Round 2 - is walking enough?

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karris43
karris43 Posts: 34 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I lost about 30lb earlier this year and have maintianed this while I had a short break. I got about halfway through the C25K, difficult for me as I have nerve damage in my right leg from disc problems, but I was proud of myself as I managed it fairly easily.

Now I want to reset my goal to lose 1.5 lb per week to get to my fianl goal. I know what to do food wise, but I am wondering if, to save my joints, I could walk 5k instead of trying to run it. On my treadmill I am reaching 103 heart rate about a third the way through my 5k walk, and mainaining this heart rate, which I am currently doing in 52 minutes. I am 51 years old and 199lb. Do I need to have a higher heart rate? Or do it faster?

Is this enough 3 times a week to burn fat? I know very little about this and any advice would be welcome.

Replies

  • kellch
    kellch Posts: 7,849 Member
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    Any movement burns calories. Walking will obviously burn less than running. As long as you log the walks and all of your food and keep it within the calorie limit deficit, you will lose. You won't be able to eat as much with walking as you would running because you burn less. But yes, walking can be enough. I would probably add some sort of strength training into tone/build muscle. (weights or pushups/situps/etc....)
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
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    Due to chronic back problems from HMS, I'm only walking with a little yoga and have lost 12 lbs.
  • serioustuff
    serioustuff Posts: 46
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    I'm going to start walking today......not on a treadmill though am going to go walking round the lovely parks we have here. Enjoy some fresh air while I am at it. :)
  • karris43
    karris43 Posts: 34 Member
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    Thanks very much for the replies. I've been thinking a bit more about it and looking at the calories burned both walking and running. If I run for 30 minutes I would burn 367 calories, but if I walk for 60 minutes I would burn 320 calories.

    Apart from the 47 calories gained from running and the extra 30 minutes time spent walking, would you say that there are any more benefits/costs between running ans walking?

    The reason I ask is that running for 30 minutes seems much more daunting than walking for an hour. But burns around the same amount of calories.
  • phjorg1
    phjorg1 Posts: 642 Member
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    i don't see any strength training.
  • yellowsnowdrop
    yellowsnowdrop Posts: 154 Member
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    I walk on a daily basis, at the moment just round the neighbourhood and getting off the train a stop early and walking the rest of the way to work. i manage about 8-9 kilometers a day by doing this. I am loosing weight, slowly but I'm doing it. I too have a chronic back problem but since I started walking I have reduced my pain meds by half. I honestly just don't see anything wrong in just walking andything is better than just sitting and not moving at all.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I lost about 30lb earlier this year and have maintianed this while I had a short break. I got about halfway through the C25K, difficult for me as I have nerve damage in my right leg from disc problems, but I was proud of myself as I managed it fairly easily.

    Now I want to reset my goal to lose 1.5 lb per week to get to my fianl goal. I know what to do food wise[ b]but I am wondering if, to save my joints,[/b] I could walk 5k instead of trying to run it. On my treadmill I am reaching 103 heart rate about a third the way through my 5k walk, and mainaining this heart rate, which I am currently doing in 52 minutes. I am 51 years old and 199lb. Do I need to have a higher heart rate? Or do it faster?

    Is this enough 3 times a week to burn fat? I know very little about this and any advice would be welcome.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1029635-knees-running-the-truth
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    ooooops......double post (memo to self: coffee before touching keyboard)
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    Walking is easier on your joints - I started off just walking and added in aerobics (to DVDs) because the weather this year has been so rubbish:grumble: Eating at a deficit will make you lose weight, by adding exercsie as well you can enjoy a more varied diet (eating back your exercise calories) so are less likely to get bored and give up.

    I'd recommend setting your goals to 1lb a week nad sedentary, and eating back your exercsie. I found at the start it came off much quicker than 1lb a week, then steadied to 1lb.
  • SAH1906
    SAH1906 Posts: 60 Member
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    Hi! If you have a HRM w a strap you'd have a better idea of the calories used. I learned that my "power walking" was using a similar amount of calories as running since I'm just getting back into running. As long as your HR is up, you'll expend a similar amount of calories. Plus if you're walking and keeping your HR between about 70% and 85% of max, you'd burn in an aerobic zone which is better for burning fat then say anaerobically. And not that old 50% to 65% they used to call the fat burning zone either.

    In other words, if you decide to walk just walk fast enough to get and keep your blood pumping at a good rate.

    Just my 2 cents. I don't claim to be an expert, but it works for me.
  • LarryDUk
    LarryDUk Posts: 279 Member
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    I walk, a lot! I have dropped over 20 pounds doing it, but when I say a lot, I mean a lot. I walk between 15-25 miles a day. I have just added weight training and jogging to my fitness as I think that will be better all round, but walking does work.

    Edit: get a fitbit! It works wonders for walking.
  • juliegrey1
    juliegrey1 Posts: 202 Member
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    think of how well you have done already! Now I am biased because I live in the country and I walk alot! I walk about 9 k 2 days a week on the other days I cycle its amazing how fit you become in a very short period! Dont worry about how fast it happens it really dosnt matter,you can definately walk away the pounds but loosing weight depends on how many calories you take in,eat enough to satisfy you of good food leave out the junk and you will get there!!! It is that easy but its slow and steady!best of luck!!!:flowerforyou:
  • carolyn0613
    carolyn0613 Posts: 162 Member
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    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/getting-started-guides/Pages/getting-started-walking.aspx is a website for UK but the info is of a good standard. there is some good evidence that the health benefits of exercise (ie not fitness benefits but that it helps heart health, diabetes etc) can be gained from either walking or running - it makes no difference. As you say the time spent walking is more to burn the cals that running gives you. But if it is easier on your joints to walk then I would say this is an ideal exercise. You need to be walking fast enough that your heart rate is up and that you are slightly breathless - can talk (just) but not sing is a good way to gauge it!

    Walking is so enjoyable I think that this is its downfall - something this great can't be that good for you! But it is!
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Walking is great. i walk loads I average 5 miles a day but go through phases of 15 miles a day. I do also do some of exercises but for the first couple of months all I did was walk. Have you though of trying swimming as well? It's great for all over body exercise and it's non weight bearing which may help your problem it also burns loads of Calories

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