I posted in here before walking is not exercise I call it an activity. No heart benefit. Everyone piled on back then even though I mentioned "power walking" , hills, significant speed, carry weights or other resistance turns it into exercise. If your not doing all of those its not exercise. A 5 mile walk? People walk 35 in a week? I doubt it and even if you do try something more challenging

I do about 25-30 miles per week of uphill walking on the treadmill at a significant speed. (I don't have a FitBit or count other steps I might take around my house). My last two or three "laps" are usually jogging at a slow speed (6 mph).

I usually do 20 minutes on a rower twice a week and some daily abs and push-ups. I'm a middle aged woman with a desk job, not an Instagram model or an athlete. Why do I have to do more if I enjoy walking? Since I started doing the daily walking, my weight is now lower than it was when I was in HS, I'm strong, I can jog a mile without wanting to die (I just hate it), I can eat a normal number of calories and not gain weight, etc. You don't have to be obese or 85 years old to get some benefit from it.

Anonymous wrote:I posted in here before walking is not exercise I call it an activity. No heart benefit. Everyone piled on back then even though I mentioned "power walking" , hills, significant speed, carry weights or other resistance turns it into exercise. If your not doing all of those its not exercise. A 5 mile walk? People walk 35 in a week? I doubt it and even if you do try something more challenging

I think the important thing here, from a health perspective, is that you're moving, and not sitting on your behind. So while there are more efficient means of calorie burn, or building muscle, or cardio, it still is a healthy thing to do. And if it is sustainable, then that's a good thing. It's not difficult to walk 5 miles a day, even if some of it is walking inside the house or in the yard, if one is mindful of it.

As for finding something more challenging, why? Why does everything have to be challenging, and not fun/peaceful/(insert other reasons people do it), in order to be considered beneficial? And just about everyone can do it, as it requires reasonably decent health, and not much by way of equipment or other support.

I posted in here before walking is not exercise I call it an activity. No heart benefit. Everyone piled on back then even though I mentioned "power walking" , hills, significant speed, carry weights or other resistance turns it into exercise. If your not doing all of those its not exercise. A 5 mile walk? People walk 35 in a week? I doubt it and even if you do try something more challenging

You have to understand that throughout most of human existence, walking was the primary form of exercise people got. People did not used to "go for a jog." If you were running, you were most likely running from an enemy or late to a meeting. Sure I guess if you can only slot in 30 minutes twice a week then it's better to exercise really hard. But it's far healthier to walk an hour per day than to run your top speed for 30 minutes twice per week.

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Anonymous wrote:Not unless hiking -- quickly or on significant terrain. It's a healthy lifestyle choice and a fun activity but not really efficient at burning calories or building muscle.

Hiking doesn’t really build muscle either. Resistance training builds muscle. Walking still has tons of health benefits and will have overall impact on your physique even if you’re already lean and muscular.

Hiking on gentle, flat terrain? No. But hiking on trails with hills, rocks, or lots of "stairs" will absolutely built muscle.

Ok well in that case you’d have to concede walking on hills is as effective as hiking.

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Anonymous wrote:Not unless hiking -- quickly or on significant terrain. It's a healthy lifestyle choice and a fun activity but not really efficient at burning calories or building muscle.

Hiking doesn’t really build muscle either. Resistance training builds muscle. Walking still has tons of health benefits and will have overall impact on your physique even if you’re already lean and muscular.

Hiking on gentle, flat terrain? No. But hiking on trails with hills, rocks, or lots of "stairs" will absolutely built muscle.

Anonymous wrote:Not unless hiking -- quickly or on significant terrain. It's a healthy lifestyle choice and a fun activity but not really efficient at burning calories or building muscle.

Hiking doesn’t really build muscle either. Resistance training builds muscle. Walking still has tons of health benefits and will have overall impact on your physique even if you’re already lean and muscular.

Yes. My goal is 10,000 steps per day. Usually I do that plus 30-45 minutes of cardio but on “off” days I still feel good getting 10,000 steps.

Yes, but it's better to power walk than to stroll:

https://www.eatingwell.com/syndication/how-to-walk-off-10-pounds/?utm_campaign=eatingwell&utm_content=like2buy_headline&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram&utm_term=curalate_like2buy

I started wearing ankle weights while I walk and it's actually made a difference.

Not unless hiking -- quickly or on significant terrain. It's a healthy lifestyle choice and a fun activity but not really efficient at burning calories or building muscle.

Anonymous wrote:I once set my Apple Watch to an indoor walk at sams club by accident - I burned 100 calories and walked almost 1 Mile apparently. It counted towards my daily exercise !

Activities logged include your resting calories. I burn about 60 cals/hour just existing, so if I slowly walked around Sam’s club for an hour and totaling about a mile, only 40 (or less) of those 100 calories would be from “exercise.”

I will log walking outside for distance and steps, but it’s not exercise for me. My heart rate doesn’t remotely get high enough to register as activity minutes.

I once set my Apple Watch to an indoor walk at sams club by accident - I burned 100 calories and walked almost 1 Mile apparently. It counted towards my daily exercise !

Depends on what type of walk. A stroll on the street or walk AROUND the neighborhood. Also depends if my heart rate even increase. I can do lazy walking and not sweat or put much effort into it.

But, I really should just call it exercise since it's the only thing I'm doing now.

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Anonymous wrote:Yes. Walking is amazing for your health. I lift weights 4x a week and try to walk 5 miles a day. It is so beneficial for you.

This is pretty much me as well. I was a lifelong runner, but in my 40s switched to daily weights and walking with a weekly swim. Wish I had changed routines earlier.

Besides the same cardio benefits as running but lower impact, taking a walk is incredible for mental health. Just out using your body, looking at things, listening to music or podcast or nothing. It is pretty much the thing that got me through the hardest early days of the pandemic

50F, menopausal 3 years. Diagnosed with osteoporosis at 47 (!) with a small, tending- towards-frail frame.

My rheumatologist prescribed Fosamax and hard surface walking AND running.

I took this to heart and have run one 5k, then COVID hit and I ditched the gym for outside trails walks usually 3 miles in one hour.

I'm in healthcare and mid pandemic I had several days of 21k steps setting up a clinic.

Is walking exercise? Hellllll yes!

You sound like ne. I've been avoiding Fosamax and the like out of fear of side effects. Do you think it's working for you? I may start rethinking getting on this type of medication. Thanks!

Fosamax PP and I was hesitant to begin Fosamax, initially prescribed by my longtime NP. Waited for second opinion from rheumatologist who agreed I should begin this med for two years then follow up with dexa scan to see if it's taken effect.

I understand weighing side effects but in my case, both parents have or had osteoporosis. My maternal grandmother and GG had dowagers humps. My brother was diagnosed with osteopenia recently at 55 after my dexa scan motivated him into looking into genetic predisposition to bone loss.

We are fair skinned, light eyed, slightly built, very typical examples of osteoporosis!

Thank you for this. This is actually very helpful!