I get this question all the time. Both through the contact me page, and during my weight loss classes. People ask me, “Can I lose weight just by walking?” In this world of extreme weight loss television shows, gyms on every block, and awareness of strength training, it is a valid question. Is plain old walking enough to lose a substantial amount of weight?
I can’t speak for everyone, but for me, the unequivocal answer is yes. You can lose a substantial amount of weight by walking alone because I did. As I’ve shared before, when I first started on my final weight loss journey, I could barely walk to the mailbox without getting winded. So when I began trying to exercise the only thing I could do was walk. I walked 10 minutes away from the house and 10 minutes back. Twenty minutes felt like hours, and I really thought I was going to die on the way back. And believe me, I didn’t walk fast. I lumbered, swaying from side to side like a pregnant woman in her ninth month!
As the months clicked by on the calendar, my weight dropped. As my weight dropped my fitness level increased dramatically. One thing I continued to do without fail was exercise, and by exercise I mean walk. But–I no longer ambled down the road. Instead of strolling, I strided. Legs moving fast, arms pumping in rhythm I attacked the road. Every day I aimed to go faster and farther. When my weight finally dropped in the 100′s, I walked so fast I overtook anyone I saw walking on the road. Ladies strolling with friends waved as I surged past them, and men walking their dogs nodded as I moved ahead. Sometimes I felt like the greyhound chasing the rabbit – faster, faster, faster.
When I finally weighed under 200 pounds I would sometimes pick up my feet into a jog, but I primarly used walking as my exercise of choice. I still do. I have done several 5K’s, and hope to do more, but I enjoy walking the most. Six days a week, rain or shine, you will see me exercising in my neighborhood. I often wonder what my neighbors think, as most of them don’t know I used to be obese!
So can you lose a substantial amount of weight by walking as your primary form of exercise? Yes you can. (This answer of course assumes that you are also eating well! ) The key is to not allow contement to creep in. Your body quickly adapts to aerobic exercise, and you will need to pick up the pace, and possibly add in interval training to keep your body guessing and your weight loss going.
I do recommend mixing up your exercise routines, but if you love to walk, then do that. The most important thing is that you are moving your body, and improving your fitness level. Biking, running, walking, swimming, jogging, spinning – they all work. Sometimes I think that people see walking as too easy, but I’m proof that it’s not! So if walking is your passion, strap on your pedometer, tie up your running shoes, and do it well!
Are you a walker? Does it work for you? Diane
I totally agree, Diane! Anything active will work! It is just a question of finding what suits us and what we enjoy doing so that we keep doing it. Consistency and intensity is key. I couldn’t imagine my life without doing something active everyday, I can’t believe I was so inactive in the past. Funny how people can totally change, huh?
Thanks for this post. I often wondered about this.
I agree with you. Walking alone can make you achieve weight loss. I too started with walking and because walking got me so fit, I needed to change it into running.
blackhuff´s last fabulous musings ..I can’t join you
Agree 100%. Walking helped me hugely and it still does in keeping the weight under control.
I also agree with your proviso about eating well and adding in other forms of exercise too (they become easier once some of the initial weight is gone) and add one more – invest in a supportive pair of shoes before you hit the hard pavements (sidewalks in the US?) as your poor feet can really suffer otherwise.
A pedometer makes it fun too, trying to see if you can beat your last session
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Walking did it for me. I lost the first 100 pounds walking. The next 75 came off with a combo of walking, light weights and the BL season 2 DVD (easy routine only). The last 50 came off with even more hand weight, some light jogging and circuit training. One thing I needed to really pay attention to was the way I walked. At 385 lbs I lumbered and swayed. I found myself still walking like a 300+ pound woman even after I lost 200 pounds until I starting paying attention to my form. Now I remind myself that I do not need to move the fat with the feet so my gait has become more graceful.
Jane
keepingthepoundsoff.com
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Absolutely, without a doubt!! My pedometer is the last thing to come off before I turn out the light at night and is put on before I get out of bed each morning. I strive for 10,000 steps each day at least 6,000 of which must be at an aerobic pace.
The only caveat I would add to your information is that yes, any walking is better than none, but as your fitness level improves, some of the walking needs to be a concentrated amount of time at a faster pace. IOW, strolling through the mall window shopping or through a garden stopping to smell every flower probably shouldn’t count as walking that will help in losing weight.
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I like walking. And you are right, it’s often “underrated.” I do some sort of exercise every day, and sometimes it’s walking. As I’m getting older, I also focus more on weight training to keep my muscle mass up. And, as you point out, I think the key is really what you eat. I have been active my entire life, but I still gained a lot of weight at one point because I ate way too much…
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I also started with walking. I enjoy jogging now, on the treadmill, but some days a good hard walk is perfect as well. Like you said, I just have to push myself to walk quickly and not amble.
My long term exercise goal is to be able to go for brisk walks when I’m 80. Lord willing.
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I have always been a walker. Last year i found out i had a main artery that was almost totally blocked at the top of my right leg! I had been having some muscle pain and that’s how they found it. Despite pain i’ve always walked!!
When i went for my surgery they said the key to dealing with it is walking and that forces some circulation to the leg
At least 20 minutes a day.
I actually started with the stationary bike, on level 0, so walking would be more comfortable. Eventually I could add intensity levels on the bike and my walking improved; I got faster and could go farther. It was awesome. Even though I’ve add all sorts of other activity to my workouts, I still enjoy meeting a group of friends for a weekly walking group during the spring and summer.
I agree that the assumption sometimes is walking is too easy. It’s only too easy if you rest on your laurels and don’t push yourself as you see improvement.
Thank you for the post, Diane. I really needed to read it.
I can’t run, due to doctor prescription, and walking is boring for me (I have always been a runner or a swimmer, and walking seems less than running!)
I swim. I do interval training in my swims, and also strenght training, with fins and other things.
I went to a doctor last week. He was very happy with my weight loss… but he started telling me that swimming was not good to loose weight. But, as you, I think that the important thing is moving!
Walking is my number one recommendation for someone starting a weight loss journey! One hour a day is a good goal. If you are able to walk outside in a nice natural environment all the better! That will add many intangible benefits besides the calorie usage.
PS To Laura: The problem with swimming is it tends to only burn carbs, not fat, possibly due to the temperature of the water, and that tends to make people hungry after swimming, and they eat too much. If you can be aware of this and be careful not to overeat after swimming, then swimming is fine.
I love this! It’s always sage advice. And walking is always the perfect starting point or boredom and dread buster!
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I lost my first 70 pounds strictly walking. It was great and low impact since I was so overweight and too much stress on my joints.
Bonus is the vitamin D you get being outside. Most americans have low vitamin D and walking outside for 15 minutes gives enough vitamin D for the day.
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YES Diane! Just move & if walking is what you can do for now, do it & as you said, keep challenging yourself to walk faster, the same distance in a shorter time or if you are just starting, go longer BUT Diane, as you said, the food changes have to happen to. As a person gets fitter, then they can start trying new things!
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I also like walking…but at the moment my body is too large to go fast enough to get me winded. It’s getting better though…
I have a friend who lost 90 pounds in less than a year – she walked 5K every morning and 5K every afternoon, rain or shine. I think that’s an awesome commitment.
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Walking does work for me, if my allergies aren’t too bad. It’s nice to be outdoors too–although when pollen counts go up, I’d rather exercise indoors at the gym on an arc trainer or elliptical machine. Additionally, the movement of swinging your arms across in opposition to one’s legs is actually important for the brain–did you know that crawling is an important part of babies’ development for a reason? “Brain Gym” exercises include something to stimulate this motion (it’s a popular non-drug method of enhancing concentration in children with ADD/ADHD). It helps the brain hemispheres coordinate.
I too walk briskly–I will walk 2 miles in around 30 minutes (which is pretty good for a five feet tall person.) I’m not “racewalking” in that exaggerated arm pumping style, but I am walking pretty briskly with a high rate of foot turnover (my stride length is not that long.)
I think the main thing is MOVE MORE THAN YOU USED TO when you’re starting to exercise, and I do think it’s important to find stuff you enjoy.
Plus having seen what dementia did to my mother in law and to my great grandmother, I am all for walking!
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/10/13/us-brain-shrinking-walking-idUSTRE69C5RM20101013
Just yesterday my husband and I took advantage of the nice day and walked outside and I remarked that each step hurts my feet and I can’t imagine “liking” it enough to just go walk like some people do. That said, I walked on the treadmill today.
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I walked from time to time for exercise last year, and walk across town instead of using public transport. It saves money and time spent waiting around for delayed buses to finally show up.
A great time to walk is after High Intensity Interval Training. Your body has released the fat through HIIT, and walking burns it right off. Perfect!
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This is a great post Diane, so many people (including me) always thought you had to run to lose weight and that is not true. However, just like you said you were going past everybody. I think cardio is the key and if you decide to walk it should be effort.
Sheri´s last fabulous musings ..Am I Really Hungry
Walking is so important. Thanks for the post.
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I get this a LOT as well and for me the answer is short and sweet:
is walking something you will do? (typically answered YES!)
then yes.
it will work.
spinningrunningzumba etcetc may be the “better” du jour but what you will actually DO is always the answer huh?
xo
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Walking burns almost the same amount of calories per mile as running. It’s a great exercise.
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I agree that walking is a great exercise for all the reasons you mentioned. I love your story of how you started at 10 minutes out and 10 minutes back.
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Great article and yes have found if I do 3 days walking and sometimes only 15 minutes and my 2 days water aerobics and local swimming pool certainly keeps me toned and weight stable. Really miss it when I dont do it. Being mature years it is important to do a bit of exercise. What is the saying “Use it or you will lose it”. – presumably physical fitness.