Walking for Weight Loss??

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BrookeNicole888
BrookeNicole888 Posts: 12 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all :)

When I was younger, I used to run a lot and go to the gym to stay in shape. Now that I'm older (and heavier!) I don't feel as confident, so I've been walking 3-5 mikes a day. Is this enough cardio to help with my weight loss? I always try to stay under my calorie goal for the day. Thanks for the help :)

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    The important part for weight loss is that you consume fewer calories than your body uses. How you get there - reduced calorie consumption, increased calorie output, or a combo of both - is up to you.
  • BrookeNicole888
    BrookeNicole888 Posts: 12 Member
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    seska422 wrote: »
    The important part for weight loss is that you consume fewer calories than your body uses. How you get there - reduced calorie consumption, increased calorie output, or a combo of both - is up to you.

    Ok great! Thank you! :smile:
    I'm a newbie and just want to make sure I'm doing this right!
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    @seska422 has got it correct. A calorie deficit is all one needs to lose weight.

    Do keep walking though, and don't forget to log and eat back your exercise calories. A 3-5mile walk may not burn a lot of calories, but accounting for them now will help if you have to stop your walks, or decide to up your activity.

    Cheers, h.
  • BrookeNicole888
    BrookeNicole888 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you so much everyone!! <3
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    brookebell88 wrote: »
    Hello all :)

    When I was younger, I used to run a lot and go to the gym to stay in shape. Now that I'm older (and heavier!) I don't feel as confident, so I've been walking 3-5 mikes a day. Is this enough cardio to help with my weight loss? I always try to stay under my calorie goal for the day. Thanks for the help :)

    That depends on how much you consume in a day, compared to how much you burn. In terms of what you burn, I am referring to all day expenditure.

    Walking 3-5 miles daily is good for heart, lung health. :)
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    brookebell88 wrote: »
    Hello all :)

    When I was younger, I used to run a lot and go to the gym to stay in shape. Now that I'm older (and heavier!) I don't feel as confident, so I've been walking 3-5 mikes a day. Is this enough cardio to help with my weight loss? I always try to stay under my calorie goal for the day. Thanks for the help :)

    I used to do cross country when I was young but my joints don't like running at my current weight. I've added walking to up my cardio. Read up on 'race walking' if you want to push harder on your cardio.

    Remember you can lose all your weight with diet alone. I do the exercise for other health benefits and to give me some margin on calories.
  • Max0727
    Max0727 Posts: 16 Member
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    I started walking, then jogging, then I found something that helped me out a lot and has definitely changed my life. I registered to do a half marathon; that was last January, this morning I ran a 10k, felt great flying passing a whole crowd, because the only lines I use to haul *kitten* where to the buffet table.Went down from 280 to 226. You'll get there in no time.
  • melissanorth35
    melissanorth35 Posts: 33 Member
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    Yes it helps tremendously. I unfortunately yo-yo and was at my thinnest 140#s and 5'9" whrn i was walking everywhere.

    Tonight I'm going to a Mexican restaurant. I can't afford the calories so I'm consoling myself by walking there and home. I feel a little better about it that way.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    You can burn quite a few calories just by walking, it's all i do for exercise. I have my fitbit synced to mfp, so it's set and forget.
  • CoachJen71
    CoachJen71 Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Walking has worked for me. :)
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
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    Have to agree with a few other posters. The only thing that's required to lose the weight is eating less calories than your body consumes. This may be heresy but you don't have to exercise to lose weight

    To me the benefits of exercise are psychological physical spiritual and emotional. Walking is a great exercise and as you lose the weight you'll put yourself father and maybe we'll try jogging or running. I know for myself of about 210 pounds and when I walk I burn about a hundred 220 calories per mile period everything I read the speed really doesn't matter as much as the distance
  • litoria
    litoria Posts: 239 Member
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    Walking is great for weight loss, especially if you enjoy it.....and it can be good for clarity of thinking and overall mental health, especially if you're exercising outdoors. Enjoy, that's what it's all about
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
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    Anything is better than nothing. If it's working, keep doing it.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    So realize one thing as a newbie weight loss begins in the kitchen ( as I'm sure you'll hear infinitum lol)

    Just wanted to share with you I started my journey at 250 and with walking! I could barely walk a half mile without feeling I was gonna die when I started. I walked every day, rain shine, heat, cold ( or did Leslie sansone YouTube videos on days I couldn't get out there bc it was too cold for baby) I didn't lose weight immediately but I lost size my body started to really change a lot! My legs got thin my waist started to change and I lost a roll I'd had for 20 years! I walked further and further, switched up my routes, and challenging hills, I started doing training for a long walk a 50 miler that I wanted to do and that began my interval walking ( fast slow fast) I'd definitely look this up as it gets you into you fat burning zone for a little while) then I decided to do c25k app I started running I was heavy still around 230 but I signed up for a 5 k which I completed running the whole way 15th to last! But I was so proud I never stopped! Then I had worked myself up to walking up to 13 miles. I did this building up over time cause I have a hip problem but I persevered through it.

    So yes you can lose weight walking! And it has so many benefits!
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
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    DW and I lost a combined 110 pounds. Walking was the majority of the exercise.
  • caramel827
    caramel827 Posts: 163 Member
    edited March 2017
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    brookebell88 wrote: »
    Hello all :)

    When I was younger, I used to run a lot and go to the gym to stay in shape. Now that I'm older (and heavier!) I don't feel as confident, so I've been walking 3-5 mikes a day. Is this enough cardio to help with my weight loss? I always try to stay under my calorie goal for the day. Thanks for the help :)

    Absolutely it is enough. I lost 110 pounds by staying under my calories and using my Fitbit to do 10K most days of the week. I had no time to go to the gym so I get those steps anywhere- parking farther away, grocery store etc.

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