Am I cheating myself?? (Please be blunt)

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  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    Bluntly speaking, I burn 238 calories standing upright for 5 hours. That's 238 calories that wouldn't have been burned if I'd have sat down for those 5 hours. That's 238 calories burned with taking less than 500 steps. That's real energy used by my heart to pump blood an extra foot of altitude against gravity for 5 hours.

    If THAT is exercise, then walking around inside your house is exercise. In fact, at your weight over 400 lb, you burn more calories walking around inside your house than I burn on my treadmill when I'm under 200 lb.
  • subcounter
    subcounter Posts: 2,382 Member
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    It is all about you, not anyone else. Walking 30 minutes can get your heart rate going if you re not used to workouts, or still on the heavy side.

    So listen to your heart instead. Literally. Check your heart rate, get one of those straps, they are well worth your money. If you're serious about losing weight as you stated in your profile, I will do my best to help you.

    Now first thing is we check you Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). This is 220 - (Your Age = 27) 193 (Estimated). Fat burn zone is 55 percent to 70 percent of your MHR, so 106 to 135. So your heart rate needs to be between the zone of 106-135 beats per minute, for a healthy fat loss. If you can not afford a heart rate strap, check your beats per 5 seconds (through your neck, wrist etc), 9 beats to 11 beats per those 5 seconds (This is what I used to do back in the day). So simply for those 30 minutes, the challenge is really to keep that heart rate high as that.

    This wont be hard to reach when you are still on the beginning of the journey. I would recommend cycling machines in the gym if you have a gym membership. They wont be too hard on your knees, and you can easily change the difficulty to keep your heart rate in the same zone. If not, you can dance in the house, be creative really. Burpee's, half burpees, fast paced walking. Whatever gets your heartrate to this zone, and make sure you keep it at that zone. Don't go overboard, and don't go too slow, the challenge will be to keep your HR in that zone.

    Let me know if you have any questions, I will try to answer them!

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Here's a thread from the exercise forum:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10467734/i-just-walk-thats-ok-right/p1
  • aliciamariaq
    aliciamariaq Posts: 272 Member
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    Walking inside the house is definitely not cheating! It shows commitement that even if you can't go outside, you still make the effort to move.
    Also, don't be too hard on yourself if you slip up one day foodwise. Just try to make a better choice next time.
    Take things one day at a time and you will see results!
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
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    You ROCK walking around that house or elsewhere! Keep it up, @abneyhakeem89.
  • Naija82
    Naija82 Posts: 345 Member
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    Doing any kind of movement is better than doing none at all!!

    Also if you go outside don't worry about other people, I remember when I first started to run outside, I felt very self conscious but then just decided to ignore everyone else and focus on me getting healthier and fitter.

    Keep at it :-)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    When i see over weight people out and about exercising, the last thing that comes to my mind is anything negative! I feel admiration for them, happy for them that they're doing something to improve their health, and just general "Good on you"!!! And if i could I'd give them one of these as i was driving past :+1::+1::+1:
  • tam29
    tam29 Posts: 1 Member
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    I love the walking workouts and I agree - walking around the house for 30 minutes is better than sitting on the couch. Maybe when you are walking around the house you can do a little bicep curls or knee lifts or walk backwards. It all works for you - keep up the good work!
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
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    abneyhakeem89 wrote: »
    My general plan was to stay away from fried foods at all costs and walk at least 30 minutes every day. Out of the last 18 days including today .. 4 days where I did not go for a walk outside instead I would walk around in my house non- stop for 30 or sometimes a hour. Is that cheating myself? Am I really getting the same workout? I feel like it's lowkey half assing working out. I don't want to cheat myself ever again.As for fried foods I've done amazing job as to staying away from them.Minus two pizza hut cheese sticks . Now all I have to do is get back to outside cardio exercise,eating better and staying away from sodium.

    When you joined MFP you would've entered certain basic information, and the site would've recommended your daily calorie needs. Keeping below that is enough to lose weight. It doesn't really matter what type of food makes up those calories. If you eat more than the recommended calories, you need to exercise to burn the excess calories and maintain a deficit on the chart. Again it doesn't matter what type of exercise accounts for those calories burnt.

    So I don't think you're really cheating yourself. Just be sure to record all your food and activity, and see if the chart shows a deficit or not.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
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    amfmmama wrote: »
    moving at all is better then sitting on the couch, but.... I think you know that you get more our of the walk outside...plus... how boring is it to just walk around the house?

    Can't be any more boring than walking on a treadmill, and that's all I do. At least he gets to see the whole house. I only see the wall in front of the treadmill. Lost 12 lbs in 4 months staring at that blank wall.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Dreadmill shudder :confounded: I'm lucky that i have a huge yard with side gates either side. I do 20 lap blocks all throughout the day, each block is 3500 steps. I also read the forums on my phone while I'm walking, kill 2 birds with one stone.
    I'm walking right now as I'm typing this :lol:
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    to the OP.you are moving,that is what matters and you will get comments from rude people no matter your size,just keep doing you and let the "haters be your motivators" Id rather see someone taking walks and doing whatever they like to get healthy than driving everywhere and sitting on their butts. I have seen overweight people in my area that I know have no health issues and instead of walking they will use one of those motorized carts in the store,they dont need it its just because they are lazy. I commend you on getting your butt in gear and doing what is best for you and your health. we all have to start somewhere right? keep going and you will accomplish your goals,and maybe even go beyond that. you can do this!
  • HakeemTheDream89
    HakeemTheDream89 Posts: 167 Member
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    tam29 wrote: »
    I love the walking workouts and I agree - walking around the house for 30 minutes is better than sitting on the couch. Maybe when you are walking around the house you can do a little bicep curls or knee lifts or walk backwards. It all works for you - keep up the good work!

    Yes I'm going to start walking backwards because that is a serious weakness of mines
  • MarieG88
    MarieG88 Posts: 5 Member
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    Some people might think this is kind of cheesy, but Leslie Samsone has an entire line of workout videos which focuses on walking indoors. I've posted the link below...

    https://youtu.be/DYuw4f1c4xs


  • HakeemTheDream89
    HakeemTheDream89 Posts: 167 Member
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    MarieG88 wrote: »
    Some people might think this is kind of cheesy, but Leslie Samsone has an entire line of workout videos which focuses on walking indoors. I've posted the link below...

    https://youtu.be/DYuw4f1c4xs


    Thank you so much
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
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    I love Leslie Sansone videos... those will be my go-to after baby.
  • Breenacole
    Breenacole Posts: 18 Member
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    Just getting off the couch is good! 79 pounds ago I wouldn't even move off the couch, but now I'm staring down these last 45/50 pounds from safely inside my house. I walk circles. I stretch. I march in place. I do yoga. My anxiety makes it hard for me to be in public without being heavily medicated so I don't go out much. So no I don't think you are cheating yourself at all. Every step you take, inside or outside, is one step closer to your goal. And if you need a cheering section feel free to add me!
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
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    abneyhakeem89 wrote: »
    JohnnyAtomic wrote: »
    Brother, if it's winter where you are, then cheat away. Outside is better for the mind and body but a heater on a cold day is good for the soul!

    No excuses for me. I love the winter and I chose this time to walking outside due to fact that not alot of people will look at me while I'm walking. My biggest fear is walking around the block and running to a group of people that will have nasty or discouraging comments. Hints why I love having my headphones and try to blast music to tune people out.I do greet everyone I come across with a hello or goodmorning just to be a gentlemen but I still receive stares and just funny looks. Not to mention constant barking from dogs which can be irritating.Walking outside is the best and most challenging .I get a full solid workout pushing this big body up and down road in heat or breeze.I work on my posture and breathing as I'm walking as well. It has help my blood pressure i'm sure and I tend to have great days after a lovely walk. Just been lazy a couple of days this week. Today being one of them

    I'm more concerned about your reasons for not walking outside when you love the winter. Let the haters hate because you're going to show them what you're made of!
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
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    I go to the gym everyday now, but when I was losing I would walk around the house and up and down stairs to get my steps in every day. Especially during the winter when it is dark when I get home from work. (I live in country and it is scary in our woods at night) But I do walk outside in all weather. Only -30 F with a -70 wind chill kept me in the house. Below zero isn't bad when it is calm out, but the wind is brutal at that temperature. Moving is important and you are ahead of the game when you are not sitting on the couch.
  • HakeemTheDream89
    HakeemTheDream89 Posts: 167 Member
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    leajas1 wrote: »
    abneyhakeem89 wrote: »
    JohnnyAtomic wrote: »
    Brother, if it's winter where you are, then cheat away. Outside is better for the mind and body but a heater on a cold day is good for the soul!


    I'm more concerned about your reasons for not walking outside when you love the winter. Let the haters hate because you're going to show them what you're made of!

    Yes mam I had a great 45 minute walk this afternoon even the heat couldn't stop my pursuit for a better life :)

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