walking for weight loss, 10,000 steps - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

freethetoys · 05-01-2011, 03:39 PM

Hey all, i tried to find a thread in seacrh on walking for weight loss but was un-successfull, so im starting one for your thoughts and experiences.

im currently trying to walk 10,000 steps daily and if i go over a lot then i have one rest day. I have managed this for 3 weeks now, and i even upped it to 37 miles last week with a 4 mile run one day also.

Im not seeing any scale related results yet but im definetly feeling tired, like my stamina is being tested and my fat cells are being worked a bit.

HAS ANYONE ELSE TRIED THIS APPROACH TO EXERCISE AND WEIGHT LOSS?

from what i understand walking is a great way to lose weight because its a low fat burning exercise which keeps your heart rate up, so you can go for longer.
as a dog walker i generally walk 2-3 times a week over 5 miles anyway, but for me the step counter is a way of making it EVERYDAY and promoting weight loss, and pushing my stamina for running.

'The even better news is that most of us walk around 4,000-6,000 steps a day without even thinking about it. Even the laziest of us who sit at desk all day do around 2,000.'

there is a mix of advice out there some saying its good to promote healthy living and some say its a great way to maintain weight loss, but i wanna LOOSE so id love to hear your thoughts, if u have lost this way, if this is an appropriate way to try and lose weight?

I am also including once a week gym/run where i focus more on muscle building and toning but its not the same as being out in the world.....

thanks for reading

ill let u know tomorrow if i have a weight loss.

seina · 05-02-2011, 05:17 AM

I remember reading somewhere that people with normal activity usually walks around 5000 steps, and sedentary people less than 2000. Then those who are really active walk an average of 10,000 steps a day. And if you're aiming for weight loss, you should walk 12,000-15,000 steps a day. But, that article also said that you have to gradually build steps every day and not just try to do more than you're body can handle. I bought a pedometer sometime ago, but it's currently gathering dust somewhere in the house. When I bought it, I was excited and I monitored my activity for a week I think I averaged less than 4000 steps (there was even a day when I walked less than 1500!).

Anyway, it's good to know that you're committed to this. Where I live it's just all buildings and car fumes, and no good places to walk around (no nice park or something). It sounds like an excuse, yes, but I did started doing exercises by watching fitness videos some time ago to lose unwanted inches. Good luck with you're weight loss!

freethetoys · 05-02-2011, 06:57 AM

thanks thats interesting to hear, last week i averaged 12-14000 about 4 days and this week can say i lost 1.5lbs YAY very happy.
any more thoughts would be good to know.

gonna try keep my body guessing with exercise, but walking def keeps my head clear.

LeslieWendy · 05-05-2011, 11:34 PM

Most of my exercise is just walking. I will occasionally do a Zumba class or if I am really up to it, one of my workout DVD's. I started out with just getting to 10000 steps a day, which seemed like so much walking. I am now averaging 18000, a couple of days ago I got to 24000, I felt so good about that. I have lost almost 60lbs with just walking and counting calories in 7 months.

I love walking now, it is relaxing for me and lets me just think about whatever is going on.

Regera Dowdy · 05-06-2011, 04:09 AM

Wow, that's great, Leslie!

I remember when I used to listen to radio, one station had people call in about weight loss. The DJ invited one of the crew members to talk about how she lost 50 lbs, and the lady responded by saying she drank more water, ate better, and walked. The DJ kept saying, "Really? That's all you did?" like the lady was hiding some incredible weight loss secret. LOL. It's always been in the back of my mind that, for most of us, it really boils down to eating/drinking better and moving more.

I only started exercising the last couple of weeks, and I alternate between walking and riding my bike. I finally found my pedometer today! Before I lost it, I only averaged 6,000-7,000 steps. For now, I'm interested making some form of exercise a habit. On Monday, I'll see if I lost any weight. Sorry I can't help yet, freethetoys.

freethetoys · 05-06-2011, 04:25 AM

hehe well, i managed to shift some lbs i think its a combination of walking, water and activia yogarts getting rid of my bloaty tummy.
but im gonna keep up waling because it really helps me burn weight in a fun easy way, without a goal in mind of x miles...

thanks for your thoughts

and well done on amazing weightloss....

Magrat · 05-06-2011, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freethetoys

thanks thats interesting to hear, last week i averaged 12-14000 about 4 days and this week can say i lost 1.5lbs YAY very happy.
any more thoughts would be good to know.

gonna try keep my body guessing with exercise, but walking def keeps my head clear.

Glad to hear that the walking is working for you. I wish that I could say the same. I only have a couple of pounds left to lose. My job requires that I walk all day long. I wear a pedometer and according to its counter (incidentally it was calibrated for me by a scientist) I walk between 12 and 15 miles a day. That's 24000 to 30000 steps. I guess my body must just be used to a lot of walking.

cantgetenoughchoc · 05-06-2011, 12:22 PM

Magrat - woah, that's a crazy amount of walking! Maybe if you try something different you'll lose those last pounds!

I'm hoping walking works. I live a very sedentary lifestyle, especially now - I'm sat down at a desk trying to revise all day long! I am making a couple of trips to the library and back a day though so nearly walking 2 hours. It's not much altogether, but hopefully with a diet it will do something. I'm also hoping to start 2 zumba lessons a week next week, so hopefully that will have an effect!

natamars · 05-06-2011, 12:42 PM

Wow, everyone's numbers are impressive!

I started wearing my pedometer again recently and on work days where I don't do any cardio at the gym, my step total is often around 3000. I have a full-time desk job and I try to walk around the office a bit, taking the stairs to use a ladies' room on a different floor, etc., but most of the day I'm sitting here analyzing spreadsheets. On days I get in a cardio workout I may get up to 10000. I'm trying to start jogging more often and increasing my distance, but I also need to look for ways to fit in more steps during the workday.

wolflikeme · 05-07-2011, 01:16 AM

I love walking! It's such a fun, relaxing activity. I average anywhere between 5-10,000 steps/day. I think consistently walking helped me lose weight, but there is a caveat: walking (JUST walking) will not make you lose weight if it's not paired with a sensible (read: calorie-counting) diet (and not diet in the sense of a short term plan, but complete lifestyle change). I say this because the amount of calories burned while walking depends on a number of factors (your weight, pace, duration) and it's probably unreasonable to presume that walking will create the necessary calorie deficit for weight loss. There are a couple of ways you can maximize the calorie-burning potential of walking, by walking longer or increasing your pace, but it comes down to calorie deficit, and that beast is best tackled from multiple angles (ie, what you eat).

iaradajnos · 05-07-2011, 08:55 PM

I love walking. I don't own a car and get kids everywhere by foot. They have amazing stamina (I was hoping for exhaustion but they're ever ready bunnies). I love seeing my neighbors and nodding to fellow walkers, lifting a mood with a long walk, planning ideas and work, lowering stress, working out worries, and avoiding the use of vehicles.

I usually get about 10,000 but a couple days a week will be 7-10,000. I also work out four times a week. I used to only walk and so many people thought I either WAS thin (but not) or SHOULD BE thin (and wasn't getting there). I was slowly losing weight but the it was food based changes (dropping meat, then dairy, etc). In 2009 when I lost my weight in one consistent schedule, I combined volumetrics diet plan, walking, biking, and workouts.

Last year, I had huge medical issues that really messed me up and I gained. I later had plantar faciitis (spelling?) in my feet. I'm really on the road of recovering, losing weight and doing things moderately. Now, I'm able to walk 10-15,000 steps but not three days in a row without swollen feet. I need to be careful, wear the right shoes, go easy on the over all plan. I'm now doing 100% for 100 days on plan (other thread) and have been on plan for a week. So, I think I'll see a more consistent weight loss. I don't really lose with just one strategy but need food, workouts, walking, and attitude.

Walking's awesome for mood, stress, weight, environment, neighborhood, and so much more. Yeah walkin'!

Violet73 · 05-07-2011, 09:23 PM

Thanks for this thread. I need to start walking more, especially since the weather is finally great and I can walk outside. Leslie Sansone is great but indoor walking just isn't the same. When I walked regularly about 5 times a week, 3 miles a day at a steady pace I lost a lot of weight quickly and could maintain the weight loss. I watched my calorie intake and had one cheat day per week. It was working great. Why didn't I keep that up? I got married and and got lazy. I've been divorced and a single mom now for many years and it's time to get control of my life again. Thanks again for this thread. I'm getting the diet thing under control again and now I need to get the exercise in!