Can you lose weight just by walking?

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  • momma_a
    momma_a Posts: 117 Member
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    I cut back my running to just a couple days a week, and am walking pretty briskly at a high incline. Gets my heart rate up enough to very nearly match it when compared to a run. I would say it can burn enough calories for you to lose weight.
  • StirFriedGiblets
    StirFriedGiblets Posts: 89
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    Doesn't matter what you eat for weight loss, just how much of it. You need to eat fewer calories than your body actually needs.

    Walking will help weight loss, but you'll need to control your calories too. That would be enough if you're not bothered about general health and just want to lose weight.

    How much fewer do I have to eat? My BMR is 1327 calories.

    How do you know your BMR is 1327? Is that from MFP?
    MFP uses BMR x 1.2 as the amount of calories to lose 1lb a week for a sedentary lifestyle. This builds in a 500 calories deficit for normal activity. If you exercise, you add those calories on to what you eat.

    So if you're BMR is really 1327

    1327 x 1.2 = 1592 + exercise calories to lose a lb a week, or 250 calories on top of that to lose 0.5lb/week.

    Sounds quite high (though not definitely wrong) , so you should check whether that number really is your BMR

    ETA: There are much better explanations than this ^^^^ out there - do a search on "exercise calories"

    Sorry - that's not right what I typed above. When your (BMR x 1.2) - 500 <1200, MFP puts on you on 1200 minimum as others have said. The BMR x 1.2 does not have a 500 deficit built into it. I blame lack of sleep last night :smile:

    MFP says 1327 calories a day but http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced says 1490. I'm not sure?Ah well I've set my calories at around 1060 calories does that sound bout right?
  • StirFriedGiblets
    StirFriedGiblets Posts: 89
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    **....canteen food doesn't come with it's own nutritional labels.**

    That's true. I purchased a diabetes carb and fat guide...it gives you calorie content as well. Buy one and try to use it with the canteen food. You can estimate portion sizes pretty well, probably. It will give you a decent idea of the numbers.

    Thanks that's a big help :D
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    Doesn't matter what you eat for weight loss, just how much of it. You need to eat fewer calories than your body actually needs.

    Walking will help weight loss, but you'll need to control your calories too. That would be enough if you're not bothered about general health and just want to lose weight.

    How much fewer do I have to eat? My BMR is 1327 calories.

    How do you know your BMR is 1327? Is that from MFP?
    MFP uses BMR x 1.2 as the amount of calories to lose 1lb a week for a sedentary lifestyle. This builds in a 500 calories deficit for normal activity. If you exercise, you add those calories on to what you eat.

    So if you're BMR is really 1327

    1327 x 1.2 = 1592 + exercise calories to lose a lb a week, or 250 calories on top of that to lose 0.5lb/week.

    Sounds quite high (though not definitely wrong) , so you should check whether that number really is your BMR

    ETA: There are much better explanations than this ^^^^ out there - do a search on "exercise calories"

    Sorry - that's not right what I typed above. When your (BMR x 1.2) - 500 <1200, MFP puts on you on 1200 minimum as others have said. The BMR x 1.2 does not have a 500 deficit built into it. I blame lack of sleep last night :smile:

    MFP says 1327 calories a day but http://www.health-calc.com/diet/energy-expenditure-advanced says 1490. I'm not sure?Ah well I've set my calories at around 1060 calories does that sound bout right?

    NO! It's too low, you shouldn't eat under your BMR, you should take your 500 deficit from your TDEE, I think you said yours is around 2100 so if you eat 1600 calories a day that has your deficit built in x
  • vdegraff
    vdegraff Posts: 87 Member
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    My initial weight loss that started a year ago began with walking. I had WLS on 10/19/2011, but by then, I had lost almost 40 lbs by walking and calories deficit. Walking is still my favorite exercose, although I can now bike, jog, eliptical, etc.
  • StirFriedGiblets
    StirFriedGiblets Posts: 89
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    Walking is great cardio- and I'm sure you can lose weight that way...probably just at a slower pace than if you were doing something a little more high intensity.

    Also- I don't know what your goal is- but this is something to keep in mind. Last year when I was trying to get "beach ready" all I did was cardio b/c I thought since that burned the most calories, that would get me to my goal weight the fastest. This year, however, I have been doing some interval training involving weights (like the 30DS) and even though I am a few lbs heavier this year, I look so much better. I think I actually look smaller than I did last year because I added some muscle and lost a little fat.

    I know you hate weight lifting and interval training- but it REALLY does produce a better result when compared to cardio only. Just something to think about :) But if only losing weight is your goal, as opposed to toning up, then you should be just fine!

    See my plan was to get down to my goal weight then tone up because then I know if I gain weight it is muscle I'm gaining so I don't feel as bad. But I don't know anymore
  • caiialily
    caiialily Posts: 28
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    I am going fully catered when I go to university and I am planning to pick the vegetarian options, it just means I won't be able to accurately log my calories - something I'm anxious about - as canteen food doesn't come with it's own nutritional labels :laugh:

    When I don't eat the food my mam buys she thinks I'm starving myself :frown: so I just eat what she gives me now so she doesn't harass me.

    Bear in mind that vegetarian doesn't necessarily mean healthy either. A double cheese pizza could be considered vegetarian and would do no good for your waistline. I know plenty of vegetarians who struggle with their weight because they replace meat with cheese and carbs. So make sure you're choosing the best option available to help you meet your goal.

    That being said, walking is great exercise for the mind and body. And if you walk in a neighborhood with some hills, even better.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    Walking is perfect. Last comp I did a mixture of dog walking and steady state cardio at 110-130bpm on a bike and it works just fine. Main thing is diet, cardio just burns 300-500 extra-ish cals a day if you do enough. Heck even break it up.

    I do several 15 min sessions in a day, makes it less mundane.
  • StirFriedGiblets
    StirFriedGiblets Posts: 89
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    I took a quick peek at your diary. You need to eat more protein. You go over your allotted calories more often than I like to see.

    I've made my food diary public, although I'm pretty embarrassed by the state of it lol. If you are still wanting to have a look at it :)

    Any tips on how to eat more protein without adding to my carbs? Apart from eggs because I get pretty bored of them. I always exceed my carb goal. I probably go over my calories because I manually set my goal to 1060 so even if I burn 300+ calories it doesn't give me a lot to play with. I honestly don't have how much I SHOULD be eating, I want to lose 2 pounds a week but I'm too scared to increase my calories to high amounts like 1500 and 1700
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    protein powder. also walking is great. all I did was walking for almost a year.
  • jenken99
    jenken99 Posts: 564 Member
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    I'm such a lazy bum, I hate exercise (or at least the exercises I've tried - weight lifting, bodyrocktv, 30DS, zumba, jogging, gym, etc) APART FROM walking! Is it possible to lose weight by eating 1060 calories a day and walking? I want to lose 13 more pounds then I've reached my goal weight. I know the more of the same exercise you do the more acclimatised you are to it so would I have to keep upping how long I walk for? :smile: I want to lose 13 pounds by July. Hopefully.

    Thanks for any help guys!

    i have lost about 28 pds, i watch what i eat and walk walk walk,,, its good for you,, and enjoyable.. good luck
  • nailqueen74
    nailqueen74 Posts: 38 Member
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    HELP! Yesterday I weighed myself and was 137, this morning I was 138.8! I used my elliptical and walked for 15 minutes yesterday. By the end of the night I still had over 500 calories left! I had cereal, yogurt, pretzels, pineapple, mini rice cakes, tomato soup, grilled cheese, and a salad. Snacks were root beer float pie (from my healthy cooking magazine), yogurt dip with strawberries and blueberries and two pieces of toast with peanut butter. I am so aggravated! Suggestions? I know I have to eat a certain amount of calories to lose weight and I don't want to go into "starvation mode." I am so mad right now.
  • m60kaf
    m60kaf Posts: 421 Member
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    I took a quick peek at your diary. You need to eat more protein. You go over your allotted calories more often than I like to see.

    I've made my food diary public, although I'm pretty embarrassed by the state of it lol. If you are still wanting to have a look at it :)

    Any tips on how to eat more protein without adding to my carbs? Apart from eggs because I get pretty bored of them. I always exceed my carb goal. I probably go over my calories because I manually set my goal to 1060 so even if I burn 300+ calories it doesn't give me a lot to play with. I honestly don't have how much I SHOULD be eating, I want to lose 2 pounds a week but I'm too scared to increase my calories to high amounts like 1500 and 1700

    It's starting to worry me how many people are getting the idea they need to eat 1000 cals a day and if 1500 is suggested they describe it as high. I think MFP calorie calculation tools must be worryingly flawed.

    If you eat 1000 a day you will fail
  • londoneye
    londoneye Posts: 192 Member
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    I am going fully catered when I go to university and I am planning to pick the vegetarian options, it just means I won't be able to accurately log my calories - something I'm anxious about - as canteen food doesn't come with it's own nutritional labels :laugh:

    When I don't eat the food my mam buys she thinks I'm starving myself :frown: so I just eat what she gives me now so she doesn't harass me.

    Careful of vegetarian food in canteens! It is often the highest calorie option. For some reason many canteen chefs think 'vegetarian' means 'pastry stuffed with cheese/cream'. That is certainly the case in my office canteen. I'm usually better off with the meat option and asking them to replace the chips/french fries with a second serving of veg.
  • londoneye
    londoneye Posts: 192 Member
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    You dont even have to walk in fact you can sit on your behind all day and still lose a ton of weight.....its all about your diet. Key to everything.


    I disagree totally. I think it is all about how much exercise you do and not so much about what you eat. Of course you should eat well but the more you move the more you lose. peroid.

    ps. i used to hate to work out too but you just have to find something fun and that you can get used to doing. try richard simmons! hes fun

    Exercise has health benefits, but its use for weight loss is actually marginal (it becomes a lot more important at the maintenance stage). It gives you a couple of hundred calories extra to play with, but we all know how little food that amounts to! Reducing calorie intake is the key factor for weight loss
  • jsuaccounting
    jsuaccounting Posts: 193 Member
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    Because you are younger than early 20's, it may be especially important for you to get enough calories. I have read some recent articles that explain that the brain is still developing until then. Why not try bumping up to at least 1200 calories and then walk also? Most people lose on 1200 even without walking.
  • StirFriedGiblets
    StirFriedGiblets Posts: 89
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    I took a quick peek at your diary. You need to eat more protein. You go over your allotted calories more often than I like to see.

    I've made my food diary public, although I'm pretty embarrassed by the state of it lol. If you are still wanting to have a look at it :)

    Any tips on how to eat more protein without adding to my carbs? Apart from eggs because I get pretty bored of them. I always exceed my carb goal. I probably go over my calories because I manually set my goal to 1060 so even if I burn 300+ calories it doesn't give me a lot to play with. I honestly don't have how much I SHOULD be eating, I want to lose 2 pounds a week but I'm too scared to increase my calories to high amounts like 1500 and 1700

    It's starting to worry me how many people are getting the idea they need to eat 1000 cals a day and if 1500 is suggested they describe it as high. I think MFP calorie calculation tools must be worryingly flawed.

    If you eat 1000 a day you will fail

    MFP set me originally as 1200 because my goal was to lose 2 pounds a week, it said my projected weight loss on those calories would be less than 2 pounds a week so I manually changed my calories to 1190, then eventually 1060 when I did digging on the internet. Apparently you need 3000-odd calorie deficit a week to lose 1/2 pounds? Can't exactly remember.

    I'm not doing strenuous exercise at the moment because I have a month of exams coming up and don't want to tire myself out so much I'm not motivated and/or too tired to revise. I still wanted to lose weight during this time BUT if I'm starving my brain of important food to help me study then I don't want to sacrifice my grades for the sake of a couple of pounds.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    For me, it's all about walking. When I lived places where I walked everywhere, at least 45 minutes a day, I was at the center of the healthy BMI range. Then I moved someplace where I had door-to-door transportation and gained half a pound every month, eventually gaining 20 lbs. Then I moved someplace where I had to walk again, and five of those lbs came off in a month with actually a worse diet.

    Also, please learn now that vegetarian does not equal healthy. A lot of vegetarians compensate by eating a lot of foods that are heavy in sugar, carbohydrates, and fat. Also, lean meats, such as chicken, can provide significant nutrition and help you feel fuller on fewer calories.

    That said, remember that you don't have to make every change at once. You can start walking now, then replace sugary snacks with healthier options, then start making healthy meal choices when you get to uni, etc. It's like moving a pile of pebbles; if you don't let yourself get intimidated by the size of the pile, it's faily easy to just move one pebble at a time.
  • buyart1
    buyart1 Posts: 1 Member
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    that may be true for some but if you are my age a young 56 it takes more than diet.
    females bodies change and so do their hormones so a good diet and walking is a must
    or the weight just won't come off..

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