Walking to lose weight

[Justusemyname]

I've down loaded an app to count my steps and started on Wednesday. So far

Wednesday 7080
Thursday 7305
Friday 10021
Saturday 10097
Today 7045 so far

No weight lost, unless you count 0.2kilos, but I have aggravated my back and knee injury though it isn't too bad. I've also done two 30 minute stepping on the wii which is in the step total.

DH thinks walking 10000 steps a day - lots of which are just walking round in a loop through my downstairs - is not how I'm going to lose weight.

I've read enough times one needs to walk 10000 steps a day to lose weight to believe it was the way to go. Is it not?

I nearly cried when I saw how bad my stomach was but I have had two cooked meals today which is not usual, and would love to lose two stone. Not realistic I know. I'm hating myself, wanting to eat for comfort and feel useless.

[CadiM]

Don't be so hard on yourself! You've only been at it for a few days. I've lost quite a lot of weight and most of my exercise comes from walking but most of the weight loss probably came from changing the way I ate (reluctant to use the D word). Walking has done fabulous things for my legs, bum and stamina though, particularly when I get out, walk quickly, and get some hills in. I have a stepper which helps my step count but it doesn't get my heart rate up the way that walking outdoors does. And it's also good for the endorphins.

[Justusemyname]

Stupid thing is walking outside feels like a waste of time whereas walking in the house I can multi task. DS is still off school this week but next week I will start walking outside. Is it better to do the 10000 in one go? Of course I'd then do more as I'd be generally walking about in my day to day life.

[GunShotResidue]

If you burn more calories than you eat you will lose weight. Walking burns calories, so as long as you don't easy more to make up for it you will lose weight.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter if you do all your steps in one go or not. It takes the same amount of energy :)

[GunShotResidue]

Please don't hate yourself because of how you look. Appearance really doesn't matter. If you feel unhealthy and want to lose weight than go for it, you can do it. But you should love yourself regardless

[Justusemyname]

I definitely don't love myself. I don't even like myself much. I have real food issues and it is proving impossible to get out of that mind set. I see charts that say I should be eight stone and think wtf. How?!

[GunShotResidue]

Why don't you like yourself?

How tall are you?

[CadiM]

Have you tried Paul McKenna? His book / CD combo has helped a lot of people get control back over their eating (I'm sure there's a thread around here) and he has some good techniques for helping with low self-esteem / poor body image. As for weight charts, there's a big "healthy" range: my healthy BMI range is between 8 stone and 10 stone 10oz but I would look far too skinny at the bottom end and would be achievable only with starvation. 10 1/2 stone is much healthier for me.

[Justusemyname]

I'm five foot five and a half.

I tried Paul McKenna, read the book and cd but didn't lose anything. I am not sure I did it quite right though .

[GunShotResidue]

10 stone 12 would be the top end of healthy weight by BMI for 5 foot 5.5. 8 stone 1 is the very bottom. Do you mind me asking how much you weigh?

[WhenMarnieWasThere]

Raising your activity levels is a really good start.

But losing weight is more to do with what you eat. I think I've read 80% food, 20% exercise.

If you look at how many cals you'd earn by all those steps, it doesn't amount to much food really.

Myfitnesspal is a good place to start to see what you should be eating to lose weight - or any other site that can work out your tdee and therefore your calories for weightloss.

[Justusemyname]

I weigh 11 stone ten. I was mortified the other day to realise my youngest is ten this month and I'm still fat. I was 14 stone when I gave birth and did get down to 11 something iirc but then was ill and the medication caused me to go up to 13 stone 2 but I didn't realise. I've been trying on and off to lose weight for about 18 months and have lost the same stone and put it back on at least once.

I usually lose a stone when following a plan/diet and then nothing. I'm just frustrated as can't get to grips with it. I panic when hungry and revert back to being a child who wasn't allowed to eat.

[Mitzi50]

A relative has lost 6" off his waist over the last year by walking daily. He had not done any exercise for years and was very overweight I have always walked daily and am still overweight . I imagine his success is because he substantially increased what he was doing before. He has now taken up cycling!

[hmc]

I walk a good hour (up and down hill) daily, without fail, with my dogs. I only started to lose weight when I switched to very low carb diet and started 40 minutes of cardio/ weight training 6 days per week (lost 12lb in 4 weeks so far)

Walking is great but ime insufficient to lose weight

[GunShotResidue]

I I think something like myfitnesspal could be good for you as it's not restrictive. Google TDEE calculator and work out how many calories you burn each day, then set your calorie goal to that x 0.8

The good thing about MFP is you can choose what to track. So on days you feel crap you can just watch calories and eat what you like. On other days you can try and stick to x grams of fat/carbs/protein. As long as you're eating at a calorie deficit you'll lose weight.

I do think you should try and do something about your self esteem though

[BitchPeas]

I can lose weight and tone up by brisk walking (breaking into a sweat) for one hour everyday, but only if I do a 1200 cal day diet to go with it.

What are you eating at the moment?

[Artandco]

I think 10,000 is just enough recommended to keep fit enough, but not to loose anything. My daily average is almost 20,000 just at work and school runs etc, it's much higher is I add an actually long walk ontop

[YonicScrewdriver]

I don't think phone pedometers are that accurate; too many things shake your phone. A real pedometer isn't too expensive.

You haven't been going a week yet and you haven't done 10k steps a day. You are probably boosting your metabolic rate a little if this is more than your normal walking.

Paul McKenna is pretty good on self esteem and weight. You could try him again.

[YonicScrewdriver]

Is there any exercise you enjoy? Swimming might be good if your knees are bad?0

[merlehaggard]

Have you tried running instead of walking? I've just down loaded the NHS coach to 5k app and only done day 1 but it's quite motivating. Therefore, I'm not an expert and walking is also great exercise.

[merlehaggard]

Sorry, just read the bit about back and knee that would probably prevent this.

[Bathsheba3]

Don't be despondent Just. Every exercise is better than none. I am in exactly the same position, if it makes you feel any better. Food issues here too. And there's nothing I like about myself at the moment. But today is a brand new day. I'm about to go out walking - and will walk up a sweat. Plus starting calorie counting on MFP. Will try and do 1200 cals to start (I have 2+ stone to loose). Lets do it together ?

[GunShotResidue]

1200 is generally the minimum you're supposed to eat on MFP. It sets that as standard but expects you to log all your exercise and eat the extra calories. So walking a mile will give you 80 ish calories of extra food.

A lot of people prefer the TDEE method, where you work out how many calories you burn, then take away a maximum of 20% to put you in a safe sustainable deficit :)

[YonicScrewdriver]

You might find some company on this thread OP:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/exercise/2390875-Anyone-up-up-for-a-June-walking-challenge

[MyCatIsAGit]

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/11637899/Walking-helped-me-drop-a-stone-without-dieting.html

Saw this and thought of you. It's behind a pay wall but you can sign up for a free trial. Basically a woman who lost a stone by walking 10,000 step a day, quite inspiring.