Walking for weight loss...
Replies
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I use to swim, but unfortunately there are no pools near me.
I use to like doint hiit workouts, but due to injuries, etc., I just don't want to do it anymore.1 -
Rebounders (mini-trampolines) are great for low impact workouts. You have to get a quality one though. The $50 Gold's Gym variety won't cut it, they're like jumping on the floor.
Check out Bellicon YouTube workouts to see if these look interesting to you.0 -
You cannot outrun your diet--meaning, you can't exercise enough to make up for eating well above your caloric need on a regular basis. (Actually, we gain from overeating even small amounts--eating 200 calories over your caloric need every day will result in a 10 lb weight gain over a year).
Walking has so many benefits, and supporting a healthy caloric deficit is one of them. I used to dislike walking--found it boring. I was always a runner. Well, many years later, I love walking and use it to add exercise and fresh air to my day--I still run, too. I try to do 2.5 miles every morning and evening right now. I'm coming back very slowly from a running injury, so I do my jogging as part of one walk. I also do most of my walking in dog parks with my dogs--and it's been awesome. They need the exercise (they go a lot farther than I do, and do a lot of sprinting) and I enjoy the time with them.
So, if you want to try walking, find a way to do it that makes you happy--it will take time to figure it out, but if all you do is slog through something boring, you won't want to stick with it. But remember to keep a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight, with or without the walking. Good luck.
Agree 100% with your post, minor quibble about math. 200 excess calories a day is 20 (close to 21) pounds in a year, not 10. 100 excess calories is 10 pounds.
200 excess calories X 365 days = 73,000 excess calories per year
73,000 excess calories / roughly 3500 calories in a pound of fat = 20.857 pounds.
Crazy how minor excesses can add up, if one is persistent.
But so can minor improvements! 
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Being pedantic, but this little surplus gets smaller with weight gain, thus it might not be 20lbs in a year if the total amount of calories stays the same.1
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One thing, get yourself a good pair of walking shoes; don't skimp. It can make a huge difference. Specifically, shoes made for walking, not running and not cross-trainers. Walking shoes have a lower heel than running shoes and generally more support in a firmer sole. If you get this variable right, you'll be able to walk more and further and it'll be a lot more fun.0
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Being pedantic, but this little surplus gets smaller with weight gain, thus it might not be 20lbs in a year if the total amount of calories stays the same.
Well . . . maybe not, to be even more pedantic. Original statement talked about "200 calories over your caloric need every day". You're correct that as one gets heavier, one's caloric need increases, but 200 calories over it, is still 200 calories over that increasing number.
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Thestepper wrote: »I've read articles by people who claim that walking along with a healthy diet aid in their weight loss.
I'm curious to hear if only walking, and of course healthy eating, helped people to lose weight. If so, was walking the only form of exercise? And were you walking casually or briskly? Thanks.
Working for me right now as solo exercise. I have two parks close by and one has a lot of steep hills that I walk up to add intensity; finding it much more effective improving muscles and balance. My main focus atm when I’m not on the hills is keeping myself from slouching while walking briskly. That said, I also do a lot of walking on my days off (well over 20k steps minimum).1 -
I used to walk for weight loss. If you have a lot of spare time, it's great especially if you have an enjoyable walk you can do multiple times. But I lost interest in walking around the suburbs for 1-2 hours every day, it got too boring. There is a mountain nearby which I would love to climb daily (4 hours up, 3 down) but I just don't have the time.
Consider hiking part of it. You don’t HAVE to go to the top every day. Few of us have the time or energy fir a 7 he hike every day!2 -
ChickenKillerPuppy wrote: »I listen to a wonderful podcast called “We Only Look Thin” which is a couple and the wife lost 150 pounds and the husband lost 100 pounds and they have kept it off for a number of years. They often talk about the fact that literally the only exercise they did while losing weight was walking outside (albeit a lot of walking). It won’t let you eat whatever you want, but being active through walking can definitely aid in weight loss and overall health.
Although I run 3x a week and do barre classes (strength training) 3x a week, I still walk as much as possible. Step counters are great for that. I average 17K - 21K steps a day.
Awesome!! Your 17K to 21K per day is a few days total for me. I aim for between 6,000 to 7,000 and occasionally go a bit higher.0 -
Walking is great for weight loss for me - because on days I do any physical activity it puts me in a better frame of mind and for some reason I'm tighter with my logging on those days. I look back through my diary and days I exercised my logging is much more detailed. The calories burned (for me) are minimal, but the difference in my mindset and food choices is huge.4
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One thing, get yourself a good pair of walking shoes; don't skimp. It can make a huge difference. Specifically, shoes made for walking, not running and not cross-trainers. Walking shoes have a lower heel than running shoes and generally more support in a firmer sole. If you get this variable right, you'll be able to walk more and further and it'll be a lot more fun.
Thanks. I just ordered a new pair of walking sneakers as I need the comfort.1 -
You cannot outrun your diet--meaning, you can't exercise enough to make up for eating well above your caloric need on a regular basis. (Actually, we gain from overeating even small amounts--eating 200 calories over your caloric need every day will result in a 10 lb weight gain over a year).
Walking has so many benefits, and supporting a healthy caloric deficit is one of them. I used to dislike walking--found it boring. I was always a runner. Well, many years later, I love walking and use it to add exercise and fresh air to my day--I still run, too. I try to do 2.5 miles every morning and evening right now. I'm coming back very slowly from a running injury, so I do my jogging as part of one walk. I also do most of my walking in dog parks with my dogs--and it's been awesome. They need the exercise (they go a lot farther than I do, and do a lot of sprinting) and I enjoy the time with them.
So, if you want to try walking, find a way to do it that makes you happy--it will take time to figure it out, but if all you do is slog through something boring, you won't want to stick with it. But remember to keep a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight, with or without the walking. Good luck.
Agree 100% with your post, minor quibble about math. 200 excess calories a day is 20 (close to 21) pounds in a year, not 10. 100 excess calories is 10 pounds.
200 excess calories X 365 days = 73,000 excess calories per year
73,000 excess calories / roughly 3500 calories in a pound of fat = 20.857 pounds.
Crazy how minor excesses can add up, if one is persistent. But so can minor improvements!
Thanks for catching that. And I think the point about minor improvements is a good one; it does not take all that much to change weight in either direction.
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