WALKING!: It's great excercise NOT wussy excercise!

1235

Replies

  • carly_pear
    carly_pear Posts: 65 Member
    Walking is GREAT!!!! Love going outside or doing the Walk Away The Pounds videos!
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
    I walk to school and back which is 30 mins each day - on Tuesdays and Thursdays I do it twice. I've noticed I can walk much further without getting tired etc, which is nice :)
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    Walking is my main thing to i try for 4 miles a day at 4 mphs or more some days when im bored i can get 12 to 14....I dont like the gym YET! and ive lost 30 pounds in 3 months
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,749 Member
    Years ago when I went from size 12 to size 0/2 I did it with walking 99% of the exercise 1% strength. Helped firm me up and such. Diet of course was important. And varying the intensity and difficulty of the walks. Hoping to get back to that though Ive moved so will have to be a little more inventive in my walks.
  • caseysray
    caseysray Posts: 57 Member
    I began walking as my first exercise. I was only 30 pounds overweight, but was so out of shape that walking was the best starting point. I loved it! It was so enjoyable to be outside and burning calories. As I increased the distance I walked and began to lose weight, I started wondering what else I was capable of. I decided to start alternating between walking and jogging - it would increase the cardio benefits. The first time I tried jogging, I only made it half of a mile. The next day I made it three fourths. By the end of the week, I was able to run a full mile!

    I kept running because it made me feel so strong and successful. Eventually I ran my first 10k. All because I decided to start going outside and walking.
  • jplord
    jplord Posts: 510 Member
    THe mayor of San Diego has lost 97 lbs by simply walking nad correcting his eating habits. Jerry Sanders walks 5 miles every morning and then twice as much on the weekends. He did it over a two-year time span.

    I walk a lot. Even on the same route you always see something different each time that makes it memorable.
  • kwest_4_fitness
    kwest_4_fitness Posts: 820 Member
    Been walking almost every day since I started, at least 50 minutes a day. Wouldn't dream of stopping and will likely continue to walk after I reach goal. It's an awesome way to begin the journey and an awesome way to continue it. It can be relaxing at the end of a rough day, but it's a kick *kitten* workout any time of day when you power walk. LOVE IT!
  • rjo921
    rjo921 Posts: 130
    Walking is definately not a wussy exercise....I am doing a combonation of a lot of things....including Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home Program. You definately get a great workout. I do walking because I have a bad back that I have had two surgeries on....recognizing the fact that I need to do something to try to get in shape....I turned to walking. I have not lost weight but I have lost inches. My journey is beginning..one step at a time.
  • geri1955
    geri1955 Posts: 106
    I started mfp 226 days ago and I lost 36 lbs and it was maiinly from exrcising,I started walking 20 minutes a day in my huge office at work then I moved onto 30 minutes 2x's a day now Im doing workout dvd's when I get home from work,Im toning and feeling great,right now im on week 4 day 1 of c25k! I eat what i want but never go over in calories! I also eat the majority of my calories that i burn, being that i had 40 lbs to lose i wasnt worried about getting the weight off overnite! I still have 4 lbs to go but i think im gonna try for 10 more! Just keep on moving and challenging yourself you' ll be surprised the strength you gain and the things you can accomplish! Now I can say im addicted to exercise! I feel guilty if i only do a 30 min walk!and thats not too often! Walk walk walk do biggest loser power walk or leslie sansone if you cant make it outdoors! Best wishes and set ur mind!!!
  • rsmblue
    rsmblue Posts: 353 Member
    This bears repeating: "whatever your favorite healthy activity is, if you like doing it, chances are you will stick with it and take charge of improving your health."

    I agree!
  • KarenReichel
    KarenReichel Posts: 41
    I walk a minimum of 30 minutes each day, but mostly an hour and a half to two hours generally. I do also do my treadmill for 30 minutes each morning and throw in some elliptical several times per week. I also hit the gym a couple times per week, doing various machines and weights there.

    I like walking quite fast and it seems as if I have the right kind of music that I go even faster!
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
    I love walking around my neighborhood or around the trails with my family. I'm a stay at home mom of 3 children (one in school), one income..so paying a gym membership that I probably wouldn't take advantage of, would be a waste of money. I used to walk a lot but now do more aerobics or just going for a bike ride.
  • IAMDDAY
    IAMDDAY Posts: 771
    I always have time for a walk and i can fit it in anywhere any time. I park far from the store when i go in or in the back of the parking lot at work. It works
  • klopiccolo1
    klopiccolo1 Posts: 114 Member
    I LOVE walking! When I started losing weight in July I weighed 254+ lbs and I would walk 3 miles everyother day. I bought myself Leslie Sansone's walk at home dvd and try to use it regularly. I even walk on my 10 min breaks at work and 30 min at lunch.... I have been sick for about 2 weeks so I havent been walking much but I am feeling better had already planned on a nice long walk tonight when I get home.:heart:
  • Klem4
    Klem4 Posts: 399 Member
    I love walking, though I do it primarily on the treadmill, since walking outside with 2 young kids at a constant pace is rather difficult, lol. my oldest is way too big for a stroller. Anyways, I love walking, I walk at 4.0 for at least 45 minutes, all uphill, besides my warm-up/cool down. I am going to start incorporating more strength though, I want my upper body muscles back. :-)
  • MommyBea
    MommyBea Posts: 84
    Walking was how i first started to exercise at all...i lost my first 20lbs doing so,before i joined MFP. I also to this day get out and walk outside for at least 60mins whenever i can. Ive only just started jogging on my treadmill but my main thing is walking and its still working for me. =D
  • DietingMommy08
    DietingMommy08 Posts: 1,345 Member
    I do leslie sanones 5mile dvd every night and have lost 22lbs on it so far. :o)
    Its more like aerobics but its amazing!
    There is also a resistance band that comes with it that works out your arms as well.
  • jhamlin72680
    jhamlin72680 Posts: 2
    I am not a runner so it's walking for me. Now if I could only prevent my feet and toes from hurting and getting the odd blister, I could easily walk 10 miles or more a day. I bought new shoes that should help. I just need to also rein in the food.
  • CrystalFlury
    CrystalFlury Posts: 400 Member
    When I started using my fitness pal I began with mostly walking. I was able to run (slowly for a long time) but preferred walking because it was less impact. It seemed to work pretty well in building my stamina. I walked 45-60 minutes everyday until that became 'boring' then moved onto trying out the 30 day shred, I realized I wanted to build muscle. It was a huge change at first but I got use to it. I now rotate between running and using my apt gym elliptical and add in 30 day shred every other day that way I can tone.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    I love walking, it helps clear my head and put me in a better frame of mind oh yeah and it burns calories too which is a diffinate plus I have lost 99 lbs in 18 mths and I used walking for the first 50 lbs then joined a gym and started bike riding, strength training, etc, but I still use walking as my main form of exercise. I LOVE IT
  • kokaneesailor
    kokaneesailor Posts: 337 Member
    I love walking, as a matter of fact it was the second exercise I learned growing up. I started with crawling but found it very hard on my knees as I gained weight. So I switched to walking and haven't looked back. Okay maybe once but that's because the doorbell rang.

    Yep walking is great, it gets me to the washroom, the grocery store and the post office. It even gets me home.

    Nope, walking is great, I love it, I do it almost everyday. :smile:
  • tinchick
    tinchick Posts: 59 Member
    I love walking!! It's the only exercise that I do and I've lost 21 pounds so far.

    The best part about it is that it is so easy. You don't need equipment or machines. I can do it anywhere and at anytime.
    I usually walk a mile three times a week and I can already tell that I have more energy and endurance. I even walked a 12 minute mile without feeling like I was going to die afterwards. Quite an improvement for me.
  • litatura
    litatura Posts: 569 Member
    Power walking on the treadmill is my main cardio and I've lost almost 60lbs since last summer (and I'm now only 15lbs to goal). The key to is to jack up the speed and incline - for all the doubters, you can get your heart rate up and the sweat flowing from power walking. I had switched to running for a while, but I burn more calories with power walking so I decided to go back to power walking. Once I hit goal, I'm going to switch back to running.
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
    People that knock walking probably picture someone doing a leisurely stroll for an hour. Nope.

    I do strength training and other forms of cardio, but I still get great calorie burns on the treadmill, fooling around with the incline and speed settings, and I never do more than 30 minutes. I am not a runner, never was, never will be. I also burn crazy calories going on hikes, another form of walking.

    Like most things in life, you gotta put some effort into it to get the most out of it. If someone weighs 400lbs and can only walk at 2.0mph and no incline, they still might be putting a lot into it given their current fitness level.

    Haters can step off :laugh:
  • annabellio
    annabellio Posts: 127 Member
    Because of my trick ankle i can only walk - it bugs me sometimes that I can't do other stuff ( though i do miss the gym and the elliptical - but can't afford it right now) HOWEVER , walking is GREAT exercise and I have 36 pounds lost to prove it !
  • emmiee921
    emmiee921 Posts: 224
    all i do is walking, everyday but try to get a bit of running in.

    recently I've been walking around 1.5-2 hours a day
  • HerBravado
    HerBravado Posts: 392 Member
    I lost my first 20 pounds from walking with Leslie Sansone. :D
    I think walking's a legit exercise.
    Whether it's outside, on a treadmill, or with a DVD.
  • firesoforion
    firesoforion Posts: 1,017 Member
    I've since gained the weight back (that sounds worse than it is because really, I kept it off for years and just gained it in a particularly stressful school period), but I once lost pretty much all the weight I wanted to in a six month period of doing what I later found out is intermittent fasting, and walking a lot. I love walking. The best thing is if you have a quick walk in which one part (three to four minutes, maybe longer when you start) is a solid, steep incline, and you take it all at once (actually what prompted the walking for four of the six months was the location of my parking lot at school, it was a 10 minute walk from any of my classes and 5/4/3 (it sped up) of that was that kind of hill). It just about killed me but I took two minutes off my time over the course of the semester (hah, I was always late so doing it as fast as I could), and I had a backpack with books on as I did it. Seriously, best exercise ever. I should start doing that again. It was way more effective than whatever I've been doing recently.
  • blondejillie
    blondejillie Posts: 305 Member
    Most of my exercise is walking. My feet, ankles, and knees don't like running. Neither does my brain. I am trying to add some resistance training to help with upper body muscle mass, but I haven't seen any need for anything else as of yet.

    In my area, Kaiser Permanante plays this ad for greater physical activity in general and walking in particular:

    http://xnet.kp.org/newscenter/pressreleases/nat/2011/091411thriveads.html
    “Find Your Thing” is a television ad that expresses the different interests and passions that exist toward healthy activities. The woman in the ad is shown running, returning workout equipment and biking, none of which she enjoys. At the end of the 30-second spot, she is shown walking, with a smile on her face. The ad examines several types of activities and concludes that whatever your favorite healthy activity is, if you like doing it, chances are you will stick with it and take charge of improving your health.

    Walking is a key theme in the “Find Your Thing” advertisement. Kaiser Permanente also promotes walking through its EveryBody Walk! campaign, a public awareness project aimed at starting a national conversation about the health benefits of walking. It’s designed to help Americans integrate walking into their daily routine by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week. For more information visit: www.everybodywalk.org.

    “Physical activity is a cornerstone of good health and walking is an excellent form of exercise. It can help prevent and treat conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma and heart disease,” said Bob Sallis, MD, a family physician in Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Permanente Medical Group. “I prescribe walking to my patients as a form of medicine because it’s an easy, cost-effective way to exercise and the health benefits are invaluable.”

    This bears repeating: "whatever your favorite healthy activity is, if you like doing it, chances are you will stick with it and take charge of improving your health."


    Ditto on all this. I started with MFP in January, and began walking in February. First a block or so, and now 3-5 miles daily. I am over 50, so I count this as great exercise for my joints and heart health. I am down 15 pounds, and my dogs are getting the benefit also.

    PupsPixBefore-1.jpg
  • NotGoddess
    NotGoddess Posts: 1,198 Member
    Bump for later.

Categories