Can walking make a difference?? Help!

In a word, yes. If you are ever diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease, the doctors will tell you, until you are sick of hearing it, "Walk 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and it does not even have to be all at one time. Break it up into two 15 minute walks. Walk fast enough to breathe hard, but not so hard you cannot have a conversation." It exercises your heart, which is a very important muscle. Don't cut out all your favorite junk foods, though. Just have them less frequently, and in moderation.

OP,

standiing is better than sitting. walking is better than standing. running is better than walking. You may need to take baby steps to work up to a good pace of walking but you know what, don't stress over it.

Get outside! Walk around! (or just use a treadmill, that works too. It can just be boring. :] )

Walking is a GREAT way to introduce your body to exercise.

I say go for it! You will find that after a while you can go farther and walk faster, which means that you are getting healthier!

Walking is a great exercise, especially for someone just starting out. 30 minutes a day is a good start, too.

As you get stronger, make sure you increase your effort (i.e. walk faster). You should feel kind of tired by the end of your walk - not so much that you can't do anything else the rest of the day, but enough that you asked your body to do a bit more than it's used to or what's easy. You want to get your heart rate up, which means you will be breathing heavier. A good rule of thumb is if you could carry on an easy conversation, you're not doing enough. If you can only get one word out between gasps, you're pushing too hard. Somewhere in between there is going to be the best exertion.

And don't forget, if you put your 3 year old in a stroller and push her for the 30 minutes, you're increasing your effort and she'll probably have a great time!

ETA: also remember that, while walking is great for exercise and fitness, weight loss requires a calorie deficit, so make sure to track what you eat and stay at a reasonable level!

My main form of exercise! I walk 5+ miles a day.

Start off with 30 minutes at a steady pace and build up. Walking is a quick build up too so you'll be able to add more and more quite quickly.

It's such an enjoyable way to exercise!

Walking is a great way to get fit. I've actually been walking for several years now, but it wasn't until I started eating healthier and tracking my calories that I started to lose weight. I did feel a lot better in general after I started walking. And now I walk about a 1/2 hour to an hour every day along with a half hour to an hour of another exercise.

I still eat a lot of the same foods I did before. Just in smaller portions, with lots of vegatables and fruit, or less often.

YES!!!!
When I was obese I could hardly walk 100 ft now I can walk 5 miles.
Having a baby girl that you can take on a walk also is great!
Walking got rid of my belly fat, I was shocked!

I have Graves Disease, and before I received proper treatment for it, I lost a ton of muscle. Walking for 30 minutes a day is a wonderful way to start! Any little bit helps.

Yes, it can! I lost the first 19lbs through walking alone. It helped that I got a puppy that needed the exercise too Then, I joined a gym, but I still walk twice a day, come rain or shine. Walking helps me physically and mentally, it is my time to de-stress and take in my surroundings.

Absolutely it will help you! And you don't have to start with 30 minutes, just start with what you can. That's how I started, just keeping moving, do as much as you can and keep moving forward. Not will it only help you with your weight loss and increase your confidence, your heart and lungs will thank you too. :flowerforyou:

Absolutely!!

Enjoy walking, stick your music on and slowly build it up. You can move onto running (As I am) or just stick with walking. Either way your making a difference.

Keep going!