Don't People Walk Anymore?

Options
nikmaack
nikmaack Posts: 28 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I walk to work. I sometimes take a walk at lunch. I walk home from work. I walk my dogs up to three times a day. I live downtown and I don't own a car. On top of that, I ride an elliptical trainer most days for an hour. I often go for long cycling trips on weekends.

I log all of this exercise, counting the walking calories using a pedometer.

Much to my own amazement, this gives me 1700 to 2000 EXTRA calories a day. At first I was hesitant to eat these calories. Now I know better -- I've been on MFP for well over a year and I've lost close to 100 lbs.

(My diary is wide open for anyone who cares to look.)

When I look at the diaries of other MFPers, I'm surprised. Most people have one bout of working out a day, or every other day. And that's it.

Are people not walking? Do you all take cars everywhere? Or are you simply not logging these walking calories?

No offense meant. I thought I was pretty normal. I'm beginning to realize I am extremely active compared to most people. I had no idea.

Nik
«134

Replies

  • cnsmith2
    cnsmith2 Posts: 539 Member
    Options
    well you are a lot more active than I am lol
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
    Options
    I am quite fit so walking does not raise my HR and I may only burn slightly more than I would at rest, and if you are set up as anything above sedentary, walking would be included in your daily intake. Some walking would be included in a sedentary lifestyle.

    For you cycling do you back out the cals you would have burned at rest (essentially back out maintenance cals for that time period, as HRM's and MFP give total cals burned for exercise, not extra cals above and beyond normal, if you don't back them out you would be double counting those maintenance cals.)
  • tashacan
    tashacan Posts: 121
    Options
    That is really funny but no, I do not walk much. It is way different where I live. We take cars EVERYWHERE! Things are farther apart than in big cities. You really don't even see people riding bikes...still too far...miles... :)
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    Options
    If it's a matter of being more active every day, typically you don't log it as exercise, but you bump up your activity level higher to account for it.
  • champ358
    champ358 Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I try to ride my bike to work on nice days, about 2 miles each way. I also try to do a 40 to 60 minute walk each day. I do fall behind in the winter and need to make a better effort.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Options
    I love walking! I commute downtown to work (Chicago). It's a mile to my office from the train station. I walk this twice a day in addition to my regular work outs. It's awesome that I have a 2 mile walk incorporated into my day! And yes!..it's surprising how many calories you can burn by doing a lot of walking! Love it!
  • MandaJean83
    MandaJean83 Posts: 677 Member
    Options
    I hate to say it, but I'm not nearly that active. Don't get me wrong...I walk a lot at work...and I walk around doing housework, etc. Or when I go to the mall. But I don't actually take long walks as a form of transportation. If I lived in the city, I probably would...but out here in the 'burbs, the grocery store/mall/restaurants are many, many miles oftentimes...it would take me half a day of walking to get there, and on busy main roads. So I use a car! It's safer for me! :happy:
  • Legs_McGee
    Legs_McGee Posts: 845 Member
    Options
    I walk my dog two or three times a day and I sometimes walk around downtown to run errands for work, but I don't log those as exercise calories.....I just consider it part of my regular daily activities.
  • krystonite
    krystonite Posts: 553 Member
    Options
    If I take my car somewhere (and I have to because I am 30 miles from all civilization), I make sure to park as far away from the venue as possible.
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
    Options
    If I walk for more than 10 minutes I log it. I don't own a car. I often walk 30-40 minutes or more to get places.
  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
    Options
    I think that it depends on your life. I don't walk much. I live in a suburb (so I can't walk to get anything) and I work from home (can't walk to work). I do take the dogs for a walk, but don't add it usually because it doesn't get my heart rate up. But, I do go to the gym everyday and burn 500-800 calories doing that.
  • ryanfeltz
    ryanfeltz Posts: 126
    Options
    where i live we couldt walk to work... in a big city too ( Houston) things are just too spread out. For instance it is 12 miles round trip to the store and/or dry cleaner. I work at home now but the last job i had was 56 miles round trip. I think people would be healthier if we walked every where.
  • bdurls
    bdurls Posts: 128 Member
    Options
    I walk everywhere too as I don't have a license, I just don't log it all. If it doesn't riase my heart rate then I figure it is just a part of my daily routine. Sometimes I go for long brisk walks specifically for exercise and I log those cuz it gets my heart rate up.
  • Texas501
    Texas501 Posts: 274
    Options
    Kudos to you, you eat pretty damn clean! I am very impressed. And no, people do not walk much, they drive everywhere, especially in cities where mass transit is a joke, like where I live. We should all strive to walk more, including me. Good for us, good for the environment.
  • YukonJoy
    YukonJoy Posts: 1,279 Member
    Options
    I only log my gym time. I do not log when I walk to work, walk my dogs, walk to the store, clean my house, mow my lawn.

    That is just ridiculous.
  • DiamondRubyMom
    DiamondRubyMom Posts: 147 Member
    Options
    Some of that is because you live in a big city. Where i live, my closest neighbor is .5 mile away. The closest gas station is 5 miles away. The closest store is 30 miles a way. When I worked, i had to drive 45 minutes one way to get there. So I'm actually happy for you that you have this opportunity but not all of us do.
  • gertieblueboots
    gertieblueboots Posts: 46
    Options
    I think it depends where you live. If you're in the city and you work a mile from your home and the grocery store is a mile from there and there's a park two blocks away, then sure, walking is quite viable. I live in a smaller town though. My apartment is ten miles from my office. The grocery store/commercial district is also about ten miles away. I sometimes walk downtown for lunch, as its only about 10 minutes from the office, but even then, I have an hour for lunch...1/3 of it would be devoted to travel, and if I have to sit down and be waited on for lunch, I'm going to be late.

    I could walk to work. 10 miles is easily walkable. I'm in much better shape than I used to be. But come on...I walk what, 2-3 miles per hour? I don't have time in my day to devote 3 hours to walking to work and 3 to walking home. I think most people are in similar situations.
  • Gigi_licious
    Gigi_licious Posts: 1,185 Member
    Options
    I take my car everywhere.......I probably COULD walk to work since it's only about a 20 min drive, but there's no gaurantee I wouldn't be riddled with bullet holes by the time I get to work.
  • Trishintraining
    Trishintraining Posts: 5
    Options
    I don't walk very much, but any standing or walking I do, I figured was included in my "lifestyle" choice. If I go off routine, and walk extra, such as a few hours hoofing it around the outlet mall, I'll add that in. But if it's just normal things that I do everyday, well that's just part of my base activity, and I wouldn't add it in :)
  • aliciarenee79
    aliciarenee79 Posts: 35 Member
    Options
    I wish I lived in an area I could walk places to more. Everything is spread out, without many sidewalks.

Categories