Walking for weight loss...
Thestepper
Posts: 17 Member
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.
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.
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Replies
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Yes, walking is great for fitness and adds a few calories to your day.4
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walking at a pace thats gets your heart pounding is great cardio.. i lost, just walking few year ago... but over ate and regained.. I've just lost 1.5kg in last 2weeks....
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Walking away from the kitchen aids in weight loss
Seriously, walking burns about 50 calls per mile for a 150 lb person. It’s also a great starting point for developing fitness. 6 yrs ago I couldn’t walk 1/4 mile. Now in the last 7 days I’ve walked 12 miles, biked 27 miles, swam 1.5 miles, and completed a few yoga and strength sessions. At age 65.
There’s nothing about walking or any other activity that magically makes you lose weight.19 -
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.
Perhaps you can tell from the comments that we can discern from your questions you have the same misunderstanding many do.
That some form of exercise, and you appear to think at some serious enough level, is required to lose weight.
No, the only thing exercise allows you to do for fat loss is burn more in your day, and may make it easier to eat less than that higher burn, and still feel like you are eating enough to adhere to the diet.
Would you rather burn 2500 in a day being active, and eat 2000, and lose 1 lb weekly (roughly).
Or be sedentary and burn 2000, and only get to eat 1500 for same 1lb?
Now, walking isn't going to burn 500 calories for most unless they have lots of time, or going at serious pace with hills and such and still some time available.
Some also really get into step challenges even after walking for awhile. Sometimes to the detriment of spending some time on what could be a better heart health or body shaping workout.
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I find that walking/ running outside helps in more ways than just the calories burned.
It helps me manage my depression, generally it makes me feel better. On days when other things all feel a bit much to cope with I can go for a walk, listen to an audio book and it helps.
This makes it less likely that I'll call head first into a chocolate cake, so there are indirect benefits.19 -
I used to walk 20km a day five days a week and stayed at a healthy weight. Plus my legs looked awesome. Highly recommend7
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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.4
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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.
Keeping a nutritious, balanced diet, in a long-term appropriate caloric deficit, was what made me lose weight.
Exercise, like others have said, has added benefits. It improves health, and it provides a few extra calories that - at least in my case - are very welcome.
To answer your questions, walking is my main form of exercise (I also do Pilates but, in spite of having plenty of benefits, Pilates is quite low in terms of burned calories). I walk briskly, and the speed has naturally increased since I started doing it regularly. So has the duration: At first, I'd walk for 15 minutes a day. Then 30... then 60... two years later I can easily walk for 3+ hours before starting to feel tired.
Walking also helps me keeping my mental sanity. It's my "me time", it's a great way to let my mind wander where it needs to go. A win-win! 
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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.4 -
I used to run, then injury moved me to elliptical or stair machine for cardio. COVID closed my gym. So now I walk 60-90 minutes a day (usually 60 min in am, sometimes another walk w a friend later) at 4-4.5 mph, and it has helped boost my calories enough that I feel more satisfied. It doesn’t increase my hunger like higher intensity cardio does.
I do lift weights, but I don’t count any calories burned there, since I don’t actually burn much in the actual exercise session.
Walking is the some form of exercise for my BFF (w whom I walk at night), and she usually walks at more a 3-3.5mph pace and loses weight. She adds more another walk/some extra time to her normal routine when she needs to lose.2 -
I lost 6.5 lbs and 1.5 inches off my waist in June just from walking, I’m a sahm with my kids so walking is basically the only thing I can do every day because I can put them in the stroller and use the tredmill when they nap or it’s raining. I was doing 15,000 steps a day then upped it to 20,000 the last week of the month and I’m gonna keep it at 20,000 for July. It’s not that hard for me to walk a lot. Sometimes we do a long walk like 7 miles or I break it up and take the kids in the morning, then go solo with the dog when my husband gets home, then again with the kids before it gets dark. I’m so bored in quarantine I do like 6-9 miles a day.3
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Been dieting for 13 months. Walking was my sole form of exercise for the first 3-4 months. After that I added an exercise bike and now I do both. When I first started, I was too out of shape for machines, and walking was the only exercise I felt comfortable doing. I really enjoy walking, but ankle issues limit me to 3 miles tops, and a maximum speed of around 3 - 3.2 mph. In other words, I'm good for about an hour, give or take, at a measured not brisk pace, before my ankle lets me know we've had enough for the day. I found walking very effective not only for weight loss but also general getting in shape. My blood pressure and pulse rate improved DRAMATICALLY once I really got going with the walking. I highly recommend it, and I'm quite sure from my own experience that it can easily serve as the sole form of exercise unless one wants to go further with exercise. At a minimum, it's a great foundational step upon which you can later build with other forms of exercise if you want.5
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Walking is great. It makes me feel wonderful. But to lose weight, you must eat at a calorie deficit.
Walking burns more calories than the same amount of time spent sitting in front of the television so, yes, it can cause you to lose some weight IF AND ONLY IF you all that nice walking doesn't cause you to increase your food intake. You can walk and gain weight, too.
The most important factor in losing weight is eating fewer calories than you use. That means limiting how much you eat.
To lose 1 pound a week through walking you'd need to walk about 5 miles a day every day without increasing your food intake at all -- a very tricky proposition.8 -
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.2 -
I started walking when lockdown started. Think it's really helped my fitness and general wellbeing. I started off walking for 25mins just to get out of the house, now I'm walking for about an hour, five days a week. Burns a few hundred calories. I'd go every day if I had the time. I have lost weight but I'd say that was just by creating a bigger calorie deficit. Plus I've got to listen to a tonne of new music 4
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I have neurosarcoid its hard for me to balance myself yet I keep going because it helps build musle and great for lungs and heart.3
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I have lost weight due to walking and calorie counting using my fitness pal too!
A day at work for me I could do 15,000 steps a day
Good luck with your weight loss journey xx1 -
Thank you for all the responses.
In the past, I would create a calorie deficit and do hiit workouts to lose weight. I know 90 percent of the weight loss happens in the kitchen, but I've found that I lost weight faster when I did hiit exercises.
However, I no longer can do high intensity exercises. I physically and mentally just can't do it, or rather don't want to do it, anymore; this is why I'm curious about walking for weight loss. I need something easy on the joints.5 -
Thestepper wrote: »Thank you for all the responses.
In the past, I would create a calorie deficit and do hiit workouts to lose weight. I know 90 percent of the weight loss happens in the kitchen, but I've found that I lost weight faster when I did hiit exercises.
However, I no longer can do high intensity exercises. I physically and mentally just can't do it, or rather don't want to do it, anymore; this is why I'm curious about walking for weight loss. I need something easy on the joints.
There is evidence to show that HIIT does create a higher/longer calorie burn than more traditional aerobic exercise for the same amount of time.
I hear you on the joint issue. I'm coming back from a knee injury and the walking is about 80% of my exercise, still. When I walk a lot, I'm outside more and away from home. Less time around food; more time in nature. It has been so good for me this spring and I suspect has made staying home a lot easier. Good luck; I hope you enjoy it and find it a worthy replacement exercise.
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Thestepper wrote: »Thank you for all the responses.
In the past, I would create a calorie deficit and do hiit workouts to lose weight. I know 90 percent of the weight loss happens in the kitchen, but I've found that I lost weight faster when I did hiit exercises.
However, I no longer can do high intensity exercises. I physically and mentally just can't do it, or rather don't want to do it, anymore; this is why I'm curious about walking for weight loss. I need something easy on the joints.
Do you swim? That might be another form of exercise that you can tolerate, and variety is good.
Of course you might not currently be able to do it, pools in the UK are still shut sadly. But might be worth a try when you can.1 -
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! 2 -
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. 2 -
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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