We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Does walking count as exercise!

Posts: 107 Member
edited January 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys!!

Well Someday's I run for about an hour and sometimes I go for long walks generally a couple of hours! But does walking count as exercise or not? Cause generally the days I'm walking I don't run!
Anyone??

Thanks

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
«1345

Replies

  • Posts: 1,251 Member
    Yes
  • Posts: 976 Member
    Walking is absolutely exercise.
  • Posts: 310 Member
    Well Someday's I run for about an hour and sometimes I go for long walks generally a couple of hours! But does walking count as exercise or not? Cause generally the days I'm walking I don't run!

    Why wouldn't it count as exercise, unless someone's carrying you? Even a 2 mph walk expends energy, especially if it's 2 hours long.
  • Posts: 475 Member
    Of course walking counts as exercise :)
  • Posts: 321 Member
    Yes, it does. I don't count walking around town usually unless it's long or excessively difficult, but I definitely count walks that would count longer than 30 minutes! Two hours, awesome. Calorie burn depends on speed (and MFP isn't always accurate) but there are smartphone apps that can track speed/pace/distance.
  • Posts: 639 Member
    I burn 320 calories daily in 2 hours of walking.
  • Posts: 151 Member
    If it's normal walking in your daily routine.. Like around the grocery store, I wouldn't count it.
    If you're going out with the intention of burning some calories, totally count it! It adds up. :)
  • Posts: 372 Member
    sandy_gee burned 857 calories doing 80 minutes of Walking Kayden with HRM

    Yes. It most definitely counts.
  • Posts: 2,029 Member
    I walked for 75 minutes lastnight and burned about 530 calories so I'd say, yes!
  • Posts: 228 Member
    If it's normal walking in your daily routine.. Like around the grocery store, I wouldn't count it.
    If you're going out with the intention of burning some calories, totally count it! It adds up. :)

    Exactly! I set mileage goals for myself. My fitbit counts all my miles, but like for my monthly mileage goals it has to be deliberate and meant as exercise. And when I do Leslie Sansone videos those video miles count as a mile, even though my fitbit registers them around .5-.8 miles- but I still count them towards my monthly mileage goals.
  • Posts: 342 Member
    I walk and run and count both as exercise but only when I specifically go for a walk/run. Shopping or walking round my normal day doesn't count
  • Posts: 16,947 Member
    yes
  • Posts: 307 Member
    walking counts. Take a look at the cardio count for walking, even 2.0 mph, under the Exercise tab.
  • Posts: 673 Member
    Walking is exercise, yard work is exercise, sex is exercise.....anything that gets your blood pumping...exercise.
  • Posts: 92
    Absolutely walking works. I do two hours every other day. :happy:
  • Posts: 107 Member
    Thank you everyone! I was jus wondering I usually always walk for about 2-3 hours around a whole shopping centre, parks etc. so I'm glad it defo is exercise as those days I dnt exercise when I get home. Thank you xx
  • Posts: 201 Member
    Ofcourse! If it burns calories, it's exercise. 2 hours of walking is definitely exercise.
  • Posts: 642 Member
    I burn 320 calories daily in 2 hours of walking.
    no... you don't..

    Casual walking is about 1-1.5cal/min more than standing.
  • Posts: 642 Member
    Thank you everyone! I was jus wondering I usually always walk for about 2-3 hours around a whole shopping centre, parks etc. so I'm glad it defo is exercise as those days I dnt exercise when I get home. Thank you xx
    it depends. it's activity, but fails to meet the definition of exercise imo. (unless we're talking power walking, then it could) Anything that uses the fatty acid energy system to do work is not exercise. so slow walks are little different than shifting around on the couch in regards to how the body deals with it.

    Once you stop using the fatty acid energy system and start incorporating the cadio energy system or more, then congrats, you're now officially doing exercise.
  • Posts: 642 Member
    sandy_gee burned 857 calories doing 80 minutes of Walking Kayden with HRM

    Yes. It most definitely counts.
    Thats a higher burn than marathon runners and tour de france riders burn going full out..

    your actual calorie burn in that time is closer to 150 calories. Maybe 200ish if you were power walking.
  • Posts: 513 Member
    Yep! And calorie burn can depends on a lot of things. I know I'm not burning as many calories when I'm walking on the flat path near my work than I do when I'm walking up and down hills and pushing a baby stroller when I'm out walking with my sister in her neighborhood.
  • Posts: 247 Member
    Thats a higher burn than marathon runners and tour de france riders burn going full out..

    your actual calorie burn in that time is closer to 150 calories. Maybe 200ish if you were power walking.

    I don't know where you getting your information from but an 80 min casual or about 2 mph walk would burn around 400 calories whereas a 4 mph walk would be about 700ish. I also weigh over 200 lbs so I know that I get extra burn for that.
  • Posts: 642 Member

    I don't know where you getting your information from but an 80 min casual or about 2 mph walk would burn around 400 calories whereas a 4 mph walk would be about 700ish. I also weigh over 200 lbs so I know that I get extra burn for that.
    metabolic chamber data.

    you're also forgetting the 2-3cal/min from BMR.

    So your 80min of 400 calories is actually 160 prob once you subtract your BMR data. which is about 2cal/min as I said.

    edit: actually that would still be high. 2cal would be more for the 4mph walking. Regardless, 400cal burned from exercise from a 80min 2mph walk is way too high. Simply not possible.
  • Posts: 108 Member
    I power walk and I sweat and my heart beats quickly so I have to say yes!
  • Posts: 190 Member
    I would count it as exercise if it is intentionally done as such. I do not count walking around the grocery store while shopping, but I count walking around the block with the dog.
  • Posts: 602 Member
    Definitely exercise. I have a HRM and I stay in the "zone" walking at 3.5-3.8 mph. When I started exercising I just walked, now I jog/walk at intermittent times.

    I would say any walking outside your normal day to day walking is exercise. I don't count shopping and such as exercise for me. It is a bonus.
  • Posts: 3,027 Member
    If it's normal walking in your daily routine.. Like around the grocery store, I wouldn't count it.
    If you're going out with the intention of burning some calories, totally count it! It adds up. :)


    Another one? Really?


    Ok here goes.


    I walk all day every day. It counts. I workout for 80 mins at least, then walk the 7km round trip to the supermarket to grab the daily shopping. I carry it all home on my back. It counts as exercise, even though I do it daily....ALL of it is more than doing nothing. Even if it is daily.

    I walk 17km to the further supermarket for a light globe, it counts. I walked 23km to get some mascara, took me 5 hours. It counts.

    Walking counts, all walking does. Otherwise things like Fitbit, pedometers in general & other things like that would be redundant & useless.


    ALL walking counts.
  • Posts: 28 Member
    Absolutely, walking is my main exercise. I walk every morning and evening most days. I don't count regular daily walking just the walking I am doing for exercise. I also ride my stationary bike, but I truly enjoy walking and especially hiking.
  • Posts: 1,710 Member
    Walking five times a week has helped my to lose over ten pounds in the past month. :):):) Heck ya it counts.
  • Posts: 3,027 Member
    Walking is not just a bunch of steps.
This discussion has been closed.