Walking

What kind of success? Weight loss? I lost nearly 80 pounds with walking being my primary exercise. It's about a calorie deficit.

I started by walking to the mailbox out by the street. Every few days I increased enough to push myself. By 2 months I was able to walk a mile at ~ 2 mph, by 6 months I was doing 3 miles at~ 3 mph. Within a year, 6-8 miles was very doable although my daily minimum was closer to 4 and I was able to get my speed to 3.5 mph. 18 months after starting, I was able to walk 24 miles with a walking club at an average speed of just under 3 mph which included snack, lunch, and bathroom breaks.

Oh, in that time I also lost 130 lb. by following the MFP recommendations and logging my food.

Walking is great exercise and, for many, the most sustainable lifetime activity. It is cheap (only need a good pair of shoes or two per year), flexible (you can put on your shoes and head out the door any time), and helps both the mind and body.

There was a time when I did a lot of walking, and it definitely paid off in terms of calorie burn. But the time requirements were prohibitive.

These days, walking is not my sole form of exercise. I walk once or twice per week, just to maintain my walking fitness.

I wear a lightweight backpack (total weight 5-7 kilos) containing some rain gear (if the weather is threatening), an extra jacket, a liter of water (or two in the summertime, adulterated with a scoop of maltodextrin and an electrolyte tablet), a good first-aid kit, and some other odds and ends to increase the weight.

I consider this to be 'functional fitness' since I feel it's important to keep myself in shape for walking long distances, but the tradeoff is that the workout itself isn't as efficient as other forms of exercise are. The light backpack is useful, of course, but it also keeps my shoulders in shape if I ever need to carry a heavier backpack at some point in the future.

I usually walk 6 miles at a brisk pace: perhaps 3.5 mph. A faster pace would be possible since I'm in a flatland city with good pavements, but any faster than 3.5 mph really calls attention to itself and is kinda rude imo since people are intimidated when someone who is obviously rushing comes up behind them.

I've tried walking with trekking poles, but it's really only useful when I'm out in the woods. I have seen people using them here in the city, but it's rare and they really look goofy.

At big intersections with traffic waiting for me, I usually jog across. These infrequent short jogs seem to help me maintain my range of motion (plus they're 'functional').

This takes a lot of time -- at least 2 hours including preparation and post-walk shower, so it's certainly not for everyone.

In the summer, I can lose a surprising amount of water weight, even with frequent drinks from my bottles. The perspiration stings my eyes and soaks my clothing, so I dress lightly in low-key synthetic athletic gear. In the winter I dress lightly and use Mark Twight as inspiration -- i.e. I let my exertion warm me, rather than my clothing (I carry extra insulation with me, as insurance against having to stop walking and stand around while I'm exposed to the elements away from home for whatever reason).

Use GPS to plot out some routes. Switch up your route every time so you don't fall into a figurative rut. Once you know your routes, there's no need to gps it (just keep track of time so you are sure of your average pace).

PS - take care of your feet.

I lost my first 28 pounds (8 lbs past my initial goal for decreasing my health risks) by sticking to my calorie-intake goal, walking more, and dancing in my living room (not a dance exercise video; just dancing to music). I walked to a farther subway stop in the evening, and I got off at an earlier stop in the morning when I had time. I walked up the 10 flights of stairs to my office (it was a couple of months before I could do it without stopping to rest). On the weekends I would take a walk of a mile or so (one way, so 2 miles or so round trip) to the local library or shopping or a restaurant, because at the time I really liked having a destination -- I liked the walking to be productive beyond the exercise, if that makes sense.

After that I joined a gym, as it was getting toward the end of fall, plus I wanted to have more variety in my exercise.

I lost around 80 pounds with walking being my only form of exercise. That being said, I really wish I could get into strength training to build up my muscles for a more athletic look rather than the twig look that I have.

Yes, I lost 80 pounds with brisk walking being my main source of exercise and using walk at home videos in conjunction with a calorie deficit.

Walking also helps me to stay in shape and keep the weight off. I've been maintaining for 6 and a half years with no regain.

I walk everyday now. When I was losing I had to build myself up. I could barely walk a half mile without getting winded, but I kept going. Now I average around 20 - 25 miles a week.