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?

Pace, not past!

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).

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

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!!!)

48kg

But yes, walking is good exercise

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?

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

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

Does strength/resistance training = weights.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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 .

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

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.

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

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).

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.