Am I off to a good start with the walking?

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  • Peacockbutterfly
    Peacockbutterfly Posts: 90 Member
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    I started walking as my main exercise a little over a month ago. I injured my knee and couldn't do anything else. My knee is healing but the walking seems to be the only exercise I need right now. I have a Fitbit and love it. I walk about 9-12 miles a day now between my walks and my job that keeps me on my feet and feel myself getting stronger every day.
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
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    Fantastic start!! As people say - you are lapping those sitting on the couch!

    When I started to run I was at 245lbs and I can recall all those horrible feelings in my lungs, I thought I was going to have cardiac arrest right on the road. I did endure thru it and my lungs can handle it now.

    Keep to it, when you are ready for running you will, just start slow.

    Keep up the good work!
  • PatheticNoetic
    PatheticNoetic Posts: 905 Member
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    I started in January and all I've really done is walk. I've lost almost 10 kilos and soon I'll be starting running. I'd say it's a great start.
  • ginsmar
    ginsmar Posts: 12 Member
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    I mix it upwith my normal bike(indoor,outdoor) routine and find it very useful. Good way tomeasure aside fromtime is a heart rate monitor watch, you can see gains in your fitness with each walk.I use mine every workout
  • kezzola
    kezzola Posts: 65 Member
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    I walk outside most days but today I decided to walk on the treadmill at the gym for a change. AND while I was there I tried jogging for the first time in my life. I only did 2 bursts of 30 seconds but I was so excited that I managed to do it. Now I'll have to go back and try it again, but for longer periods of time.
  • sun_fish
    sun_fish Posts: 864 Member
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    You are off to a great start, and walking 3 mph for 3-4 miles is great! Keep it up, and try to find a balance between challenging yourself and not over doing it, especially with your asthma.
  • bradXdale
    bradXdale Posts: 399
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    You are doing amazing.

    Keep going.
  • ebeth_s
    ebeth_s Posts: 21 Member
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    I don't think there is anything that is too easy when you are starting out. You've got to start somewhere!

    Back in October I couldn't do five minutes of level 1 on the elliptical, and yesterday I did 30 minutes on level 7 along with three sets on every weight machine, and then I came home and took the dog for a mile walk and raked the yard for four hours.

    The important thing is that you STARTED! Keep going.
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,659 Member
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    I remember one night my husband yelled at me because I was huffing & puffing climbing the stairs to our bedroom ....... I was overweight & out of shape ....... and he was worried. He made me go to the doctor, and no surprise, I was a mess.

    Gradually I changed eating habits ...... then I started walking ....... the first attempts were pathetic, but after awhile I could walk at a fast clip for an hour or more. Lost 40+ pounds doing this. Nowadays I go to the gym for cardio, weights, yoga, Zumba. But if I can't get to the gym, I still go for a walk ...... it's my go-to exercise.

    Have fun :drinker:
  • Keepcalmanddontblink
    Keepcalmanddontblink Posts: 718 Member
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    You are moving so yes, you are off to a great start!!
  • roniredd
    roniredd Posts: 48
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    OMG! It's great. You started! Who cares what others do and do not do. You are doing it! Congrats and keep it up!
  • gabbymom2
    gabbymom2 Posts: 175 Member
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    Perfect! Maybe try adding a minute a time....or see if you can push just a little bit harder and get that mile done in a shorter time.
  • Blokeypoo
    Blokeypoo Posts: 274 Member
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    If you are doing more than you did then you are a winner.

    I saw no point in setting goals (for me) when I was trying to just be better than before, maybe that is a goal in itself.

    I didn't care what others did - other than educating myself about stuff - it was about what I could do and more importantly what I could stick to. Everyone can make grand changes but they are often hardest to keep up and just perpetuate the feast/famine/failure cycle which does your head in and leaves you fat!

    You just keep cracking on and do a bit more than you think you can, you'll be surprised ;o)
  • MissMormie
    MissMormie Posts: 359 Member
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    What is your goal? I'm guessing be healthy and less fat?

    So, what does walking do for you?
    It gives a small calorie burn, but really losing weight is 90% diet, and just a little bit exercise. I do run 3 times a week, but that still only makes me lose about a pound a month, and that's assuming I don't eat anything extra due to the exercise. So the real gain in walking is for your health. And you're in luck there. Moderate exercise, such as walking is good for your stamina and your heart, without raising your cortisol too much (cortisol = stress hormone that can make you gain weight). Don't worry about if it's too easy enough, any walking you do is good.

    Also, you'll strengthen your bones, as walking is a weight bearing exercise. As you're outside you're also getting a portion of vitamin D, which is good for bone strength as well as a dozen other things in your body. Also, moderate exercise doesn't increase your hunger which high intensity cardio will do. Just 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise will have a positive effect on your body, on your muscles, including your heart.

    Another thing is that it's much easier to keep doing this. If you're going for high intensity cardio after not working out at all, you're almost certainly setting yourself up for failure. Just think about it,if you'd have to advise someone about doing something new (say rockclimbing) , do you advice them to start easy and build it up from there or do you advice them to go for the highest peak straight away? Don't be too hard on yourself, and remember that even if you never decide to go past the walking stage you're still doing yourself a ton of good.
  • jamesalytle
    jamesalytle Posts: 112 Member
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    welcome tuna stamper! You're off to a great start! I also recommend checking out the 7min workout. It's 12 exercises for 30 seconds with a 10second break in between. It's good for working your core and stretching you out so that the rest of your body is growing along with your walks. I started with a 1 mile walk at a snails 2mph pace. That was 4 months ago, when like you going up the stairs was too much. Now I do 2-3 miles 7 days a week at 3mph and 3 of those 7min workouts a day. If I have the time I occasionally fit in 6 because spacing them throughout the day is easy and makes you feel damn good!

    Best of luck to you!
  • rompydompy
    rompydompy Posts: 54 Member
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    that's fantastic! I'm right there with you-- just got a treadmill a week and a half ago, and I've seen improvement in my time, endurance, speed, and on the scale already! :) For me, walking was the easiest routine to commit to, and now, I find it enjoyable to push myself to be at least as good as I was the day before everytime I get on it. I don't have any other routine than that-- to get my 2 miles in in under 30 minutes, and every day be a little faster.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    When I read the topic, I thought you were going to say something like you were walking once around the block every day and asking if that would be enough. 3-4 miles 3-4 times a week is a wonderful start! Losing weight isn't about how fast you come out of the gate, it's about making healthier changes that you can sustain over the long term. Those people who are doing "so much more" than you are -- whoever they are -- may or may not be able to keep it up for long, and it won't do them any good if they can't keep doing it. Do what you can this week, and a little more next week, and you'll do great!
  • oc1timoco
    oc1timoco Posts: 272 Member
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    You are doing great. I started out the same way about 160 pounds ago. Just try to do a little more each day and mix it up a bit.

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