have been out in the minus numbers ????

    Same here - wrapped them up in hat, gloves and good grip boots and they were away. Walking was the way we grew up - didn't need a gym and don't need one now. Go walk!
  • cathooo
    cathooo Posts: 19 Member
    In my case, the same 30 minutes I spend on my walk to work is the same amount of time as a bus ride (walk to stop, wait for bus, walk from stop) and maybe 5 minutes more than taking a car (find my keys, start car, open the garage, stop at all the lights, find a parking spot and walk from there). On bad weather days, I move faster than the traffic does! Since it all balances out, there's no reason I shouldn't walk!

    Like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, every bit counts!
  • explainsitall
    explainsitall Posts: 35
    I do 4 miles of Leslie Sansone's fat burning walk every day and have gone from a size 14 or 16 down to a 10 or 12 petite (which is a 10 regular in average sizing) in about a month and a half (including a few trips to a friend's where I didn't count calories). It's my only cardio that I do. I combine it with basic pilates and yoga 3 days a week and average 74 minutes of exercise a day.

    But I didn't start there. I started doing the 2 mile walk every day, which is about 30 minutes. I worked up from there and have found that I can't function unless I walk!
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member

    LOL so you suggest, taking a baby outside in 16 degree weather when there is snow and ice on the ground? Yea, not putting my son in danger of getting hurt. I love my fiance, but our child comes first.
    For what is worth, 16 degree fahrenheit( -8 Celsius ) is still safe for a child to be outside. I bundle up even my 2 months old baby and take her out for a 40 minutes walk every morning and it is snow and ice every day since she was born. I usually do not take her with me when is is below -15 Celsius (=5 fhreinheit ) because I am a sisy , lol.
    You live a colder climate , your child better get used to be going outside and enjoying it . 13 months is when your baby actually may start to enjoying activities outside. You can buy a small sled for your son and pull him , he will love it! Plus pulling him on a sled will add your calorie burn too!
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
    Walking is my main exercise (apart from dvds - and I'm not sure your hubby would follow those....) and is my husbands only exerccise. He's not logging calories but since banning full fat cheese from the house and walking more he's also lost 7 lb and is ready to step it up....by walking more! He loves finding a circuit for us to do at weekends, so we kit up (we wear running shoes to be more shock-absorbent) and set off for a good hour including hills as much as possible.

    we also walk everywhere feasible - local shops (15-20 mins each way) dropping younger son with friends (round trip 30-40 mins), going out for a meal etc. I walk too and from work (15 mins) and try to walk 20-25 mins at lunchtime as well. I think the ticker says it all.

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