Heidi - the answer to your question is - YES! ANY exercise is better than nothing. In fact, walking is a terrific exercise - so long as you keep up your intensity.
From "Make the Connection" by Bob Greene:
"Walking is my top choice for most of you who want to lose weight. It is highly aerobic; you don't have to learn a new skill; you don't need any expensive equipment; and you can perform it just about anywhere. It's one of the only highly aerobic exercises that you can perform each day of the week without great risk of overuse injuries...A recent client of mine weighed 211 pounds when she started this program. There was no question in my mind that the best exercise for her was walking...just by walking, she has already dropped more than 50 pounds. She has another 10 to go to reach her goal. And, for her, walking works just fine."
I really recommend picking this book up and giving it a look! If you're walking, I would also recommend a pedometer. They don't cost a lot and can help you keep track of your mileage. I always recommend a heart rate monitor to track your intensity as well. I started using one in August of 2000 and really wonder why it took me so long to get one -- rather than looking at the calorie counter (which is usually wrong anyway) on the machine I'm using, I just keep track of my heart rate level - trying to keep it at 75%-85% at the top of my zone. Some HRMs cost a lot but you should be able to find a basic model for under $50. Try
www.bikenashbar.com or just do a search on ebay!
MrsJim
265/159/145
