Has anyone tried walking to lose weight?

[TheSweetLittleBunny]

I don't want to join a gym because I just want some peace and quiet and some space. Most gyms have TV and music and are quite busy.

I see a woman walking around the perimeter of our park every day, rain or shine - just taking big fast strides. I think to myself "I could do that" but I just can't motivate myself.

I did the Race for Life last year and walked the 5k circuit - it took an hour. Since then I have not walked except to pick up DS from nursery.

Anyone tried walking. Did it work for you? I need to lose 3.5 stone .

I am doing it ATM it's lovely especially if you have an mp3 player or a dog lol

How far and how fast do you walk george.

Good luck TMMJ. Are you combining fitness classes with change in eating. I'm not going on a diet, I just need to cut down on certain things - like wine!

About a mile a day you really don't notice it when you have music on .

I just walk where I feel like going that day .

I did notice yesterday that I could pull my jeans up without struggling ifykwim

I'm not weighing myself though I just have a pair of jeans when I can get back in them I'll be happy

That's a good idea.

The thing about it is that I feel I need a destination. I don't want to wander around aimlessly in the streets.

Today I have got as far as putting sports bra and trainer liners on, in readiness for taking a long detour on the way to picking DS up from nursery. I will of course be wearing other clothes as well not just trainer liners and sports bra!

Message withdrawn

I did SW a long time ago and took a long time to lose weight. In fact I put weight on. As a vegetarian I have a healthy diet anyway and we don't eat "junk food" in this house generally. So there was nothing for me to give up (except wine), oh and the odd muffin from Costa Coffee. But having said that for the past few months when I have been feeling really shite - I have been sending DH to Morrisons for pizza and garlic bread, and we have been taking DS to Pizza Hut (I had never stepped foot in one for over 20 years) . The other day I looked at the calories on my vegetarian pizza - 489 calories

Really? I might go to one of their classes then. I think SW encourages people to eat lots on the premise that eating lots of something non fattening is better than eating lots of something fattening. But that didn't work for me because I was already eating the foods they encouraged so eating more of those foods made me heavier. But I might try WW.

What has put me off walking has been the weather too. I don't mind the cold so much but I can't stand being out in the rain. I want to get fit before it gets really hot because I find it hard to lumber along in the hot sun.

I haven't got a dog no, and I am embarassed to say that I never learned how to ride a bike! And I can't swim either, but will be taking lessons in March.

I lost 1 and a half stones at slimming world last year. I walk EVERYWHERE (loads and loads of walking!!) and have managed to keep the weight off.

To the OP, sounds like the lady in the park is doing Powerwalking.
Do you have a local leisure center? maybe they know of a local powerwalking club near you?
AB

I think she is doing powerwalking. I am not sure if that is the same as speedwalking, because her arm movements are less pronounced. In turn speedwalking is completely different to racewalking, which is the one that is an olympic sport and can make you look quite silly in the park.

When I do Race for Life this year I hope to speedwalk it, rather than just try to walk very fast as I did last year.

When you see the health benefits of walking for just 30 mins a day - it's hard to just sit there isn't it. In my family we have a strong history of late onset diabetes (my mum, all my aunts and some of my female cousins). I am 42 with a BMI of 31 - that is not a good thing.

FioFio - you are definitely making me want to join WW.

Walking is definitely, absolutely going to help you lose weight! It doesn't matter what you call it - power, speed, etc - just walk as briskly as you can. Every day for at least 30mins.

I got all my baby weight off from both Dc's simply by trying to eat sensibly (definitely no diet, but tried to cut out snacking)and walking everywhere.

I did have a very heavy tandem pushchair, which I suppose must have helped, but walking is great exercise.

I've also just been reading the RSPB mag, which has an article about how good being outdoors is for your mental health and I would definitely second that too.

I know what you mean about needing a destination though. I used to save letters to post one at a time, to give me a reason to go out again the next day . Try shopping daily? If you walk you can only buy what you can carry so it has the added benefit that you save waste and money.

I've now progressed to running, but our running club also has a walking group, which is a riot. (laugh, not violent)

I walk to work every day that I go in (abut 3 or 4 days a week on average). It's a half hours walk each way. I've also started walking on Dartmoor again, but I have to take ds1 and he's quite slow. We do go in the wild parts though. I have lost weight and I feel healthier. There is nothing like a few hours on Dartmoor for my mental health though. Absolutely love it.

WW didn't work for me as I couldn't drop my wine which meant I was using all my points on wine but I'm having an alcohol break and suspect that will help with weight loss.

al i know is that I have put on 6lbs in 6 months since having a car.

walking must have been good, so i am trying make up for that.