Walking for exercise

AprilJ10
AprilJ10 Posts: 26 Member
edited November 8 in Fitness and Exercise
What do you think is a reasonable amount of time to walk each day if looking to enhance my weight loss? I do an hour each day over lunch but also try to do another hour in the evening at least 3 times a week.

Replies

  • brightsideofpink
    brightsideofpink Posts: 1,018 Member
    That sounds excellent to me. My goal is 30 'active' minutes a day- anything that comes with an elevated heart rate. I sometimes go over, but always try to hit this. This has given me enough extra calories to supplement my daily allowance, and I've lost just about 50 lbs so far. Even better though, with even just my 30 minute goal, I've noticed vast improvements in my stamina and resting heart rate.
  • version45
    version45 Posts: 35 Member
    I think two hours is great. About 6 months ago, I switched from running to walking, and I've never felt better. No more Achilles tendinitis, no more plantar fasciitis, no more runner's knee, no more gorging on carbs an hour after my run. My family has built a habit of a 40 minute walk around the golf course right after dinner and it's been great. We can actually have a conversation and spend some quality time together. I'll throw a couple of sprints vs my daughters on our walk, but other than that, it's been all walking. I feel much healthier for it. I wish I could do two hours a day.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    I love walking and it is easy on the body but good for the heart. Keep it up :D
  • KJoubert1966
    KJoubert1966 Posts: 49
    I think you are doing more than most people can afford the time for. Walking is my base exercise for calorie burn and fitness. If you want to ramp it up, look for areas that have up and down hills, and perhaps carry a backpack with some weight in it. I use a 25lb dumbbell wrapped in a towel.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    I have never run, but have become a pretty good walker over the years. I even enter 10km races and walk them, it gives me a goal in the spring when I don't want to go outside and walk.
    Back at the turn of the decade I downloaded some pod casts from Prevention and listened to them to get a good 30-40 minute interval walking session. I just checked if they were still available but couldn't find them but there are these (link) available, I haven't listened to them so can't say if they are any good.
    There is also a site called cool runnings that does pod casts for walking.

    I just posted about the interval podcasts for if you were interested, otherwise so long as you are walking 20-30 min minimum with a raised heart rate you are doing yourself a great favour.
    Cheers, h.
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
    That sounds like a good amount to me. They say you should be averaging around 10,000 steps a day which equates to just under 5 miles (through walking distances and daily activity). I use a Fitbit so it's amazing to see how many steps you get just walking about the house/office if you're not good at sitting still like I am!
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