Is walking a legitimate exercise?

So, if there is a form of exercise that is "better" than another form that disqualifies it as being exercise at all?

Indeed; right back at you!

So; eating is exercise?

If you look in the MFP database for exercise you'll find walking at different speeds. You will NOT find eating, so I guess it's not.

Seems people mean different things by 'exercise'.

Some people say 'walking burns calories, so it's exercise'.

Others say 'walking doesn't raise your heart rate, so it isn't exercise'.

This is a Silly Argument. Moderate walking is clearly a form of exercise, in the sense that it burns calories and requires your body to be in a higher level of activity than sitting on your behind. But it is not a high-intensity cardiovascular workout. If the kind of 'exercise' you want is something that challenges your heart and lungs, you need to look elsewhere.

Having an argument about what is or isn't 'exercise' when you're using different definitions for the word isn't getting anyone anywhere. Your time would be much better spent going for a walk...

I'm sick and tired of people saying "walking won't get you in shape", and "that's not exercise". What's your view on this subject? I walked two miles today. Was that exercise?

So to summarise 8 pages...

It depends what outcomes you're expecting from it. You can accont for walking in your base activity level, or you can set your activity level to sedentary and account for every step.

Yes, walking consumes calories so can contribute to a calorie defecit.

Depending on the speed that you're walking it has potential to help your endurace but it's not going to help you develop your ability to convert fuel.

For me, I'll count a 3-5 km walk to work at a good pace, I wouldn't count 2km or where it's heavily congested and I can't get my pace up.

MFP doesn't list "sprinting" as exercise either.
Oh well, obviously that "HIIT" workout was wasted :P.

Come on guy---you know you find that under running----at least I hope you do.

look at my ticker - that should end the guestion, and to thumb my nose , about half that is the "walk in place" exercises many people thumb thier noses at ....

yes it works, i know i will do more as i can , and thats the part that matters to me the most.

Brisk walking is

I'm sick and tired of people saying "walking won't get you in shape", and "that's not exercise". What's your view on this subject? I walked two miles today. Was that exercise?

ANYTHING that works to get your heart rate up is exercise, whether it's walking, running, or moving furniture. Some exercising is supposedly more efficient than others, but people just need to learn to STFU when they don't know what they're talking about.

For example, I knew a woman once who lost over a hundred pounds by buying a good treadmill and using it (religiously) 5 to 7 miles every single day... Her diet didn't change (though she was reportedly "less hungry" after using the treadmill every night), she just toned and got in shape by being relentless in her workouts...

Wayne

Because my recent bout of plantar-fasciitis took a surgery and almost two years to fully recover, I learned the value of extensive walking; it takes a lot more time than running, but I found it to be beneficial and very peaceful too! Dedicated use of MFP has kept me more focused and noticing results!

Whenever geebusuks or others say that it doesn't count,

When have I said it "doesn't count"?
Pretty sure I haven't as it wasn't my opinion really.

So, here's a thought, if other say something you don't like, rather than just ignoring them, perhaps you should at least take the time to READ what they said, rather than just making assumptions. Might help you understand the situation a little better .

This thread is 8 pages long. No one has time to follow all your posts. And while later you did reiterate what you apparently intended your point to be, it was actually very unclear (and annoying).

I walk a minimum of 10,000 steps 6 days per week...

Walking 2 miles a day is exercise, especially if you're moving fast and pumping your arms. Walking my dogs for 20 minutes I don't consider exercise, sure I'm burning a few calories, but the walk is mostly for them, than for me.

yes it is for me and all of my mommy friends we started a stroller club the beginning of the week we walk 4 miles every morning pushing strollers and adding in another round in the evenings too already seeing the pounds drop off the scale

Yes, walking is exercise. I walked everywhere when I was a teenager (often I just strapped on the headphones and walked out of boredom) and never thought of it as an exercise, but I could eat whatever I wanted and I never gained weight. When I graduated from high school and moved in with a boyfriend, I stopped walking for something to do and my weight shot up. So, yes, it is an exercise.

Heck yeah walking is exercise! It's a great way to start getting into shape, especially if you are quite out of shape.

In the past year I had a hernia operation, then broke my foot, then fell pregnant and dealt with terrible hip pain throughout my pregnancy... and quickly fell out of shape. Prior to that I was walking my kids to and from school (about 4 miles a day)... rain or shine.. 5 days a week.. pretty much ate whatever I wanted and I was in great shape.

Now that I've had the baby and have started walking the kids to school again (and now with the added bonus of pushing baby!) in the past two weeks, the weight is literally falling off of me.

YES.