Has anyone had success with walking for exercise?

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Replies

  • buffer221
    buffer221 Posts: 4,751 Member
    I walk to and from work, and then lunchtime and account for my 10,000 steps with that alone. The only other exercise I do is to dance Ceroc twice a week.

    I have lost 18 kg but always keep my calorie count to my daily allowance without adding the extra calories that MFP will add for the walking.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
    Walking has been very effective for me. I've lost 55 lbs+ in the last 11 months with walking as my only real exercise. I started at 270, I'm down to 215, and my initial goal of 180 looks attainable now.

    The nice thing about walking is there's no time wasted on prep-work. I grab my dog and shoes, and out the door we go. If I went to the gym, I'd have to drive 15 minutes, go to the locker room, and get changed into my gym clothes. By the time I hit the floor I'd have probably wasted about 20 minutes. After the workout, I'd need to shower, fix my hair and get back into street clothes, then drive home, another 30 minute commitment. So going to the gym to work out for 1 hour would entail 50 minutes of completely wasted time. With walking I don't need special clothes, and (except for really hot days) don't get sweaty enough to necessitate extra showers, although on hot days I'll do my shower post-afternoon-workout every day anyway.

    The point is, in the amount of time I waste getting to/from the gym and changing and the like at the gym, I could've walked 3 miles!
  • vicky1947mfp
    vicky1947mfp Posts: 1,527 Member
    @tomteboda - Totally agree with you about time it takes to get to and from gym. I can get in alot of steps in the time it takes to get to Y. Sometimes, I want to take a spin class and that is a different story. But I think if we made it easier on ourselves, we would get in a lot more calorie burn.
  • Healthy67Chick
    Healthy67Chick Posts: 161 Member
    Bump
  • angelamichelle_xo
    angelamichelle_xo Posts: 646 Member
    love walking.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    I've been increasing my walking since Jan 2015, and started CI<CO in April 2015. I do about 18,000 steps a day.

    I started running in September, and can now do a 5K.

    I eat back 50-75% of my exercise calories, which is about 500-750 extra a day. I'm never starving!

    My latest progress pic:

    A0A91695-7E46-4F90-A82A-02825D8F5FA4_zpsro32v0xp.jpg~original
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Well done @Orphia
  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 657 Member
    Power walking is my favorite/main form of exercise. I've lost 35 pounds, but mostly from calorie deficit. But walking 4-5 miles at a quick pace (13 min. mile) has not only helped kick up the calorie burning, but also has given me legs of steel!
  • IrishChick71
    IrishChick71 Posts: 313 Member
    I walk everyday now since Jan 4th when I started using my fitbit Charge HR. I have lost 5 lbs in 3 weeks by maintaining a 500 calorie deficit and walking at least 10,000 steps a day.

    I use to run a few years ago but right after my second 5k I was diagnosed with Achilles Tendinitis and was told if I didn't rest my foot for a few months, I would need surgery. I am also a nurse so complete rest was not possible. Unfortunately, any exercise for a year afterward would cause my foot to swell and heel to look warped with inflammation and was really painful. It wasn't until last fall that I started to exercise again but not regularly. Now I am back and determined to re lose all the weight I have packed on and walking EVERYDAY is getting me there. Even with the snow, I walk around my kitchen and dining room like a mad woman most nights just trying to get my steps in. I added zumba on the weekends and do Leslie Sansone Walk it off DVD almost everyday too. The key is to move your body and watch what you eat. No tricks. No gimmicks. No gym membership needed. :smiley: Just be consistent and if you fall off the wagon one day, don't beat yourself up. Just don't quit!
  • beautifulsparkles
    beautifulsparkles Posts: 314 Member
    Walking really helped at the start of my weightloss journey, but I don't think its helping me now. I feel like I eat way more on walking days :-( I tend to do better when I do a quick intense workout (half an hour to an hour) instead of two hours getting my 10,000 steps.
  • Broejen
    Broejen Posts: 413 Member
    98% of my exercise is walking. My furthest to date is 18.56km (11.5 miles) in one workout. I went from 218 to 133, pics in my profile.
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    Walking is and remains one of my main excersises. Intitally it was (bar an hour of yoga) my only form of exercise. I walk to work and everywhere I can. It relaxes me mentally as well as being a good from of excersise.
    I like it som uch that for the last two years my husband and I have been on long distance walking holidays (Great Glenn Walk and Hadrian's Wall Path) Where we walked a minimum of 15 km a day with the long days up to 29 km.
  • LadyKT
    LadyKT Posts: 287 Member
    Jennilyn76 wrote: »
    98% of my exercise is walking. My furthest to date is 18.56km (11.5 miles) in one workout. I went from 218 to 133, pics in my profile.

    Your progress is so amazing! May i add you as a friend?
  • anniebag28
    anniebag28 Posts: 29 Member
    I had my Fitbit November 2014 ,I try and do 10000 steps per day at least 30mins activity /leave car at home and walk to go to shops etc
    I will try and walk 10 / 11 miles 2/3 times per week.
    I have 1250 calories and will use some of my excersice cals back.
    Like someone already said I also do Leslie Sansones walking DVDs when the weather is bad
    I have lost upto date 17 pounds
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    My wife and I lost a combined 102 pounds while walking as our exercise. We're happy with that.
  • markja
    markja Posts: 270 Member
    Ya, I've had about 40 lbs worth of success with walking. Cool thing is that I've kept the extra weight off for well over a year. Average steps for January was just over 9500 per day. We'll see how February goes. Tying to lose again this year so really trying to limit extra calories.
  • Ptyson4
    Ptyson4 Posts: 57 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    I hike daily and have been for years but to lose weight you need to be in a caloric deficit. Walking is for heath and well being. It took me 20 years to figure that out, you can not out exercise over eating.

    Amen
  • Broejen
    Broejen Posts: 413 Member
    edited February 2016
    LadyKT wrote: »
    Jennilyn76 wrote: »
    98% of my exercise is walking. My furthest to date is 18.56km (11.5 miles) in one workout. I went from 218 to 133, pics in my profile.

    Your progress is so amazing! May i add you as a friend?

    Normally I don't add friends that have closed profiles, but sure :)

  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
    edited February 2016
    There was a period when I walked home every night after work -- about 2.5 miles. It had no effect on weight loss, although I did enjoy it and it probably helped me relax. I was in relatively good shape and wasn't overweight so that distance wasn't a physical challenge. But I thought it would make a little difference.
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    Only exercise I've done pretty much IS walk.
    Got my first tracker July 3rd, 2013 and haven't stopped walking daily since. Prefer outside but when too chilly or if it's monsoon season I walk on my treadmill.
    For more ways to get some steps in check out http://www.hungry-girl.com/ask-hg-q-and-a/show/housewalking-daily-steps & http://www.hungry-girl.com/ask-hg-q-and-a/housewalking-easy-calorie-burner
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