Will i lose weight walking?

Lifestyle_change_get_fit
Lifestyle_change_get_fit Posts: 30 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
hi fitnesspals!

I have recently switch from going to the gym to walking the lakes & parks near my home. Last week i walked 5-6 miles each day and this week i have been walking 3-4 miles each day.... so my question is " Can i lose weight from walking"?

Replies

  • josiereside
    josiereside Posts: 720 Member
    If your diet is on par you should continue to lose. Walking still burns calories.
  • dyburke
    dyburke Posts: 7
    It greatly depends on how far, often and how vigorously you walk. Walking does not burn that many calories and the margins between that and your diet would most likely be very thin so I wouldn't expect you to lose much weight if any at all. It would greatly improve your chances of weight loss if you just kick that walk up to a light jog. I suggest you plot out a few runs you like and calculate how many calories you would burn on those when walking vs. light jog vs. vigorous jog. Once you have a good idea of how many calories you can burn doing it then you can add that to the deficit you create with your diet and possibly see some nice weight loss.

    In any case, good luck on your jogs! :)
  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    You certainly can but like mentioned it depends on your speed and intensity. If you power walk at a steady fast pace you can burn just as much as jogging or running with less impact on your joints (at least I can, based on 1 month with the HRM comparing). Time your walks to see how fast you manage the distance, make sure you are working up a sweat, and still keep a close eye on what you are eating.
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    You can lose weight even by doing no exercise and as long as you are consuming less than your BMR. Long walks are great, low impact and typically peaceful(i.m.o) It may not burn as many calories as the gym(depending on the intensity n length of the visits) but as long as you stay aware of what you are consuming, you can still lose weight.
  • KaidaKantri
    KaidaKantri Posts: 401
    You can. I used to eat a LOT in high school. I also walked around a lot. It was the only exercise I got, and I kept all the weight off from just walking around as much as I did.
  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
    That was a very interesting question. I had to look it up for myself! :flowerforyou:
    http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/walking-for-exercise
  • Keiko385
    Keiko385 Posts: 514 Member
    I walk and walk and walk, then the dogs need a walk if you can keep yourself going at a good clip and get your heart rate up you will burn calories, not as fast as running but it works. Plug in some headphones, strap on a HRM and enjoy the scenery
  • weefreemen
    weefreemen Posts: 652 Member
    My exercise consists of mainly walking and yes, you can definitely lose weight and tone up by walking, now by walking I mean a good brisk rate, not a stroll. To reach a cardio workout you must increase heart rate and break a sweat. I walk at 8.5 kph (5mph) which is a very brisk rate, 3 times a week I also do hill climbing. Climbing a 10% incline hill will double your calorie burn. For me walking at 5 mph is the same as jogging at 5 mph, but the speed is important.

    For every 1% of grade, you increase your calories burned by about 12% or about 10 more calories per mile for a 150 pound person.

    By the time you are at 10% grade, you are burning over twice as many calories per mile.
  • Dragonldy69
    Dragonldy69 Posts: 368 Member
    I use a video and walk about 30 min 3 times aweek..Leslie Sansone Walk at Home says walking is the best way to loose weight along with your diet.. I enjoy walking with her and the girls on the video.. http://www.walkathome.com/about/leslie-sansone/ this is alittle about her and there are videos to try just click on the work try it on the page.. They are a good workout and fun..
    Hope you enjoy them ..
    Kathy
  • mlfowler
    mlfowler Posts: 15
    Yes, yes, yes! I've lost 50 pounds by staying within my calorie limits and walking every day! I walk fast enough to get a good sweat but I'm not jogging it's definetly a walk :)
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
    In a word: Yes. I lost 100 lbs. walking at 3.0 mph for an hour each day (which is really nothing more than traipsing) along with strength training. The vast majority of burned calories came from the walking. Of course, you have to maintain a calorie deficit -- needless to say.
  • EileenT72
    EileenT72 Posts: 15 Member
    I have lost 42 pounds since May by counting calories and WALKING. Yes, you sure will.
  • TexanThom
    TexanThom Posts: 778
    YES!!! I have lost 65 lbs. doing nothing but walking. The fastest I go is 2.7 mph. Watch your calorie intake and move, you will lose weight.

    edit: dropped an r.
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
    You will lose weight by walking if your diet is under control.

    It depends what you want out of it - do you just want to lose weight? Then walking is sufficient.

    You will not, however, get much stronger or much fitter unless you include higher intensity cardio and strength training in your routine.
  • SavCal71
    SavCal71 Posts: 350 Member
    As long as you're not overeating in a major way .... yes. Many people are successful walking to lose weight.
  • cfrock
    cfrock Posts: 37
    You can lose weight but your fitness levels will probably stop improving over time as your muscles get used to the same walk. You'd have to vary length and/or intensity after awhile.
  • Pink_Tina
    Pink_Tina Posts: 164
    Walking does not burn that many calories and the margins between that and your diet would most likely be very thin so I wouldn't expect you to lose much weight if any at all.

    In my experience, this is false. Depending on your starting weight (bigger people burn more than healthier people) and starting athletic ability, you can burn lots of calories just from walking. Because I'm over 200 lbs, yesterday, I burned 626 calories from walking 50 minutes at 4.5 mph. I know this because I was wearing my HRM at the time. Also, days where I don't go so fast, I still burn about 350 calories for going 3.0mph for 30 minutes -- again wearing an HRM.

    Weightloss can be done with just walking as long as you don't go over your calorie goal, but that's pretty much like any workout really. I say that just plain walking is great exercise for people, especially for those just starting out. :flowerforyou:
  • vypeters
    vypeters Posts: 475 Member
    80% of weight loss is what you eat. OK, I'm not sure of the exact percentages, I doubt anyone is, but weight loss is primarily achieved by managing your food intake. Anything that burns calories will contribute.

    I mostly walked when I lost my weight, graduating to hiking then to mountain hiking. The mountain hikes have done great for my leg muscles, but my upper body is in serious need of help. Working on that now.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    Walking is great. Just pick up the pace sometimes and hit the hills to make it more challenging. :)
  • chezileigh
    chezileigh Posts: 255
    Walking is a good way to burn calories, and depending on the distance you cover, you can actually burn quite a lot, but obviously it just takes longer to cover that distance than if you were running. What it won't do is make massive improvements to your cardiovascular fitness, so your body's ability to deliver oxygen to peripheral tissues in order to maintain submaximal exercise for longer. However, just by losing weight you are making things easier on your heart and lungs anyway. It depends what your goals are I think. If all you're interested in is burning more energy than you're taking in, walking can be very useful, plus it's relatively low impact on your joints etc. and can also be a good stress reliever.

    Good luck :)
  • pudadough
    pudadough Posts: 1,271 Member
    I think it's definitely possible. I've just added a Leslie Sansone walking DVD to my routine and I was surprised how many calories I can burn with it, based on my heart rate monitor readings. But as others have said, it does depend on intensity. I suggest getting yourself a heart rate monitor to keep tabs on your calories burned.
  • Jack3r
    Jack3r Posts: 96
    Keep your diet in check and you'll lose regardless.
    When I first started my weight loss journey 60lb ago, I was eating properly and walked only 20-30 min every second day at 3.0mph and was losing.

    Good luck.
  • Pixie_star1234
    Pixie_star1234 Posts: 55 Member
    I walked yesterday for an hour and a half and I burned around 600 calories. Of course it helps if you walk faster than just a normal walk. Try and walk for over an hour a day and that will help a lot. Walking is a great form of exercise.
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    the short answer is yes, on condition you carry on with attending to your diet.

    But more importantly, you are being outside rather than in an air-conditioned gym. Studies have shown that being outside reduces depression and stress, increases absorption of Vitamin D, creates greater awareness of the world around us and promotes happiness and general wellbeing.

    Who wouldn't want that?
  • Flab2fitfi
    Flab2fitfi Posts: 1,349 Member
    oh gosh yes you can. i do live in Yorkshire which is famous for its hills but some days i can burn over 400calories in just over an hour. I use a HRM which is more exact than those given on mfp. I know plenty others who have walked of considerable amounts of weight.
  • wendye1960
    wendye1960 Posts: 60 Member
    It greatly depends on how far, often and how vigorously you walk. Walking does not burn that many calories and the margins between that and your diet would most likely be very thin so I wouldn't expect you to lose much weight if any at all. It would greatly improve your chances of weight loss if you just kick that walk up to a light jog. I suggest you plot out a few runs you like and calculate how many calories you would burn on those when walking vs. light jog vs. vigorous jog. Once you have a good idea of how many calories you can burn doing it then you can add that to the deficit you create with your diet and possibly see some nice weight loss.

    In any case, good luck on your jogs! :)

    Sorry I have to disagree with you here. Most of my work outs are walking I do, do other things when I have time and can get the lounge to myself to get a dvd on or the wii fit etc. I can't do high impact so don;t jog as I have rheumatoid arthritis. The 17.5 pounds I have lost so far is over an eleven week period and it averages out at 1.59 pounds a week. I haven't had a week without loss so far though it has varied but then so has the amount of walking I've done. I'm not saying that it doesn't help if you walk faster but it can be done at moderate pace too. I have kept to my diet and very rarely have gone over my goals, though I do try and make sure I'm over the 1200 net figure or near to it anyway.

    I look at it this way I may not always get time to do other activities but I always get some walking into my day and any activity is better then nothing.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    I did and have and will maintain with walking. Walking is better than sitting. I have days that I only get 3 - 10 minute walks in, other days where I walk for 3 hours. I use a nike fuel band and it records it all day. I sleep better when I hit 10,000 steps.

    One thing I do when I walk is I am very aware of my posture. When I stand, I make sure I don't slump or lean on one foot .. part of the yoga training ( I do 15 minutes of yoga stands first thing in the morning, hoping to incorporate more starting with classes on Saturday)
  • tadpole242
    tadpole242 Posts: 507 Member
    Of course you can lose weight walking, but you have to realise once you start it’s a gateway drug to other more ‘hard core’ exercise.
    One that can do you nothing but good, first off you start with a gentle walk, then after a few months, you’re just not getting the hit you did, so you try just a little more, walking and soon you doing it like three or four times a week. Soon even that will not be enough, so you start to carry weights, or a water bottle. Before you know it, you’re buying clothes that you only wear for walking and maybe even a bag to carry extra weight or water in.

    Before you know it, you cannot even go a few days without a long sneaky walk. You’ll go on holiday and have to find somewhere you can ‘walk’.
    It will inevitably lead to jogging slowing, and then you are on the long slippery rode to become a runner.
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
    YES YES YES.

    Walking is so underestimated!!!!! The calorie burn between slow jogging and fast walking is virtually indistiguishable, plus you have the benefit of it being non impact, which is kinder on your joints when you're still a bit heavier.

    We walk a lot, a lot off-road, woodland trails, grassy hills, proper hiking. But even just walking at a decent pace around your neighbourhood will do you good.

    I would reckon you doing 5-6 miles a day most days will do you more good than someone doing twice weekly spurts going mad on a cross trainer.
  • hanneberries
    hanneberries Posts: 119 Member
    Of course you can lose weight walking, but you have to realise once you start it’s a gateway drug to other more ‘hard core’ exercise.
    One that can do you nothing but good, first off you start with a gentle walk, then after a few months, you’re just not getting the hit you did, so you try just a little more, walking and soon you doing it like three or four times a week. Soon even that will not be enough, so you start to carry weights, or a water bottle. Before you know it, you’re buying clothes that you only wear for walking and maybe even a bag to carry extra weight or water in.

    Before you know it, you cannot even go a few days without a long sneaky walk. You’ll go on holiday and have to find somewhere you can ‘walk’.
    It will inevitably lead to jogging slowing, and then you are on the long slippery rode to become a runner.

    :laugh:

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