Walking

hisgirl86
hisgirl86 Posts: 142 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know there are tons of great, exciting, fun workouts, but was wondering if anyone has lost a significant amount of weight from walking alone (and of course eating healthy, but from only doing walking as exercise).
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Replies

  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
    i did. 20 pounds. strict diet and walking as exercise. 20 - 30 minutes a day, maybe 4 or 5 days a week. have up'd my exercise now that i can, but lost 20 pounds before i started riding my bike or using the elliptical. i think most of the weight was as a result of a tremendous increase in water, i drank nothing else EVER for about a month, and followed a pretty strict diet. my feeling, and i have nothing to base this on, is that walking alone as exercise, will only take you so far. i think at some point, you will have to mix it up, as i did, once i was able to.

    good luck.
  • tami101
    tami101 Posts: 617 Member
    Yes, I lost 35 pounds and my sister lost around 100 pounds with walking being our only exercise. When we started we could barely finish a mile, by the end we were walking 4 to 5 miles a day. Unfortunately, she moved and we stopped and we both gained a lot of the weight back. =( This time is hopefully the last time! I absolutely recommend walking as exercise!
  • prism6
    prism6 Posts: 484 Member
    Thats all I do
  • DJJW
    DJJW Posts: 519 Member
    I LOVE to walk, I still exercise, but I see a huge difference on the weeks that I'm out walking.
  • hisgirl86
    hisgirl86 Posts: 142 Member
    Thats pretty awesome guys. I used to walk fairly regularly back in my semi-fit days, and I *know* that it helped it keep my self in check. But my husband has the argument that walking alone doesn't contribute to weight loss. I told him that if a person who is completely sedentary or rarely does anything beyond the normal day to day stuff, gets out and walks up a sweat several times a week, its *gonna* burn some calories and the person is going to lose weight. I've seen it for myself, and I have heard several awesome stories of people who walked off alot of weight. I told him anything a person does that works up a sweat is good exercise, but he does not believe walking is effective.

    Now as I say this, of course I realize that walking can only do *so much* , and at some point in the weight loss a person needs to add in strength and toning, but I just wanted to prove my point that yes, a person *can* lose weight with walking.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    When I first started, I was right on the border of morbid obesity, and it hurt to do anything but walk or swim so that's what I did. Now, I walk about 3 miles per day, walk to and from the grocery store (about 3 miles round trip), and I really like it. I'm much more active.

    Walking is a wonderful way to exercise when you can't do much else.

    Honestly though, the calorie deficit is what makes you lose weight, not just walking. You have to eat well also or it just won't work by itself.
  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
    Me too! Just walking and eating better. :happy:

    Down 61lbs in 5 months.
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    I lost about 50 lbs. with just walking before I started adding in weight training and mixing in jogging too.
  • 3319jane
    3319jane Posts: 38 Member
    And me :)

    I am just back from a holiday where I ate & drank far more than I should have but still lost 3lbs by walking almost 25 miles in 5 days!

    There is no way I could have done that three months ago and I feel so much better for it.
  • oharabears
    oharabears Posts: 85
    My husband and I took a 7-day Caribbean cruise a few years ago and both came back several pounds LIGHTER because, even though we had access to tons of food, we spent every day we were at sea just walking around the ship! : )
  • MrsCanuck
    MrsCanuck Posts: 16
    That's all my dad does. He lost his weight (big amount) almost thirty years ago and has kept it off by walking every morning for an hour. Sometimes he'll also walk an hour in the evening. He indulges in his "yummy" foods now and then, but he mainly sticks to eaating healthy.

    Even after back surgery (year recovering) and a sprained ankle, he didn't put back on the weight. He just kept an eye on his eating while being sedentary. Once he healed, he was back out walking again. He's 72 now, and still walking like a teenager.
  • WilliamsJJ86
    WilliamsJJ86 Posts: 34
    I walk all the time cause I'm 300 so running to me is a joke. in 3wks I lost about 3lbs, that's with only walking 3 days a week for 20-30mins.
  • WilliamsJJ86
    WilliamsJJ86 Posts: 34
    That's all my dad does. He lost his weight (big amount) almost thirty years ago and has kept it off by walking every morning for an hour. Sometimes he'll also walk an hour in the evening. He indulges in his "yummy" foods now and then, but he mainly sticks to eaating healthy.

    Even after back surgery (year recovering) and a sprained ankle, he didn't put back on the weight. He just kept an eye on his eating while being sedentary. Once he healed, he was back out walking again. He's 72 now, and still walking like a teenager.

    there was no like button but your dad's awesome!!
  • rachmass1
    rachmass1 Posts: 470 Member
    I have a treadmill desk and walk very slowly while working. Usually walk 3-4 hours a day at 1mph so I can type. Have lost 9 pounds since I started doing this. It has been about 12 weeks and it is mainly due to walking plus cutting back on quantity and eliminating most bread. My pants are falling off me because I am trimming from the walking. Have just started to increase the speed a fraction and do some intervals of increased speed if my hip will take it. Walking is great
  • pabocat
    pabocat Posts: 10
    I walk 30 min 2 x a day with my dog everyday.I have change my diet.I have lost 10 lbs in the last 60 days.Slow but sure,and It is so easy.:glasses:
  • TexanThom
    TexanThom Posts: 778
    I'm down 40lbs. from just walking.....Not so much of the healthy eating.
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
    I started off with walking alone when I started my weight loss journey. I lost a good 30 pounds this way before I stepped up my game and added harder cardio and strength training. My cardiologist told me the other day that walking is great but at this stage of my game it isn't exercise, just daily life. But yes, walking is great for you.
  • bditty187
    bditty187 Posts: 14
    I started mfp with just walking and eating healthy and I lost weight, 10-15lbs. Once I started lifting weights and kept the same healthy diet I saw more results. Mixing in an elpitical trainer every other trip to the gym helped too. I am down 46lbs since 02/01/12.
  • CawfeeLuv
    CawfeeLuv Posts: 18
    I walk the treadmill anywhere from 3.2mph-3.5 or so 4-5 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour and as long as I am eating ok, I do lose.
  • Redbird99ky
    Redbird99ky Posts: 305 Member
    I have lost all of my 75+ lbs by eating better and only walking as exercise. In 2006, I was 235+. I am now 159, and have been on maintenance for about a month. I hope this helps and provides the inspiration you need.


    The walking I do is NOT treadmill walking ... it's walking the dog ... We have two large Airedales that need regular exercise, otherwise they turn into 150+ lbs of "jack russel on caffeine" dogs!
  • navy1984
    navy1984 Posts: 57
    I did! I have lost 46 pounds in the past 3 months from walking on an incline on my tredmil. The first month it was just 2-4 times a week and for about the past week and a half I have been doing it everyday. Started out eating 1500 calories, now I am inbetween 1200-1400. That is all I do! :smile: Walking rocks and I highy advocate it! My legs have never looked so good!!
  • micklepickle27
    micklepickle27 Posts: 6
    never owning a car, always walking or taking the to work....this has helped me to not gain as much weight as i may have with four wheels. i have recently starting walking farther distances and incorporated a little light jogging (jogging was not in my vocabulary a few months ago) into my routine. walking is one of the best low impact exercises you can do, and you can do it anywhere and everywhere. walk where there are hills or roads on an incline and that will help.
  • fabmst
    fabmst Posts: 42 Member
    I lost my first 100lbs strictly from walking. Since then I have added in other activities but I always go back to walking. Over the summer I will go back to walking only because i know it will help me shed this fat I have left then I will add in toning. It canb e done!!
  • Celeigh12
    Celeigh12 Posts: 763 Member
    Me so far. I have plans to add in resistance training, but haven't gotten up the courage to go to a gym yet.
  • tialynn1
    tialynn1 Posts: 884 Member
    When I have lost weight before that is all I did. Since I started this journey in January, it is still my favorite way of exercising. I also do Zumba and strength training too. I love Leslie Sansone walk at home videos. I have a bunch of those videos plus Zumba videos. I still prefer hers. Like this morning, I had time to do anything I wanted. I decided to do her 5 mile super slim walk video instead of the Zumba 1 hour video. I just feel they give me a great variety.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    Don't forget to keep the pace up. So walk faster. :)

    Prevention posted an article about this the other day, and how speed walking helps you lose more belly fat.

    Here are the links:
    This is for all of you walkers. Prevention posted a little study. People who "speed walked" lost more belly fat and internal fat then people who walked "slow." [Topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/561410-prevention-walking-plan]

    Here is a link to the 8 walking week plan and half and full marathon training plans: http://www.prevention.com/pdf/PV0409BELYA.pdf

    Here is the full article: http://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/speed-walking-and-belly-fat-preventioncom
  • AndiJoy812
    AndiJoy812 Posts: 236
    I've been walking my neighborhood loop, 2.3 miles, hilly terrain, 3 times per week and staying in my calorie range, and have lost 46 pounds since Feb 9. So yes, walking works. Going to start lifting again once I lose another 20 or so more pounds, but walking is going to be a part of my life from now on. I crave my walks!!
  • rachaela06
    rachaela06 Posts: 167
    I love walking as an exercise, some days I feel I'm having an affair with my treadmill. Just remember to increase your speed and terrain. I walk on the highest incline and the fastest speed I can manage for the longest possible time, it really burns up calories!!! The more consistent you are, the more your endurance will increase, giving you the ability to try other forms of exercise.
  • amruden
    amruden Posts: 228 Member
    Remember weight loss if 80% diet and 20% exercise and 15% peoples opinions,

    if it works for you DO.. if it dont, try something else!
  • JamesBurkes
    JamesBurkes Posts: 382 Member
    Walking is excellent!

    Even a lot of pro-bodybuilders, despite all the hours they spend in the gym, turn to walking to get rid of fat.

    It's great for the unfit as it's so low impact and low-intensity and it's great for the very fit, as you can add it in around your existing workout commitments without overtraining muscles or drawing on energy reserves you need for recovery.

    I do weights, HIIT cardio, running and cycling..... but when I throw in a few extra hours of walking here and there, that's when I really see the change. Strange, considering it's so easy....

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