Noticing a difference - walking.

mandyw30 · July 2012

Hi, I have started walking as exercise to help my weight loss and improve my fitness.
I am very fat and very unfit so felt walking was a good free way of starting some exercise. I have worked out a route where I live that is 1.3 miles. I started yesterday and completed this route both yesterday and today in 25mins.
I am aiming to do this route 5 times a week.
What I'm wondering is how long will it be before I start to notice this route getting easier, (e.g less out of breath, less sweaty, quicker times)?
Obviously when this route starts getting easier I will start to extend the route, or do it twice and maybe start adding some jogging in too.

thrld · July 2012

after the 7th time. (it will be easier, not necessarily easy)

gonna_do_it_56 · July 2012

It does n't t take long...so stick with it! Walking is fine and its good to have a route. reading these boards will help. Doing some form of weights is a good idea as well once you are upto it. Good luck!!

mandyw30 · July 2012

Thanks for the response!
So by next week I should be noticing a difference? That is good. Might aim to stick to this route for 2 weeks then add in some extra.
I'm not doing any strength at the moment but I hope to soon! (Long story short, do have access to a multi-gym but currently have a lodger in spare room, but he is hopefully moving out soon!!). Also have access to a cross trainer but find I can literally do about 30secs on this before feeling knackered! So I thought walking would be a good way to gently increase my fitness then move onto cross trainer!!
I need to get some more batteries for my HRM so I can wear that when walking and push myself a bit. Will start short bursts of jogging. Will be great when one day I can jog round the whole route!! (I know to some people a 1.3mile jog is probably pathetic but to me it will be an achievement!!)

scottb81 · July 2012

Improvements come very fast in the beginning. In two or three weeks what you are doing now will feel very routine.

mandyw30 · July 2012

Improvements come very fast in the beginning. In two or three weeks what you are doing now will feel very routine.

Thats really good to hear and will hopefully keep me motivated!

sarahharmintx · July 2012

Great start with things. Im kinda in the same boat. But remember, even on your crappy days where you dont want to do it or go slower than normal, its better (physically and mentally) than 25 mintues on the couch. Keep up the good work!

skonly · July 2012

Thanks for the response!
So by next week I should be noticing a difference? That is good. Might aim to stick to this route for 2 weeks then add in some extra.
I'm not doing any strength at the moment but I hope to soon! (Long story short, do have access to a multi-gym but currently have a lodger in spare room, but he is hopefully moving out soon!!). Also have access to a cross trainer but find I can literally do about 30secs on this before feeling knackered! So I thought walking would be a good way to gently increase my fitness then move onto cross trainer!!
I need to get some more batteries for my HRM so I can wear that when walking and push myself a bit. Will start short bursts of jogging. Will be great when one day I can jog round the whole route!! (I know to some people a 1.3mile jog is probably pathetic but to me it will be an achievement!!)

1.3 mile jog is not pathetic. Walking is great and I find it calming. Do you have a dog? Nothing better than going for a walk with a dog. Be proud of yourself for starting, it won't be long before you are craving your walking time. I think the mental benefits are great.

GermanicKnight · July 2012

Each step you make going forward will be a little easier than the last. Keep going forward. Through the pain, the fear, the fatigue, and the doubt.

It is people like you that make me want to work harder. Thank you for the boost today.

Coco_UK · July 2012

I have got a routine of walking 6 days a week and I have really noticed a difference in how I feel.

The first week I would take a pain killer an hour before my walk to help with it. My hips hurt, my ankle hurt and my knees hurt.

It is hard to tell you when it stopped, as you know once something stops hurting you forget all about it, but I think it must have been just a week or so.

Ah, my first walks where of about a mile with my dog too... those were slow and I took breaks. At the moment I am doing about 3 mile walks :-)

I noticed you have a bike, I have a vespa and I am having to stay off it at the moment to get those miles in! :-)

If you want any support with this feel free to add me! :-)

Good luck with the walking and keep moving! :-)

ngolston · July 2012

Congratulations on getting started! My success started with walking as well

I know you are eager to progress and challenge yourself as you have mentioned running. My suggestion is to continue walking, working towards 30minutes 5-6 days a week forat least 6 weeks before you begin a walk/run routine. This gives your bones and ligaments time to get stronger.
When you start running, keep it SLOW (like you can talk to someone slow) and take plenty of walk breaks. If you run for 20-30 seconds, walk for a minute or two, or until your breathing is easy again and then do another run. Before you know it you will be running for 1-2 minutes and only walking 30-45 seconds, and then running without breaks if that is your goal

I am so excited for you!

mulcahya · July 2012

Thanks for the response!
So by next week I should be noticing a difference? That is good. Might aim to stick to this route for 2 weeks then add in some extra.
I'm not doing any strength at the moment but I hope to soon! (Long story short, do have access to a multi-gym but currently have a lodger in spare room, but he is hopefully moving out soon!!). Also have access to a cross trainer but find I can literally do about 30secs on this before feeling knackered! So I thought walking would be a good way to gently increase my fitness then move onto cross trainer!!
I need to get some more batteries for my HRM so I can wear that when walking and push myself a bit. Will start short bursts of jogging. Will be great when one day I can jog round the whole route!! (I know to some people a 1.3mile jog is probably pathetic but to me it will be an achievement!!)

1.3 mile jog is not pathetic. Walking is great and I find it calming. Do you have a dog? Nothing better than going for a walk with a dog. Be proud of yourself for starting, it won't be long before you are craving your walking time. I think the mental benefits are great.

Fully agree! A 1.3 mile jog is definitely not pathetic, and walking is such a great place to start. I started walking about the same twice a day and by the end of that week I definitely noticed a difference! I also find it calming and find that I am less stressed if I go for a walk each day. I don't like going a day without a 20 minute or so walk now (after only 2 weeks!). Good luck with your journey

headlock_lynn · July 2012

Good for you, you have taken the first step in getting fit and that's always the hardest, making the start. Now to stick with it. It will get easier and you'll also find that as you lose a little weight at a time that will help too. When I started in January I was getting really puffed out and had a hard time and my knees hurt but since losing some weight and sticking with it, it's got much easier and I can keep going much longer. the hills don't puff me out so much either. My son was with me one day and I was gasping going up an incline and he had to ask if I was alright. I now ride a bicycle most days as well as walk the dog and can cycle about 12 miles a day. So stick with it. It won't happen overnight but you will start to see the difference after a couple of weeks. Good luck. take one step at a time.

mandyw30 · July 2012

Thanks for all the responses!
I don't have a dog! Kinda wish I did because I then can't use my pathetic excuses to not go for a walk!! Have a cat but really don't think she'd appreciate me putting a harness on her and dragging her round the block!!
So far no pain in knees, but slight pain in lower back. But I've had worse. I've just finished a college course and when I was writing my dissertation (so a lot of time sat in front of a computer) I noticed that even very short distances gave me really bad back ache. I try to hold my tummy in and think of my core muscles when my back starts to niggle.
When I said about jogging 1.3 miles I do know it won't be for a while!! And I will introduce very short bursts of jogging to start with!
It's really strange the last week or so I've been thinking about walking and saying to myself I will go for a walk tomorrow but typically tomorrow never comes!! But actually the thought of it is worse than actually doing it and once I'm out there walking it it's not too bad!!
Thank you for all the encouragement! It has definitely given me a boost!! :happy:

DLKeeble · July 2012

Hi, I have started walking as exercise to help my weight loss and improve my fitness.
I am very fat and very unfit so felt walking was a good free way of starting some exercise. I have worked out a route where I live that is 1.3 miles. I started yesterday and completed this route both yesterday and today in 25mins.
I am aiming to do this route 5 times a week.
What I'm wondering is how long will it be before I start to notice this route getting easier, (e.g less out of breath, less sweaty, quicker times)?
Obviously when this route starts getting easier I will start to extend the route, or do it twice and maybe start adding some jogging in too.

I noticed my endurance picked up really quickly. I walked .70 miles the first attempt. I really think I was afraid to push it. I only put one extra insole in my left shoe for my plantar fasciitis. That put too much strain on my left knee. I ended up getting a better shoe and not wearing the extra padded insoles. Fast Forward. I walked 1.5 miles the next night and by the 3rd week I have been walking 3 miles in less than 55 minutes. My goal is to get to 3.5 miles to 4 miles per hour. I am amazed how quickly my body has become accustom to it. I don't have a flat level surface either. I have a hill in either direction I choose and several steep grades (enough that if I tripped going down, I would roll) It is very hot and humid in Alabama. I don't get to walk until 7:00 pm. Keep doing it!! This is from a gal, that doesn't do exercise, or should I say "didn't"...
Do put music on, it helps pass the time.

Noticing a difference - walking.

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