Running or incline walking??

riley_kinnett
riley_kinnett Posts: 60 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Recently I have been gong back to the gym. I think the reason I stopped going, was because I HATE running. I can do it, but I hate doing it. So I have decided in an effort to get back to the gym, not to force myself to run, but to find other things to do that still burn quite a bit of calories. I use my Fitbit Charge HR to track how many calories I burn in a workout, and I usually strive for 450-500+ each workout. That is how I lost 21lb last year (then gained back 13 lb - ugh). I have started putting the incline as high as I can go (usually 7.0-8.0) without having to hold onto the bars, or the top of the machine, as I feel this defeats the purpose. I do this for 45 min each time. So my question is, has anyone lost weight just doing this?? My Fitbit yesterday said that I burned 460 calories doing this. Crazy!! I just feel as though I am being lazy by walking instead of running, and that there is no way possible I can lose weight by this! I'm still sweating like crazy but not as much as when I run. But again, I'm still burning calories. Should I mix it up with running and incline walking?? Suggestions??

Replies

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Something you enjoy will have longer lasting results than something you hate. I hate the eliptical. Can't do it on a regular basis. But I like running, either outside w/ music or on the treadmill while reading (Kindle). If you like walking, and walking w/ an incline would burn more than walking same pace flat, then do that.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Do whatever you enjoy doing...I cycle because I love to cycle...I lift because I enjoy it. I haven't looked at calories burned in ages and don't train to achieve some particular calorie expenditure.
  • riley_kinnett
    riley_kinnett Posts: 60 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Do whatever you enjoy doing...I cycle because I love to cycle...I lift because I enjoy it. I haven't looked at calories burned in ages and don't train to achieve some particular calorie expenditure.

    I do because I am trying to lose weight, and this is what has worked for me in the past.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    Do whatever works best for you! I used to hate running, but after doing C25K I actually quite enjoy it. Walking on an incline won't burn as many calories as running obviously, but if it's more enjoyable that's what's important.
  • Daddy78230
    Daddy78230 Posts: 125 Member
    I'm in the same boat as you. I dislike running, that is long sessions of running.

    I enjoy sprint intervals (HIIT). 10-15 minutes per session a few times week. I find sprinting a lot more enjoyable than long sessions of steady state cardio.

    I first started (70 lbs ago) I started interval sessions by inclining the treadmill to get my heart rate up. Walk an incline for a couple minutes , walk a low incline for a few minutes.

    Btw, I have a Fitbit charge hr too, and it never captures my HIIT sessions... I guess it ignores the drastic heart beat change. I monitor my heart rate either on the treadmill or with a polar chest strap.
  • arobey11
    arobey11 Posts: 87 Member
    For some reason I tend to have panic attacks when I run, so I walk on an incline. I love hiking in the mountains so I use my cardio time at the gym to train to support that. It does burn plenty of calories but I do it because it's what fits into my life the best. I lost 52 pounds so far and I attribute that to calorie counting rather than any exercise I do - exercise is for beer calories :)
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Why would you run when you go to the gym? Do they not have bicycle racks?
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Incline walking is an excellent calorie-burning alternative to running. Intensity is intensity, no matter how you get there--and often people can walk longer than run because there is no poundin. You are correct in not holding on for support.

    One key tip is to emphasize incline over speed--that's where the real work takes place. By that I mean don't start with your regular walking pace or a "speed walking" pace. Start with the highest incline you can handle and put the speed where you can sustain that incline. Sometimes this means a speed of 2.5-3.0 mph and an incline of 8%-12%. I like using the "random" incline program on my treadmill. I can still play with speed/incline independently, but this provides enough variations that I can do an interval type workout that I find really effective.

    Use the treadmill calorie reader to gauge your progress.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    riley_kinnett wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Do whatever you enjoy doing...I cycle because I love to cycle...I lift because I enjoy it. I haven't looked at calories burned in ages and don't train to achieve some particular calorie expenditure.

    I do because I am trying to lose weight, and this is what has worked for me in the past.

    Me too...what I'm saying is that you should do something you enjoy doing...it really shouldn't stop just because you lost weight...regular exercise is just as, if not more important to maintenance. Also, exercise isn't necessary to create a calorie deficit...once I realized the benefit of fitness for the sake of fitness rather than just to burn calories, a whole new world opened up. I exercise regularly and everything else just takes care of itself.
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