Walking as one of the keys to losing weight

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Replies

  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,257 Member
    edited February 2015
    I am also a walker, mostly around 2 - 3 miles daily, I just look around me, watch the flowers growing, and this time of year the buds starting to show on the trees as the Spring warmth & day length gets going

    I think one reason walking is under rated because there is not much, or any money to be made from it, unlike gym membership, plus of course anyone with legs can do it, needs nothing special, one foot in front of the other & away you go
  • markja
    markja Posts: 270 Member
    Hit a personal best yesterday, over 14,000 steps! TDEE for the day was 1700+

    I think and hope that I'm going to see some real results in the next week or so.

    I'd like to get my daily average up to around 12,000 steps. It gives me something besides weight to track! If the scale won't budge, I can always walk a little more.
  • 50452
    50452 Posts: 170 Member
    I'm really glad for this thread. The only exercise I get now is physical therapy, grocery shopping (a bit painful), and whatever I do around the house (also a bit painful). I just bought a basic pedometer as walking is what I am going to add next.

    This pace is excruciatingly slow for me. 13 years ago I was slim and in shape. I did strong, powerful workouts and loved to run. Five to ten miles a day. It was wonderful.

    It's so hard to do so little when my mind wants to do so much.

  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,415 Member
    Good on ya. I also read and walk. On a treadmill, I can maintain 3.5 miles an hour while reading on a tablet in larger font. Time flies while your brain is busy.
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
    Chimes in to give a thumbs up to walking!
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
    goldenrodfarm wrote: »
    I walk a lot but I listen to books on tape or CD, that way I can walk about 4 mph, I mostly get 12-15 K steps in a day, sometimes it is more if I am not on a work day but a farm day it can be up to 22 K in a day
    I love audiobooks. I do a job where I work on the computer and am often able to listen to a book at the same time.
    If you have a library card, you can download audiobooks for free.
    (Also, am impressed with your step count!)
  • runner_girl83
    runner_girl83 Posts: 553 Member
    I only started walking again a few weeks ago.. I'm not very fast at it :) But most of the time I'm pushing a 15kg toddler in a pram so it gets the heart rate up a bit. I use mapmyrun and endomondo to track distance and pace, though I use a Polar HRM with a chest strap to monitor calories as I find the apps usually underestimate the amount I burn during exercise by as much as 100 calories, sometimes more! I am aiming to walk at least 30 mins a day, sometimes longer if I can.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    markja wrote: »
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    Just out of curiosity, what is your walking speed while you are reading?
    Cheers, h.

    2.5 to 3 mph. Keep in mind that I'm walking where I don't have to dodge people, bikes and cars. I know my routes and I do also check my bearings from time to time. With an e-reader, it's pretty easy to keep track of your surroundings. I don't recommend it with a book.

    Audiobooks would be a whole lot safer, but I like walking too. I use an MP3 player loaded with fast tunes. Getting your heart rate up is key for cardio fitness. But all movement is a good thing.

    Other walking ideas......Walk It Out (Wii fitness game)....Leslie Sansone "walking" DVDs....virtual walking DVDs
  • natboosh69
    natboosh69 Posts: 277 Member
    When I initially lost my first 20lbs, all I did was cut out out eating crap and walked more often. It does make a huge difference and helps tone those legs.
  • honkytonks85
    honkytonks85 Posts: 669 Member
    TDEE @ sedentary includes SOME activity from calories burned but not a lot.. so you always have to take this into consideration when logging activity (eg. if you log your calories from doing the dishes you may be 'double counting').

    I agree walking is great and I also try to stand where I can. Human beings were meant to be standing and walking around a lot more than we do. If you can walk instead of drive you're improving your health and burning extra calories you wouldn't have otherwise (bonus)!!

  • Cinnamonhuskies
    Cinnamonhuskies Posts: 78 Member
    I could never read while I walk....I am walking fast and swinging my arms.....
  • BeardedStudWarrior
    BeardedStudWarrior Posts: 115 Member
    Lots of funky walking and dirty talking can help! As well as lots f lovin!
  • sherbear702
    sherbear702 Posts: 650 Member
    Do you have a buddy you can walk with at lunch time? It makes it MUCH more motivating to get out when you've got someone else to encourage (or sometimes make you) go walking.

    That way you don't crash into a pole or something while reading your book.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    I make sure i walk somewhere every day, it is a very good beginner exercise and also very nice in the Summer, but as you say its very time consuming. There comes a time when you should be considering moving on to more vigorous forms of cardio for greater health benefits and greater calorie burn.
  • katkins73
    katkins73 Posts: 416 Member
    I love walking too :) my Fitbit was my best purchase ever! I get a minimum of 14,000 steps most days but quite often in the 17,000+. I have MFP set to sedentary and linked up with Fitbit. My TDEE averages at over 2000 calories a day which is not bad for a 5ft1 41 year old female
  • markja
    markja Posts: 270 Member
    Just took the dog for another walk. I don't know if he or I enjoys it more!
  • belimawr
    belimawr Posts: 1,155 Member
    edited March 2015
    prattiger65 wrote: »
    I started the same way, I would eat lunch at my desk then walk for an hour. Now I still eat lunch at my desk, but go to the gym for an hour. Well done OP!!!

    I do the same.

    The only problem is that the phones never stop ringing, so I end up eating my lunch within 5 minutes so I think I may have to stop doing it. However it is great to fit in a few extra minutes of walking!
  • buzz3d269
    buzz3d269 Posts: 87 Member
    I love walking too :)

    About a year ago I received a fitbit, and started trying to get my 10,000 steps. I was surprised to find that if I didn't put any work into it, I was only getting about 2000 steps a day (still true actually). Fast forward a year, and I'm now walking a minimum of 6km a day, but regularly closer to 10km a day. It's hard to believe that when I first started, a 1km walk was long - if I don't get at least 3km in a day, I feel sluggish!

    I've been lucky enough to discover a pretty rural walking track around the corner from me - I regularly see kangaroos and wombats (I'm in Australia), as well as local horse riders and plenty of different birds.

    Sometimes I listen to music, sometimes podcasts (This American Life and Stuff You Missed in History Class are my favourites), lately I've just been taking in the quiet and thinking about stuff. Haven't tried reading, might give that a shot too ;)

    Oh, and for the record? Walking + calorie counting (and occasional very slow bike rides) has seen me lose 30kg over the past year. Yay!
  • beetlesguk
    beetlesguk Posts: 14 Member
    I used to jog, but I have gained back some weight and find jogging just too much right now so I have started walking. I really enjoy it and it's great to clear your mind after a long day in the office! I love the fact that you can just get up and do it, you don't need any workout gear or anything
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    I really appreciate the times I get to walk outside on my 30 minute lunch break. The fresh air, the peace and quiet, the sunlight, the movement... rather than being stuck at my desk peering at spreadsheets, or trying to make myself heard in a fluorescent-lit classroom full of 16 year olds. I really notice a difference in my mood and energy levels when I get back to my office afterwards, as opposed to the days when I don't get that time to myself.
  • markja
    markja Posts: 270 Member
    I've been using a fitness tracker for the past couple of months, the Samsung S-Health, its part of my phone. I've found that it's cool to have daily goal of getting my 10,000 steps. Unfortunately, no one seems that pleased about it. On the other hand, my MFP friends think it's great and, they offer lot's of encouragement. I know this comes as no surprise to most of you. It seems that sometime our friends and family members, even if they are supportive, have a hard time understanding the struggle that losing weight is.
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