Walking - is it enough?

[Dozyoldtwonk]

I love to exercise as it makes me feel healthier, fitter & just generally better. I don't need to lose weight - but I do want to maintain where I am (48kg at 5 3") & that's obviously easier to do when exercising regularly. I have tried various you tube videos & tutorials on HIIT & the like, but struggle with the motivation to do them regularly enough.

The only thing I really enjoy doing, that I know I can stick to consistently, is walking. I have dogs so kind of essential I walk anyway. I walk at a reasonably fast past (especially when they're off lead) and tend to do between 5-10km per walk, depending on how much time I have. The absolute minimum I do is 30 mins, which is around 3.5km. I try to get out walking 5/6 times a week, DH takes the dogs out each morning anyway.

I don't want to build muscle or shape any specific body parts, so is walking as above really enough to enjoy a moderate level of fitness?

[Dozyoldtwonk]

Pace, not past!

[lavendersun]

I think it is. When my daughter was in her pushchair I walked for 90 mins a day, fast, with her and my dog and I was as fit as I have ever been.

I try to walk for 50-60 mins a day, quickly, I need a shower by the end of it. Nordic poles really increase the effort required (although you might feel a bit daft to begin with).

[Spandexpants007]

If you're doing 2.17 miles in 30 minutes, that just under 14 minutes a mile. Which is an extremely fast walking pace. A bit faster and you'd be jogging.

If you do 1000 steps at a good pace, then that's perfect. You might want to do some yoga or Pilates to keep your flexibility though

[Sadik]

The NHS advice suggests 150 mins of moderate activity (like fast walking) per week plus doing some kind of muscle strength building activity at least twice a week. So maybe worth thinking about adding something like that - I remember a nurse practictioner friend saying strength / resistance exercise particularly important for middle aged women because of the changes associated with menopause / potential loss of bone density IIRC (though I don't know how old you are of course!!!)

[BabyGanoush]

48kg

[BabyGanoush]

But yes, walking is good exercise

[Dozyoldtwonk]

lavendersun similar to you, I really got into walking when I was pregnant & I felt great throughout, minimal weight gain despite my cravings for ice cream, cheese & chocolate, not all together

Spandexpants007 I use the map my walk app set in km, and I think I'm averaging a 9-minute kilometre, will have to set it to miles & see where I'm at. Did you mean 10,000 steps?

I like the idea of adding yoga/Pilates type workout. Is there anything on you tube free that is any good?

[Spandexpants007]

Ha yes 10,000 steps. I've heard its 11.000 for 40+ women

[Spandexpants007]

There's loads of Pilates/yoga on YouTube and I'm In the process of trawling through it myself. I'd quite like a 15 min daily routine

[Bostin]

Does strength/resistance training = weights.

[patterkiller]

I maintain with walking fast two dog walks most days and 20 minutes Pilates each morning.

[Sadik]

I guess rowing machine / that sort of thing would count, Bostin? Maybe Pilates too?

[Dozyoldtwonk]

How long/far would do you walk, patterkiller?

Didn't mention before & not sure if this makes a difference, but I sometimes strap my 19lb DD (8.5mo) into her sling & take her with me, walking up to an hour. She's asleep within 5 minutes so win-win-win at nap times. I definitely need to shower after those walks!

[MrsMook]

Carrying a young child definitely increases the work.

Brisk walking is great for general health.

Dawdling around on a gentle stroll will have less benefit, but is still a vast improvement for health than doing nothing.

[patterkiller]

I walk five km twice daily and take about 40 minutes.

But this does just maintain. To lose I would need to adjust my diet. I can't do any impact exercise at all.

[lavendersun]

Using these

www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/black-diamond-trail-trekking-pole-pair-E2B12281?id_colour=133&channel_code=110&s2m_product_id=66658_133&utm_source=google&_$ja=tsid:45886&gclid=Cj0KEQiA0sq2BRDRt6Scrqj71vQBEiQAg5bj03PO7z3NUyv7PE9F4iCWW_S_edh2yCVVdtyV5zoSKDUaAmYi8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

really intensifies walking (I have got rubber tips on mine, found them jarring on hard tracks without them), and of course I would always ready to see off anyone if I came across a nutter in the woods .

[Eastpoint]

I really like Yoga with Adriene, she is quite funny and has a warm personality.

[Millymollymoo8]

Yes it is enough f you do it right. I lost 4 stone in a year by walking 6 miles everyday. ( fast pace 14m miles carrying baby)
I was breastfeeding at the time but also overeating.

[YippeeTeenager]

I was just relying on walking every day as my exercise but then I realised my arms were getting really flabby as they weren't really doing anything, so I've added in some resistance classes now (body conditioning and body pump) and a bit of yoga/Pilates and I think it's a much better balance. Still flabby but getting slightly better in dimmed light with squinty eyes

[mercifulTehlu]

I think if you do long/hilly walks at a reasonable pace then yes, it's probably enough to keep you reasonably fit and maintain weight. I don't think more vigorous exercise is sufficient on its own to lose much weight without dieting (unless you're doing crazy amounts of it).

[ABetaDad1]

Walking up a slight incline for 60 minutes at a fast pace is definitely good exercise. Try walking up and down stairs for 20 minutes non stop. Its the same. You are lifting your own body weight up a hill.