Does walking help?

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  • crazykatlady820
    crazykatlady820 Posts: 301 Member
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    Walking has helped me lose 85 pounds. It earns me extra calories and makes my deficit sustainable. I also find it fun, so it is exercise I enjoy which means I continue to do it.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    It does for me. I do 18-20k steps on sidewalks commuting to work and sometimes on a treadmill if the weather's bad. My TDEE is 2650 @ 145lbs because of it. That's a lot of discretionary calories or reckless deficit depending on which you choose! Walking is my main form of cardio
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 850 Member
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    I too am for walking, when I started I barely could walk a half of block. Now I am walking on a regular basis two miles and most days doing it twice a day. Also tracking steps. And using a recumbent bike as well, that has programs on it. So it is helping, and I am enjoying it as well. That is my bonus.
  • C_Stretton
    C_Stretton Posts: 201 Member
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    I'm another of those daily walkers. I do it mostly for my sanity though. I work from home and find that if I don't go for a walk, I sit in front of my computer all day. Walking gives me the chance to get away from the screen, rest my eyes, clear my head, and, on a good day, see some of the neighborhood wildlife - I've got foxes, coyotes, pelicans...
  • jogami
    jogami Posts: 30 Member
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    I work with three people who walk every lunch hour and they have each and every one lost significant weight and feel overall so much better. Walking is probably better for you than running due to the impact. I'd say walking is probably the most beneficial thing one can do in terms of exercise.
  • travelling_lots
    travelling_lots Posts: 377 Member
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    saundts wrote: »
    Hello all, I am male, 5'9" 246lb age 43, I want to take this to this forum and ask if walking on flat surface road/sidewalk and/or walking on the treadmill 3.5MPH for 45 min a day help lose weight? is one better than the other?

    Very much makes a difference in many ways, not just burning calories.
    Helps clear the mind, you discover more things around you. Your activating all your senses. I walk at different times of the day too.
    I mix up the walk with sidewalk, trail and areas with up to 45 degree angle. I don’t keep it as a fully flat walk. Since that’s all I can do at the moment.
    I find it refreshing to come home after a walk.
  • saundts
    saundts Posts: 51 Member
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    All these comments are inspirational, thank you all for contributing. I am very encouraged to make it a daily routine to walk now.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    glassyo wrote: »
    I have a love/hate relationship with walking. I love it because it gets me outside/pacing my apartment/up and down the aisles in Target depending on the weather while walking to the beat of music I really like. I hate it because drivers are *kitten* who don't care if a person is in the intersection or not or has the light, they want to make that turn and will come wayyyyyyy too close for your comfort when crossing the street.

    Anyone who says walking is a stress reliever does NOT walk on my route. :)

    But it's really the only exercise I do and it helped me lose over a 100 lbs while being able to eat more.

    I don't think I've walked on main roads in 20 years, in addition to what you've described, I can't stand the smell of exhaust. I have a nice state park about 10 minutes away from me. My county is littered with hiking trails. I found one in 2016 when driving to vote. One good thing that came out of that election, lol.
  • Frappleberry
    Frappleberry Posts: 251 Member
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    I find waking great, I do the three miles home from Work in about 45mins so keeps
    My heart rate up. I find jogging too hard but can walk for days! Helps me be in calorie deficit too
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,592 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    I have a love/hate relationship with walking. I love it because it gets me outside/pacing my apartment/up and down the aisles in Target depending on the weather while walking to the beat of music I really like. I hate it because drivers are *kitten* who don't care if a person is in the intersection or not or has the light, they want to make that turn and will come wayyyyyyy too close for your comfort when crossing the street.

    Anyone who says walking is a stress reliever does NOT walk on my route. :)

    But it's really the only exercise I do and it helped me lose over a 100 lbs while being able to eat more.

    I don't think I've walked on main roads in 20 years, in addition to what you've described, I can't stand the smell of exhaust. I have a nice state park about 10 minutes away from me. My county is littered with hiking trails. I found one in 2016 when driving to vote. One good thing that came out of that election, lol.

    The only things I really like about walking the main roads in my city is that at least it's well lit and I don't have to wait too long if I need to make a pit stop. :) Ooooo and Menchie's frozen yogurt or Whole Foods hot bar. Cuz a girl's gotta eat. :)

    And parks have dogs not on leashes! (I scare easily when it comes to dogs.)
  • PokeyBug
    PokeyBug Posts: 482 Member
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    jogami wrote: »
    I work with three people who walk every lunch hour and they have each and every one lost significant weight and feel overall so much better. Walking is probably better for you than running due to the impact. I'd say walking is probably the most beneficial thing one can do in terms of exercise.

    My husband used to work with a man (he's since retired) who had a heart attack. When he was recovered enough to come back to work, he started doing much the same thing. He figured he'd get work and exercise out of the way in one 9 hour block of time. He brought workout clothes to work, took a quick sponge bath to wipe away the sweat when he was done walking (necessary when you're walking in Georgia in July), and he lost a massive amount of weight between walking and the doctor-prescribed diet. I was never able to convince my hubby to join him, though. :(
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    I have a love/hate relationship with walking. I love it because it gets me outside/pacing my apartment/up and down the aisles in Target depending on the weather while walking to the beat of music I really like. I hate it because drivers are *kitten* who don't care if a person is in the intersection or not or has the light, they want to make that turn and will come wayyyyyyy too close for your comfort when crossing the street.

    Anyone who says walking is a stress reliever does NOT walk on my route. :)

    But it's really the only exercise I do and it helped me lose over a 100 lbs while being able to eat more.

    I don't think I've walked on main roads in 20 years, in addition to what you've described, I can't stand the smell of exhaust. I have a nice state park about 10 minutes away from me. My county is littered with hiking trails. I found one in 2016 when driving to vote. One good thing that came out of that election, lol.

    Me neither, i hate walking along roads. I live smack bang in the middle of the country and the beach, both are 10 minute drives away. I walk my dog for over an hour on the beach every morning, and the same amount of time on the country trails every evening.

    OP, walking makes quite a significant positive difference in your TDEE.
  • elsie6hickman
    elsie6hickman Posts: 3,864 Member
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    Well, if not for your weight, then your health, walk at least 30 minutes every day. I think walking outside is a bit harder than walking on the treadmill, but make sure you are keeping a brisk pace.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,287 Member
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    I find walking has always worked the absolute best for losing weight. I've done aerobic classes, kick boxing, treadmills and ellipticals. The elliptical is my second choice..but the walking gets more results even though mfp says you burn fewer calories.

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