Question about walking on treadmill

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sherrylynn56
sherrylynn56 Posts: 31
in Introduce Yourself
My husband told me that it is better if I walked the whole time on the treadmill all at once. What I am trying to say is I will walk on treadmill for .77mile or like 18 min. Then stop for a few mins. Then do another 10 to 15 mins. And that is usually about 1.25 miles total. And the reason I do this is because both of my feet begin to really hurt. So I stop and take a 10 min. break then finish. I have only been doing this for about 4 days and it does seem to get a little better each day and I do go a little longer if I can. And I wasn't in as much pain last night when I went to bed as I have felt the couple of days before. I have Arthuritis ( misspelled) in both my feet so in winter I have real problems. But I am hoping that getting this weight off will really help with the pain, plus make me feel better.
I also have not lost any weight at all and I am always under the calorie count when I add it up in evening. And I drink a lot of water like they say. Is this just one of those things about the body is trying to hang on to the calories that I am not replacing when I walk or not over eat. Can anyone answer and of my questions Please?
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  • AlchemyOfTheBlackSunCult
    AlchemyOfTheBlackSunCult Posts: 58
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    I would recommend you investing in an elliptical. No pressure on your feet, and you can use your arms to get your heart rate up quicker. If that isn't an option for you, make sure you have very protective, supportive shoes on and take it slow
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    It might be worth opening up your diary to the group so people can give some informed advice. Maybe try the elliptical as you won't be pounding your feet...
  • YourLotusFlower11
    YourLotusFlower11 Posts: 90 Member
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    Listen to your body and take your time increasing duration and pace or you will end up injuring yourself. Also as already suggested an eliptical trainer may be more suited for your needs.
  • sherrylynn56
    sherrylynn56 Posts: 31
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    I have a treadmill at home. Plus I try the other but would end up going to fast and couldn't last but a couple of mins. I will try again when I join the gym again later. But for now this is what I have to work with. But Thanks for the advice. :smile:
  • luckydays27
    luckydays27 Posts: 552 Member
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    Yes, it is better cardio wise to get your heart rate up and keep it up for the entire time that you are working out. Fat burning should be done at 65% of your max heart rate. But you can take breaks until you are able to do the entire walk non-stop. It should not be long now since you have been doing it for a few days now.

    Maybe you should look at new shoes if your feet hurt while walking on the treadmill.
  • AlchemyOfTheBlackSunCult
    AlchemyOfTheBlackSunCult Posts: 58
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    Yes, it is better cardio wise to get your heart rate up and keep it up for the entire time that you are working out. Fat burning should be done at 65% of your max heart rate. But you can take breaks until you are able to do the entire walk non-stop. It should not be long now since you have been doing it for a few days now.

    Maybe you should look at new shoes if your feet hurt while walking on the treadmill.

    Although this doesn't really apply to this thread, there are plenty of studies showing how high intensity cardio (85%+ max heart rate) is better for fat loss rather than steady state low intensity cardio (65% max heart rate)
  • sherrylynn56
    sherrylynn56 Posts: 31
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    I do keep good shoes for walking. But I think I am just going to do the treadmill until I can go back to the Gym. And at the moment money is a factor. I do what I can do with what I have. At least I do have my treadmill. I do not like to walk around the on the sidewalks.
  • AlchemyOfTheBlackSunCult
    AlchemyOfTheBlackSunCult Posts: 58
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    I do keep good shoes for walking. But I think I am just going to do the treadmill until I can go back to the Gym. And at the moment money is a factor. I do what I can do with what I have. At least I do have my treadmill. I do not like to walk around the on the sidewalks.

    Perhaps walking in a grassy field would be easier on your feet. Tredmills can be pretty rough on your feet at times
  • ebelton50
    ebelton50 Posts: 1
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    I started on the eliptical about 8 months ago, I found it really bothered my knees. I bought a treadmill 6 months ago, although it did hurt my feet and knees at the beggining it got easier every day. I started trying 15 minutes a day then half an hour and just kept increasing. I have it in front of a tv. If there is a show I want to watch for an hour I just keep going and before you know it some days I have done 2 hours. It does get much easier. Good luck!
  • sherrylynn56
    sherrylynn56 Posts: 31
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    Like I said I know I need to get back to the gym but I have to wait awhile until I can. But thanks for the advice. :smile:
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
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    Do not rush, you do have medical problems and you are 56. May be watching TV while doing the treadmill will keep you engaged and not get bored. You do not have to run, walking is fine. Try to incorporate more fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet, sleep, and drink a lot of water. As you increase stamina, check yoga or other videos on youtube. There is a channel called befit and they post a new video every week. There is also the Leslie Sansome walk at home, like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBgB_cqDiXs You can use water bottles or milk bottles filled with water instead of weights. You do not have to go to a gym.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    My husband told me that it is better if I walked the whole time on the treadmill all at once.

    -Keeping your heart rate up continually is optimal, but not required. If the option is for you to stop, or to walk 3 miles straight, or do 3 separate 20 minute intervals, then I would go with ANY type of exercise over NONE! :glasses:

    The reason I do this is because both of my feet begin to really hurt. So I stop and take a 10 min. break then finish

    - I did this in the beginning and lost 36 pounds! I walked to the stop sign. Then the next night the next stop sign.....and so forth. Your feet hurt because they are holding up more weight than they should, they are not used to this exercise and the WILL get used to it! Don't give up, please!:flowerforyou:

    I have only been doing this for about 4 days and it does seem to get a little better each day and I do go a little longer if I can.

    And I wasn't in as much pain last night when I went to bed as I have felt the couple of days before. I have Arthuritis ( misspelled) in both my feet so in winter I have real problems. But I am hoping that getting this weight off will really help with the pain, plus make me feel better.

    - I have found my Arth is better when I got off of wheat. Sounded silly to me, but I thought what the heck, and gave it a try. My feet were a HUGE issue and made me stop wogging (I had worked up to jogging/walking but my feet hurt too bad to continue) Also I wait tables 1 day a week, and I would end up in a chair with my feet in a bucket of ice for hours after work. Now they don't hurt at all. The only change was to eliminate wheat. No bread, pasta and stuff like that. I do eat rice noodels and gluten free bread

    I also have not lost any weight at all and I am always under the calorie count when I add it up in evening. And I drink a lot of water like they say. Is this just one of those things about the body is trying to hang on to the calories that I am not replacing when I walk or not over eat

    .--Keep up the good work! The body takes time to lose weight. I read it is 3500 calorie deficit for 1 lb, and that is normal healthy young adult. Each of us are different! I lose approx 1/2 lb a week if I do everything right.

    When I got very ill, and fell off my healthy wagon, I only gained back 1/3 of what I lost. In the past I gained all of what I lost PLUS 10 pounds!!

    I am back on the wagon again and have lost about 13 pounds again.

    Take your time, let your body tell you what is right, and do NOT give up. I promise, you will NOT be sorry!!
  • JoanB5
    JoanB5 Posts: 610 Member
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    Burning calories is burning calories. It doesn't matter when or how you burn them. In fact, studies have even shown that breaking up exercise into segments during the day is better for you than all in one chunk if you can do it that way because it revs your metabolism that many more times a day. What you can do is much better than doing nothing or being in pain. Respect your body, and build a tiny bit at a time. At Christmas, i challenged myself to walk on the treadmill (didn't even have to break a sweat) for 15 minutes a day, no excuses. Four months later, I was running 5Ks. I took weeks off for injuries, went to yoga or other things if it hurt, and went back to it when I could. Just do what you can, try to build, and rest when you need to. Also, you might invest in some barbells...that way while you are resting, you can work your upper body without stressing knees. There are even sitting routines for them. Any small muscle you can gain will burn that many more calories for you throughout the day. Good luck!
  • ucabucca
    ucabucca Posts: 606 Member
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    It may sound weird but I had problems with feet and was told to do walking on treadmill with a slight incline and it worked no pain
  • sherrylynn56
    sherrylynn56 Posts: 31
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    I do know about the Wheat. And how bad it is for you or can be bad for you. I have cut way back on the bread and try not to eat much cereal except steel oats. An I know that if I am not careful I will push my self to far too fast. And I like my treadmill. I had told my husband that I wanted a treadmill. So at Christmas Treadmills came on sale and I got a real good one. It is one that the belt that you walk on can be firm or soft, if that makes sense. But you are right about the weight and my feel, and also my legs and knees will hurt because of being so mean to my body s a kid. But I am just inpatient when it comes to my body. It has taken my husband over 2 years to loose all his weight and he still has about 40 lbs. to be real good. He was almost 350 and it caused problems for him. I was just working all the time and had no incouragement from him or anyone else to improve myself. But I am doing this for me and my grandchildren for when they come to visit. So I can get out there and play with them they way I should.
  • sherrylynn56
    sherrylynn56 Posts: 31
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    the barbell thing I have thought about and am going to get a couple of 2.5 or 3.0 pounders to start with, and look for things I can do for my arms, because I have lost too much strength in the past 6 years, not working with heavy patients anymore. I am a C.N.A. and I haven't been working with rehab patients in the hospital for going on 7 years now. I don't work at the hospital anymore. Plus my age hasn't helped much either. But I want to get back where I can lift the weights and do things I want and need to do to keep healthy.
  • eating4me
    eating4me Posts: 239 Member
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    You are doing great! Keep doing what you're doing! Listen to your body; stop when the pain is too much. Every little step is strengthening your body, & burning more calories than sitting on the couch! It may take a while, but just keep at it. Before you know it, you'll be able to walk for much longer than you'd ever dream possible, and you'll begin to lose weight. Last year at this time, I was in and out of my wheelchair, and using a support cane to get around. Now I'm running 22 miles a week, and I feel so much stronger. I might still be in a lot of pain (I have a connective tissue disease), but at least now my cardiovascular system is healthy! My doctors said I couldn't do this...that it was impossible. I just keep working at it. You can do this!! Add me as a friend, if you'd like! :)
  • margieo1983
    margieo1983 Posts: 45 Member
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    I have read a couple of articles in health magazines that say breaking up exercise is totally fine. As somebody else said, calories burned is calories burned.

    Keep doing what you're doing. Stop when your feet are sore, start again when they feel better. It WILL get better. Seriously.

    Also, as somebody else mentioned, adjust the incline on your machine. I think 1.5 is a true replica if you were walking on flat ground. If you have it at zero, it's like you're walking at a slight (very slight) decline.

    Do you have proper shoes? Are they the correct size? Do you wear socks that breathe?
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Wait wait wait!!

    Before you start trying all kinds of things, it's been 4 days! Far too short of a time to see any progress. Give it a few weeks, ie more than 4.
    Do what you can. If its better for your pain management to break it up, then do it. You are still burning calories in several shorter sessions and are much more likely to keep it up/avoid pain or injury.

    Also, MFP is designed that it doesn't include your exercise. You are supposed to log it than eat at least some of those back

    Keep going!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,117 Member
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    As you have probably already figured out, everyone has an opinion...your husband and 10,000 of us. :laugh:

    Just keep doing what you're doing.

    You're lapping everyone on the couch.


    Great job!

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