Walking = Exercise?

I'm in pretty good shape. Run, lift weights. I count walks if I do a decent length and at a very brisk pace. If I'm meaning to go out and break a sweat walking then I count it. If I'm just walking to the grocery store or something then I don't count it.

I run 2-5 miles 5x a week and I do count walking as exercise. I usually go for a walk on my "active rest days" but the pace is usually 4.5mph or so and I can def work up a sweat!

Ok, I fall into the latter category now and there are days when I don't run that sometimes I just like to get out and enjoy a nice walk. A nice walk to me is something that does get my heart rate up, I can take in a little scenery, whatever. Those I count as exercise. Shopping all day at a mall I will count some of the time, not all, but a little (2 hours instead of 8) but I do not count my job or regular running errands and stuff. I did my job and my errands before I got fat, so I don't consider that exercise, plus I have my profile set to "lightly active' for those things. If it's a day I've been normally active but then take an hour long walk and get in 3.5 miles... yes, I count that!

Better to go for a leisurely stroll then to not exercise at all, I think. If it gets your heart rate up, and it burns calories, it's exercise in my book xxx

Well I don't fit into the "descent" shape category, but I think that any level of activity burns something. If you accumulate the amount of "normal movement" activity into one lump sum at the end of the day it could be a decent number.

It's personal preference if you want to count those "under 100 calorie burns" or not. I'll take every calorie I can get, but to be quite honest, I can probably leave it off and still hit my calorie goals without it.

<smile>

I would count it if got my heart rate up - which usually means a brisk walk, not a stroll.

Sure, it burns calories, doesn't it?
But, whether you log it as exercise or not would depend on your activity level setting. I have mine set at lightly active, so I don't count short walks to the bus stop or to the pub or to the shop.
But if I go for a walk for exercise and it is not in my regular routine I count it, add it and usually eat those calories. For example, most Fridays (not today as I'm not going to work today) I walk 4km to the train station instead of walking 200m to the bus stop. This is usually my low activity day before a long run on Saturday but I like to get moving anyway.

Walking is actually the best exercise, it is a normal motion and easier on the joints. If someone is walking 3-4 mph for an 30 minutes to an hour is a great calorie burn plus if you add hills even better.

I think it does our bodies good to mix it up, it gets used to the same thing and needs a jolt now and then. If you're walking at a good pace for 30 or 60 minutes, why not count it. :ohwell:

Walking is great exercise and a stress reliever but it's not gonna knock the calories off and help you burn fat. That is unless you walk A LOT. I will go on 5-7 mile strenuous hikes in the mountains. Now that is some exercise. I walk 30 minutes a day and that calculates as about 800 calories burned a week so hell yeah!

I have a fainting disorder so walking is about all I can do right now for excercie. So for some walking is excellent excercise. However, while walking is excercise for people who run and can run for miles and miles walking might not be "adequate" excercise for their bodies.

Also it depends on the walk. If you're walking down the street and back then no. But hiking and going along trails that have varying degrees of difficulty it's a great cardio workout for any type of athlete.

Fainting? Wow that must be hard. Do you have to walk with someone all the time?

A stroll. No, it's good movement, but not exercise for calorie burn.

A brisk walk - yes! You are using different muscles to walk then to run/jog. There are actually a ton of marathon runners that have trouble with the 3 day breast cancer walk because they don't train thinking they can run a marathon, certainly they can walk. Guess what? They find out that walking is not just a slow form of running.

I hate running.. like absolutely positively despise running... So heck yes I count walking as exercise!

My primary form of cardio, is walking on a treadmill at the highest incline at a pretty normal pace. I also take a 2 mile walk around our local lake if I'm not feeling the gym that day.

When I do go to the gym, I normally lift twice a week if I can and do walking the other two days.

I totally understand the point you're making. Here is what I posted on a similar blog:

I only record calories burned doing cardio, strength training or aerobics. IDK but I feel like I'm cheating myself by recording calories burned for standing or walking around. I saw someone log walking at an amusement park 1,000 calories??? Not judging them, but I know that when I walked around Cedar Point, I stopped several times and ate while walking.

I'm interested in what other opinions are out there.....

Your comment about walking around the amusement park caught my eye. I actually wore my pedometer at Kings Dominion a few years ago. While I didn't really ever break a sweat, I was shocked at the # of steps that I logged: if I remember correctly, it came out at about 17000. I also wear one when we are out playing "tourist." While I don't count it all, I definitely count some of it as exercise since it is a lot more walking than I would normally do.

As for the OP's ??, if walking IS my actual exercise for the day (often a rest day...or some days I just add a walk onto my regular routine), I'll log it. Otherwise I don't.

My activity level is set to sedentary because I have a desk job, but I don't drive and therefore have 45 minutes minimum active transport in my day. I log it as a trully sedentary person would just jump in the car and drive everywhere and not get any active transport in at all.