Can walking make a difference?? Help!

Yes, it can and will.

I started out walking 2 miles, so about 45 mins or so, in June. I'm now hiking 6 miles in forests and varied terrain :P
I went from complete sedentary too. It definitely helped my physically. Plus, it allows me to eat more calories too.... so win-win.

Can walking.. say 30 minutes a day... help at all towards a goal." now If I do that I am not expecting amazing results within 3-6 months... and I know I will have to cut junk food, soda and a majority of my coffee... and cut off my fast food intake entirely... but will this do me any good?

Honestly, people can lose weight without working out at all so 30 minutes to the cause, in my opinion is great.

But why would you need to cut junk food, soda, coffee and fast food? Now if these are foods that you know you can't have moderately, I understand. I no longer buy 12 packs of soda because I will drink the whole thing in one sitting however if someone offers me a cup, I don't often turn it down.

I think that you should learn to eat these foods in moderation to help you gain a better relationship with food. Plus cutting out things sometimes leads to binges, which doesn't help anything...

Yes! After a summer of inactivity, I wanted to start exercising, but I had hurt my foot and there wasn't much I could do. I've been walking for about 50 minutes a day for the last month. I have noticed a difference in my endurance levels, and overall well being. I am also starting to notice some good shape changes more recently. It's a great way to get outside and feel better!

Walking is a great exercise. Most of the weight I lost is through walking/hiking. You can build up the stamina to do other exercises like running later on if you just keep on the walk. Try to do 10k steps per day if you can. Even the little steps you do around the house counts so should not be too difficult.

I started out walking, and at first I could only go 10 minutes at a time. As I kept at it, I was able to walk more and I've even added biking and jogging to my days now. It's really been working for me so far.

Walking is terrific exercise...It is considered cardiovascular, so it IS good for your heart...You'll probably maintain with thirty minutes a day, but sixty minutes SHOULD help you lose...If you are sedentary, doing ANY exercise will help, and you'll feel better, too...


Reaan:happy:

Oh yes, I've lost four stone (56lbs) in three years, mostly through walking. My diet hasn't changed very much at all.

I do 2.5 miles every weekday lunchtime, come rain or shine, and about 15 to 20 miles over the weekend, if I am at home. And go on walking holidays too.

It gets easier and easier the more you do it and 30 minutes a day will help, any exercise is better than none.

FF

Yes. In February, I started out walking a couple miles, works my way up in speed and distance. These days, I jog 3.5 miles 3-4 days a week and jog with some very minimal walking 6.5 miles at least one day on the weekends. I try to do another day on the weekends, but ultimately I listen to my body to tell me if I need to rest.

I suggest picking a route, and then keep doing it, working on speed.

Also, go to a running store and get fit for good shoes (even if your using them for walking.) They will fit you in the right pair for you. Expect to have to do some walking while there. They will want to watch you walk and check your gait and foot strike. They may cost a bit more, but it makes all the difference.

Yes, it's a great start. Once you get accustomed to it, you will be able to up your speed and distance gradually and maybe that walk will turn into a jog or a run or maybe it will just give you enough stamina to consider other forms of exercise.

Anything is better than nothing at all hon.

Same goes for your food....make changes slowly if you feel it's more likely to make you stick to it. Cut portions down a spoonful at a time, change high fat stuff for similar lower fat options...'light' versions or swapping frying for grilling or steaming.

This is how I did things and before I knew it, I actually stopped craving for the high fat stuff. Not all of it. I'd still commit murder for a Big Mac and fries now and then but generally, I have lost the taste for fat.

Perfect example (and I KNOW how much this will gross some people out) I used to absolutely love what I called a 'pig fat curry'. I wasn't even trying to kid myself it was healthy, hence the name. It basically consisted of 1lb of the fattiest belly pork I could find, fried in garlic butter, smothered in curry sauce and plonked on top of about three quarters of a pound of white rice. Add a whole bottle of wine and I was in my element!

A couple of weeks back, I was having a scheduled 'treat meal'. We were away on holiday, had behaved all week and decided on one night out, at a restaurant, with 'no holds barred'. My starter consisted of belly pork and black pudding, cooked French style and served beautifully. Quantity-wise, there was a piece of belly pork about 3 cubic cm's and a slice of black pudding the size of a silver dollar. I cut the pork into two bites, that's how little there was and although that first bite was truly devine and set my mouth literally running, the second bite was a little 'claggy', just a tad too greasy and oily.

So there you go. Have been on this journey for five months, lost 41lbs and have gone from gorging down a pound (!!!!) of fat to barely being able to cope with an ounce (if that!)

Your stamina will change with exercise and your taste will change with food....just take baby steps and they'll soon turn to strides. Good luck xx

Edited: OH MY GOD. Just calorie counted my pig fat curry meal....3,200 calories......more than two days food for me now!!!:embarassed:

Walking is a great way to start an exercise routine. My husband has had great success walking 4 or 5 mornings a week. However, if you're looking for weight loss, changing your diet will have a bigger impact than your physical activity. You don't have to cut things out completely, unless you feel that you need to do so in order to avoid temptation. Just track your food and make sure you're eating a calorie deficit and you'll lose weight.

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.