Walking = Exercise?

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Replies

  • Sheeshy
    Sheeshy Posts: 133
    In my opinion, yes. I actually (embarrasingly) weigh more now than I did right after having my baby, who is now 4. But, I had a Moby Wrap. Anywhere I went, I tied her on and walked there. I dropped weight quickly and felt great. Then came the toddler years. She was too big for the wrap. If I wanted to walk anywhere, it took forever because little short legs had to keep up. So I stopped walking. Now that I'm trying to lose weight, this is my main form of exercise. I walk or bike a lot, and when it's too hot, I do Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home. I love it!
  • MelC2564
    MelC2564 Posts: 182 Member
    Walking for an hour is surely a hell of a lot more 'exercise' than doing nothing for an hour.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member

    My question is specifically for people who are in decent shape. For someone who can run several miles at a time, does 5k's, half-marathons and such, do you think it is acurate to consider a 30/60 minute walk exercise? Or, is it that peson just having a lazy day and not wanting to "really" exercise and just having a leisurely stroll?

    Walking for an hour at 4-5 mph.... how is that *not* exercise?

    While I wouldn't count walking round an amusement park or shopping as 'exercise' per se, it's certainly burning more calories than sitting about on a couch. I took my little girl to a local amusement park a couple of weeks ago. 10 hours on my feet, wandering about, queueing.... I was *tired* at the end of that lot. To suggest this doesn't burn calories seems a bit naive - of course it does, and I'd imagine it burns quite a few!

    I don't log my cleaning, or most of my day to day living stuff. I do log my dog walking, because we do, in fact, break a sweat (our dogs are a bit on the feisty side, and we walk quickly and far with them - generally at least 4 or 5miles a day).

    If you went for a 10 mile hike, would you not count that as exercise, just cause it was walking?
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
    I am at goal weight and walk for an hour a day (I put on my trainers and power walk) so I always include it as exercise...
  • vanessaclarkgbr
    vanessaclarkgbr Posts: 731 Member
    Improving your posture, core strength and stamina? Yes, that is exercise. Hill walkers, trekkers and trail - don't see many fatties there!
  • vanessaclarkgbr
    vanessaclarkgbr Posts: 731 Member
    Improving your posture, core strength and stamina? Yes, that is exercise. Hill walkers, trekkers and trail - don't see many fatties there!
  • vanessaclarkgbr
    vanessaclarkgbr Posts: 731 Member
    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.

    Definitely a good point. I've got up to 650 cals an hour for incline walking at a good pace - same as running on a flat on a treadmill. Only discovered this when recovering from shin splints.
  • fieldfare
    fieldfare Posts: 25
    Think walking's good exercise and will log it if done at a reasonable pace for a reasonable length of time. Used to walk at a much slower pace than I do now and I'm sure making the conscious effort to increase speed has contributed to weight loss so far.

    I go for a brisk walk most days usually wearing a heart rate monitor and the beats per minute soon go up when I tackle steep slopes or break into a jog, or better still jog up a steep slope.

    Another reason I log it is because I love my food - am supposed to be on 1200 cal a day but keep going over so any exercise cals earned are soon scoffed down one way or another; don't burn many calories doing exercise anyway as on the small side at 100lb, lucky if burn over 300 in an hour.
  • lexgem
    lexgem Posts: 163
    I personally don't log it unless I've walked for more than an hour since I have a dog and I live in the city so I walk a lot as part of my daily life. I do have a desk job but I didn't register as sedentary but as moderately active.
    Also I'm a 15 minute walk from the gym so if the weather isn't bad I walk there as a warm up so I can get into the thick of things quicker!
  • MuffinMan25
    MuffinMan25 Posts: 110
    I walk all the time. i burn 300-800 Calories doing so. sounds like a workout to me! :tongue:
  • mowu
    mowu Posts: 245 Member
    If it's not covered by your daily activity (sedentary, lightly active and so on...) it surely is exercise, but as with all other exercises one should subtract the number of calories one would have burned anyway (for me that's about 100 calories/hour), and seeing as walking is often relatively low intensity it may be misleading to just trust blindly in MFP when it hands you e.g. 600 calories for a 2 hour walk.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Ok, I feel I definitely need to preface this a little bit. I understannd 100% that for many people, especially in the beginning, or for someone who is obese, walking is a great exercise and extremely productive! Walking is an excellent way to get up and start moving.

    My question is specifically for people who are in decent shape. For someone who can run several miles at a time, does 5k's, half-marathons and such, do you think it is acurate to consider a 30/60 minute walk exercise? Or, is it that peson just having a lazy day and not wanting to "really" exercise and just having a leisurely stroll?

    Trying to get objective opinions....

    it definitely counts. I am sometimes like that on a sunday, dont want to run or have a proper work out, so me and my boyfriend have a walk round the park. and if it is just leisurely then you can log a leisurely speed!

    it only counts if its EXTRA to what you already do though. for example, walking the dog doesnt count unless its an extra walk on top of the usual. some people count walking to the bus stop or walking round the shops etc, but i wouldnt.
  • goron59
    goron59 Posts: 890 Member
    I declare myself sedentary in MFP and record all meaningful exercise, including my walks to/from work.

    It's not such an effective use of time any more, but it's better for me and cheaper than taking the bus.
  • iwillsoonbeslim
    iwillsoonbeslim Posts: 283
    Wow. Judgemental much? Walking is my main form of exercise. Fast walking, of around 4mph, long distance walking of up to 25 miles a day, hill walking of up to 10 hours at a time, and mountain climbing over terrain you've probably never seen in your life lol lol lol Walk a day in MY shoes, and then see what you think about logging it as exercise!
  • kardeamad
    kardeamad Posts: 43
    Ok, I feel I definitely need to preface this a little bit. I understannd 100% that for many people, especially in the beginning, or for someone who is obese, walking is a great exercise and extremely productive! Walking is an excellent way to get up and start moving.

    My question is specifically for people who are in decent shape. For someone who can run several miles at a time, does 5k's, half-marathons and such, do you think it is acurate to consider a 30/60 minute walk exercise? Or, is it that peson just having a lazy day and not wanting to "really" exercise and just having a leisurely stroll?

    Trying to get objective opinions....
    Put a heart rate monitor on and go for a walk for an hour :smile:
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