When it's nice outside, I love to do a brisk walk of about 3 miles or so for my exercise, but since I've been doing it for a while I wonder sometimes if I'm getting the same benefit from it that I did 80 pounds ago. To try to change it up a bit yesterday I began carrying my 3 pound weights with me and working my arms almost the whole time. I came home sweated wet! What else do you do to increase the intensity of your walks?

I walk everyday for my exercise, but I do WATP. For me, its more then just a walk because she incorporates other moves in there. But I think adding your weights will definently help. I don't really know what else you could add, except for maybe do some interval training. Like jog for 30 seconds then walk for 2 minutes. Or something like that! Anyways, good job for 3 miles that's awesome!

Wow, 80 pounds. WTG.

That is very inspiring that you did a lot of walking and could lose all that weight.

Yes, i do walking, but i also do WATP video. Pinkhoodie had a good idea with incorporating jogging into your routine. How bout walking up hill? Do you have a different route you could take that leads up hill anyway? Or some rough terrain like hiking?

To increase the intensity I walk a little faster & change the route. Changing the route, going up & down different hills, is what helps me the most.

I make it longer. When I last lost a huge bit of weight, walking was my main exercise. I was up to 5 miles a day.

Walking is my main exercise. It has been since day one. But it's not my only form of exercise. I do aerobics/dancing as well and strength training - all in my home.

During my walks, I add in intervals of speed walking as well as intervals of jogging.

I'm adding in jogging. I like to call it running, but it's not very darn fast yet. I find just walking doesn't get my heart rate up in the zone where it needs to be. Right now I'm using the high school track. I run 100 meters, walk the other 300 meters each lap. I can usually breathe by the time I get back to the 100 meter starting line. :-)

Thanks for all the input! I have an elliptical at home that I use a lot, but often times I do one or the other....I don't typically walk and do the elliptical in the same day. During the winter months when it was cold, dark and creepy outside at night I used my elliptical every day. I haven't changed my route in awhile, but it does incorporate flat ground at the beginning and end, and up and down hills for about 2 miles in the middle. Ankle weights? I never thought of that! My brother used to use them ALWAYS when we were teens and he was weight training, I'll have to check into getting a set. I do have to admit that when I took off out my front door yesterday with those 3 pounds weights they felt light as a feather, but after 45 minutes of arm motions while walking, those babies were heavy when I got home! Glad I didn't take my five pounders the first time out! LOL!

Hi Kelly!

I thought I had heard that walking with weights wasn't good for you so I googled "walking with weights". There are a lot of opinions out there you may want to consider before making that a regular thing. Some say hand weights are really hard on your tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints.

Just wanting you to stay healthy and happy!

Have you thought about increasing the incline? Do you have a hard hill you could tackle? You could also try doing lunges. Those suckers are HARD.

I am soooo out of shape that right now, just to start, I've been swimming/water walking. A lot easier on the joints and in this heat, very enjoyable. I know I look horrible in a swimsuit, but I enjoy it and I figure that at least I'm moving!
I'll start walking again soon, too.

~Renae

Walking is and has been my main form of exercise. I recently added in walking a very steep hill to try to increase the intensity of my walks. I have an elliptical that I use occasionally. When I use the treadmill (my incline isn't working), I always watch music videos and I jog during the commercials. I also use an exercise ball, some old Richard Simmon's tapes, and a hula hoop and jump rope. I normally walk 3 miles, at least 4 times a week and this seems to work pretty well for maintenance for me.

Walking is the exercise I do every day - at least 45 minutes per day, but it's not the only exercise I do. I go to the gym 4 days a week - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and I'm starting to jog...

CC, I never gave it a thought that the weights might NOT be a good idea, I'll check into it a bit further!

The hills I'm doing are a pretty good size, the largest ones around me without driving somewhere else to walk. Maybe I'll try jogging up the hills? Who knows!

Thanks again, everyone!