Loosing Weight by walking...IS IT POSSIBLE?

Updated on January 05, 2012
J.T. asks from Philadelphia, PA
20 answers

Hello Mothers,

Has anyone had success loosing weight just by walking? If so, I would love to hear your success stories. How often do you walk, and how much time during each walk? Do you listen to music, etc. Just curious to know what walking regiment works for you? Have a wonderful day=)

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

Yep.

Worked up to apx 5mi a day most days and lost 100lbs in 2 years.

No other changes (diet or other forms of exercise).

2 moms found this helpful

M.J.

answers from Minneapolis on

I only gained 15 lbs with my first daughter, but I am overweight to being with. When I lost my job after she was born, and my husband had to go back to India for 9 months. I moved in with my sister in law (Brother was in Iraq for 3rd time) to help her with her kids. So I had a new born, a 3 year old, and a 7 year old. We walked everywhere. I didnt have a car at the time, so we walked, sometimes 5 miles. We walked to parks, to shopping, to dairy queen. I never even changed my diet, but walking every single day all that way. I lost 46 lbs and never felt better. Then I had to go and have 2 more kids. BLECK LOL I am just kidding.

2 moms found this helpful

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A.F.

answers from Houston on

It's definitely possible. But, you have to make sure that you're walking fast/hard enough to get your heartrate in the target zone, and that you're keeping it there as long as necessary.

The reason a lot of people don't lose weight by walking is because they're actually just strolling. Their heart rates aren't up high enough for a long enough time.

That's all it takes - in whatever form - swimming, running, elipitcal, biking, etc. It's just that other forms don't take as long. For example, if you're walking, even at a decent clip, your heart rate will probably not exceed the low end of target, which means you need to keep it at that rate longer. If you're swimming or running, your heart rate will more easily reach the middle or upper range of target, so you don't have to do it as long.

4 moms found this helpful

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Actually walking is one of the best forms of exercise for losing weight. Burns more calories than running without the trauma on the knees. If you start off slow for five minutes it signals your body you will be burning calories so that when you speed up you will burn more efficiently.

I lost thirty pounds in three months but that included weight training as well. I walked five miles a day.

3 moms found this helpful

I.X.

answers from Los Angeles on

yes, you can. Especially if you master the art of eating fewer calories than you burn. In my experience and many others agree, weight loss is mostly a matter of how many calories you eat. Excersise is a wonderful aide to weight loss and gives you a little leeway in your diet. I had a knee injury and needed to loose 10-15 lbs. I did it with diet alone and am maintaining just fine. But i have also lost with walking in the past.

3 moms found this helpful

P.W.

answers from Dallas on

If you have been maintaining your weight and doing no exercise then walking alone makes sense to help you lose weight. I'd shoot for 30 minutes twice a day to help your metabolism to kick in. Your age, how much you want or need to lose...... these will matter in how quickly you lose weight.

I am a Shaklee Distributor and a few years ago I was drinking a healthy snack shake every afternoon about 4pm. I have always walked daily, but adding in this shake curbed my appetite and I stopped snacking on unhealthy things before dinner. I wasn't even trying to lose, but I did. So....... pay attention to what you ARE eating. Quantities, of course, are very important, but the actual food choice as well. Exercise is important, but you I've learned so much about my nutritional choices in the past few years, and what is good for me.

2 moms found this helpful

A.G.

answers from Dallas on

I lost TOO much weight by just walking. I've always been borderline underweight, and several years ago I decided to do the Breast Cancer 3-Day - a 60 mile walk that is done in 3 days time. I ended up doing the walk twice, two years in a row. The woman I did it with and I are both very competitive, and we figured if we were going to do this, we would raise a ton of money, and walk very quickly. We did both.

We trained hard. We walked 4 miles an hour consistently every time we walked, no matter how long we walked. During the week we walked 2 or 3 days for about an hour each time (about 4 miles each time). On the weekends we walked about 3 to 4 hours each day (12-16 miles).

I was already almost too thin, and lost about 10 pounds the first 6 months. I had to start eating a ton, but didn't eat junk. I ate healthy food. If I didn't eat enough, I looked awful - skeletal.

Now I'm not walking much, just 45 minutes a couple of times a week, but still fast-paced. Walking makes me feel better, more energetic.

You should give it a shot. It's good for your heart, your weight, your state of mind. :)

2 moms found this helpful
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S.M.

answers from Washington DC on

I have, on a treadmill mostly. I lost 15 pounds by walking about 2 miles 5 days/week on a gradual incline at 3-4mph. I woudl be about an hour of brisk walking. Simaltaneously, I try to walk and climb stairs a lot - not use the elevator, walk to the gym, park farther away at a store... The key is to get your heartrate high enough and for a sustained period of time. It doesn't necessarily matter if you are running or doing a stairmaster if your heart rate is in a sweet fat burning zone. There are calculators for this online, but for me it is 128-142. Gerring a heart rate monitor will help, but you should feel like you are exerting (but not killing) yourself.

I have a very obese friend who lost 40pounds walking 2-3 miles per day in a few months.

2 moms found this helpful

D.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

I started the last week of January last year. At first I walked around my block... maybe a half a mile at the most but I was getting out there and doing it. I got an ipod and listened to books on tape and music I could only listen to when I was walking to motivate me.
Then I started walking twice around the block... then I realized that about a half a mile away, the bus stop in our ranch had a track so I clocked that... 3 times around is a mile. I did that for a while. Then I started walking all the way to the lake. 3 miles exactly. On some rare occassions I would walk there and back but like I said that is rare...
I had a friend who is a joggin coach encourage me and when there was a spot in the road where I was alone, I tried jogging and WHAM I am hooked. I walk and jog now and don't feel like I look like a total ditz doing it because wahlah! I have lost 50 pounds to date! I have about 15 more to go and probably 20 after the holidays (that darn 5 pounds!!!) smile... sigh... but I attribute most of the loss to walking. I have recently joined a gym cuzz it is so cold lately but more to just firm up places I lost! Weight Watchers also went hand in hand and drinking LOTS of water and not eating past a certain time at night... but sometimes I have to admit on my way home at night after working a closing shift, I will pull into McDonalds and get a small vanilla cone which is only 3 points and still lost 50 pounds doing it... Ya just have to write it all down and really be accountable. So to answer your question walking goes hand in hand with many things but taking that first step can turn into a huge change not too far down the path!

2 moms found this helpful

A.M.

answers from Kansas City on

i would say yes (because it did for me so i know it's true) BUT there's "walking" and there's "walking" lol. taking a walk for 20 minutes around the neighborhood did nothing for me.

i got a treadmill, set it on (permanent - i leave it on) incline, and pushed and pushed myself. i will be pouring sweat and in a great groove - i don't get that on my average walk around the neighborhood with the dog.

i set my alarm 30 minutes early. i warm up for 2-3 minutes and then just turn it up, up, up, till i am almost unable to keep up. before long even that gets comfortable. the more you push yourself, the better it works of course. then after 25 or 30 minutes i cool down for 2-3 minutes. i push myself but i am not rigid about how long i go. i was up to 40 minutes before the holidays :( i don't listen to music, i do it when the house is asleep so i use the quiet to get some much needed "me" time. my mind wanders and i don't mind it at all - i actually enjoy it.

i have lost 18 lbs in just a few months :) so yes, it works. i have tried to eat better and cut back (fail!) but mostly i attribute it to the exercise. the key, no matter what you do, is to push yourself physically and work up a sweat and burn some calories. you know whether you are or not. and THAT is what will cause you to lose weight. good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

I walk my dog everyday for 20-30 minutes. I usually walk fairly quickly and I think it's helped. I also do about 30 minute exercise in the morning and 20 minute exercise in the evening. I've found what has helped the most to get me motivated and ignore the cold when walking is to listen to some music. Some upbeat music helps the most. Good luck! I think you should definitely do it. Start out slow until you're comfortable enough to walk farther and faster.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Anchorage on

I used to walk to the store and back every week day with my kids. It was about 45 min each way. I also watched what I ate and kept my calories to 1200 - 1400 a day. I lost 75 pounds in 5 months.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from New York on

Walking is exercise and it burns calories. So YES!!! I use walking as a way of maintaining my weight. (which I haven't been doing, and I've put back on a few pounds). I don't listen to music. We have a nice trail that runs along a river not from our house, its very relaxing just to enjoy nature.

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K.L.

answers from Lafayette on

I have to go with no, it's not enough. especially as we get older. with my first (I was 30) and a lot of walking, the weight did finally come off, but after my son, walking every day did nothing. went back to working part time last year and walked daily, nothing. but then swimming every day did nothing either. I get the whole calories in thing, but you would think that adding execise would move at least a bit of weight, but I think for some of us our bodies just need more. waiting for the day when I can get to the gym.

L.L.

answers from Rochester on

Yes. Before my last pregnancy...when my oldest was about three...I weighed about 150. One summer, I went for a walk every day...sometimes a mile, sometimes four...so basically, sometimes 12-15 minutes, sometimes an hour or more. I walked our bike trails, which are flat in some places and low hills in others. I would walk pushing my three year old in the stroller. That summer, I lost 20 pounds, just by walking...and I'd say I did more 1 mile walks than 4 mile walks...maybe 4 or 5 days a week. Didn't change anything in my diet.

Walk!! :) It works! :)

C.J.

answers from Milwaukee on

You SURE can!

I mix walking on an incline mixed with running and the INCLINE WALKING burns more calories!

Buy some good shoes and grab the ipod and get walking! You get to see so much MORE when you're out walking.

The best thing about walking is you can walk everyday since it's so low impact.

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M.J.

answers from Sacramento on

Walking is a great form of exercise. However, it still comes down to calories. You can do a brisk walk for an hour, but if you come home and eat the same calorie count you just burned, you're not going to lose. So, you do still have to watch eating habits. If you continue doing what you already are but add in the walking, you should see a difference, though. Good luck!

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H.M.

answers from Denver on

How much do you have to lose? What I've found is if you are fairly heavy and have not been exercising regularly then YES - walking will help shed pounds. However - in my experience - if you are already fairly thin OR just trying to lose the "last stubborn 5lbs" walking is not enough - I always need to do a strong cardio KICK to get myself losing weight at that point.

Good luck!

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C.B.

answers from San Francisco on

You most certainly can lose weight by walking, but not walking alone. You must also change your eating habits. My sister lost a significant amount of weight by changing her eating habits and walking. No strenous exercise, no "diet" or diet pills or anything like that. Just a life change for eating habits and a brisk 40 minute walk each evening. Mind you, this is not a "stroll", it is a brisk walk!

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Yep. Just by walking my dog 2x a day 10-15m a trip. His 55lbs added needed resistance ;-)

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