Is walking 'real' exercise?

Absolutely!!! and an great exercise when done over 30mins

Totally not a silly question... here's what I've been told... by my doctor (real doctor of medicine)

I walk construction sites for a living and inspect them... constant walking at a slow pace sometimes and not always challanging. Over time a body will become used to that amount of activity, so although you are moving and being active, it does not actually count as excercise.

This is where the balance between what you need to eat to maintain your weight and what you should eat to loose weight comes in.

A few more details might contribute to the answer as well; you said 45 min each way, but how far is it?; does your backpack weigh the same every day or are some days is it harder to carry?

Time and money are always a factor when you are going to school, there is a lot to juggle (hence the dreaded freshman 15 that is often gained).

Do you count it? YES but watch your settings on mfp to make sure that you aren't counting it twice... I think everyone should do a little research and find out what they burn on a bare minimum day ie. sleeping, sitting, showering, dressing, walking to school, sitting, reading etc etc etc. This gives one a good baseline to know what they should be doing. If you include the walk back and forth to school, you may find that you are burning x amount of calories but consuming more and then hindering your weight loss goals.

Try changing up your walk sometimes, maybe on a day where you don't have to carry books (or figure out a way to get your books to school with out you) try jogging it, or at least change your pace a few times during the trips? Hope this helps!

well, you say you do this every day, so you should really count this as part of your regular life style. it is something you get used to.

as far as whether or not it's exercise... well, thats up to you. personally, i usually don't count it as exercise for myself. exercise for me is is running, biking, swimming. i did one time spend about 4 hours of walking "hiking" and traveled about 12 miles. so unless i'm hiking, i don't count it.

however this is different for people with injuries, extreme weight problems, or are elderly. walking is an excellent form of exercise, and a great way to start getting fitter.

If you want to maximize the workout then weigh how much you're carrying each day and add a tiny bit more each week. Set a milestone for Monday to get to uni in x amount of minutes and try to better that by Friday. The next week add some weight and do it again. If you're carrying weight then you're definitely exercising!

It's definitely exercise. Just be careful logging it - ie if you've already accounted for these walks in your activity settings (active v. sedentary), then logging the walks might be double dipping.

I managed to lose 35lb doing only walking. I've since kicked things up a bit and lost 3 more pounds. So...yeah, it works.

It's definitely exercise and a fantastic one for weight loss.

The "problem" with high intensity exercise (running, spinning, zumba, whatever) is that it can often leave you feeling very hungry. That's great if you can suffer that hunger but most people can't. So it's great for fitness but not as great as the calorie expenditure might make you think.

Walking gives your body time to metabolise fat and so when you finish you don't feel "starving" and so it's much easier to stick it out to the next meal.

The "problem" with walking is that it takes a long time to do a lot of it. If you've got the time then great.

Most people will lose weight if they were doing 450 minutes of walking a week !

Here you go:

Link is at the bottom if you want to read more.

Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your health
Walking is a low-impact exercise with numerous health benefits. Here's how to get started.
By Mayo Clinic staff

Walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is a form of exercise accessible to just about everybody. It's safe, simple and doesn't require practice. And the health benefits are many. Here's more about why walking is good for you, and how to get started with a walking program.

Benefits of walking
Walking, like other exercise, can help you achieve a number of important health benefits. Walking can help you:

Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)
Lower your blood pressure
Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes
Manage your weight
Improve your mood
Stay strong and fit
All it takes to reap these benefits is a routine of brisk walking. It doesn't get much simpler than that. And you can forget the "no pain, no gain" talk. Research shows that regular, brisk walking can reduce the risk of heart attack by the same amount as more vigorous exercise, such as jogging.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/walking/HQ01612

Absolutely! If you want to kick it up, throw in a few sprints along the way. Free gym exercise!

It is definitely considered exercise. I walked everywhere when I was pregnant, I walked and practiced yoga after pregnancy (lost the 20lbs I gained in 2 months), I still walk everywhere, I try not to drive too much. Walking burns calories and is known to reduce stress.