Ok! I've given up the diet pills. (I know I should have listened to Georgia the first time, I'm just a little slow )
How often should I walk, at what pace and for how long? I have heard of walk away the pounds but I'm not sure what the program is. I live right by the beach so I could go there after work. Has anyone tried walking for toning? Has it worked? ******************************************************************** 06-13-03, 09:57 AM Texan-In-Exile Good for you, Clare! Smile I can't even take diet pills anymore! Ugh! I know there are some folks here who can give you more professional advice, but I can share my experience.
I've used walking in conjunction with diet and other exercise. But it is a good way to get your blood pumping and to improve your breathing! And of course, as an overall exercise. (Someday I hope to be able to get back into a good habit again! Roll Eyes )
I started walking for about 20 minutes, then gradually increased to 30-40 minutes, about 3 or 4 times a week. As I got more into shape, rather than increase the time I spent walking, I increased the speed at which I walked and the distance I covered.
How much time you spend on your routine will, of course, depend on how much time you can spare. But some other ways to incorporate walking into your daily life are: Park farther out in the lot Use the stairs instead of the elevator Don't try to save steps around the house when doing chores Walk to the corner store instead of driving
Good luck - and have fun! Smile
06-13-03, 03:50 PM Georgia85 Ahem...WHEN did this happen? You were sooooo excited....lost 5 pounds in a week....I chewed you out over it....so what happened? Wink
I will say that I am very proud of you for stopping taking those pills. You know they work...but you also know they're damaging to your heart and central nervous system.
You are also lucky to live near a beach because walking on a beach is EXCELLENT exercise. Having the uneven sand beneath your feet adds more resistance to your legs, thus you use your muscles more and it is a greater strain to walk on sand than on pavement. As for pace, you should walk fast enough to get your heart rate up...yet still be able to talk without gasping for breath. Try to walk every other day and start out at 1 mile and then eventually get up to at least 5 miles.
Again, I'm proud of you...and thanks for taking my advice from offline messages into consideration! And TIE - some excellent suggestions you offered!
06-13-03, 04:47 PM clarebear Well I actually lost 3 pounds and it wasn't because of the pills. I've been working out and watching what I've been eating all week. I wasn't sleeping well. I started getting really moody and depressed. Everyone was noticing. (cause I'm usually very Big Grin all the time) I was just so sad. I went online and looked at the side effects. It said it can cause depression or other psychiatric conditions. It took about 2 days for me to feel better. I am NEVER taking a diet pill again. I'm just going to eat sensible and exercise. I already feel myself getting more tone. It is gonna take a while. Georgia, I know I'm a pain. I just wanted to get the weight off so fast. (*sigh*) It is depressing to see all these girls with flat tummies. And summer is coming and excuse, excuse, (whine) excuse. It is just frustrating. I was seriously depressed. Never again. Thanks for the advice Tie! And Thanks Georgia. I'll listen to you next time. Or try to. Roll Eyes
And thanks to Renee, Giz, Kittypal, MrsS, Elexina and Wildflower. And everyone who telepathically called me an idiot. ->(Dorian) I heard. LOL
It just took me a minute to wise up! Big Grin
06-13-03, 05:08 PM Oceangurl Clare -- I've been walking too and have had positive results.
As you know, I'm a Weight Watcher's member, so I've been slowly improving my eating habits (but it does take time to break old habits.) Anyway, I also started walking and the first week that I walked 4 hours, I lost 2 pounds.
I started by walking an hour on a treadmill at 3.5 mph at 1.0 incline, four times a week. This is a Very small incline and a very casual pace.
Now that I'm in week #2, I'm trying to increase my walk speed by .5 mph each week. So this week, I've been walking at 4 mph for an hour at a time and I raised my incline level to 1.5.
I don't think I can walk much faster than 4.5 mph without picking up a little bit of a jog (I have very short legs so this is getting kind of quick for me.) I look at the mph of the tall ladies next to me and they usually walk at 5.0 mph.
When I'm not using the gym, I also go to the beach and walk on the bike path. I'll walk 40 minutes on the bike path and 20 minutes on the beach. Walking in sand is extra tough!
Good for you for this choice, now that summer is about here, the days will be light longer and you'll have more opportunity for longer walks.
Keep up the good work!
06-13-03, 05:37 PM clarebear Originally posted by Oceangurl:
quote:I'll walk 40 minutes on the bike path and 20 minutes on the beach.
How far is that in distance at normal walking pace? How do I know how far I've walked?
06-13-03, 06:57 PM Oceangurl Actually, this is why I walk on a treadmill, so that I can time my speed and distance.
I walk on the treadmill between 3.5 and 4 miles over 60 minutes. If I get the same pace going while at the beach, I'm pretty confident that I have definitely walked over three miles, but perhaps not quite 3.5 or 4.0. (Personally, I think it's easier to walk farther on a treadmill. When you're walking up and down hills and on a beach, your pace will naturally slow a bit.)
Another way to keep your pace up is to walk while listening to upbeat music on a headset (if it's not dangerous for you to be walking while not being able to hear what's going on around you. Don't do this if you are walking near traffic because you need to hear a horn honk or brakes screeching.)
You could try a pedometer, but I'm not sure how they work. My Weight Watchers center sells them. You strap them to your ankle (I think) and somehow it measures your distance.
I'll ask my Weight Watcher's leader how they work next week, and will let you know what she says.
06-13-03, 07:50 PM Sherasi OG, if I am not mistaken, the movement of your walk creates a sort of bump.. and these counters take into account the stride length (you set the parameters) and then it measures the distance walked with each "bounce" of your walk.
06-14-03, 02:21 PM clarebear I just bought an electric pedometer today. It will measure distance, calories, steps and it has a timer. I also went out and bought some wrist guards and knee pads to try rollerblading again. (Lydia is teaching me how to stop! LOL) I want to get a jump rope and a new exercise tape too. I'm going to do a variety of exercises. (I get bored real easy) Cool
06-16-03, 01:28 PM Oceangurl Clare, if you don't mind my asking, how much did you pay for your pedometer? Where did you buy it?
06-16-03, 02:02 PM Lydia Clare - - I'll help ya on the stopping w/rollerblades Wink.....
Also gotta tell ya - Rollerblading is much more fun than walking and the exercise you get from it outweighs the walking as well. Blading definitely works on the outer thigh area because of the weight of the blades when you lift your feet.....
06-17-03, 09:37 AM clarebear The pedometer was $20.00 at Meijers. It is a SPORTLINE 350.
It measures distance, steps and calories burned. It has a timer and a recall feature. You just input your weight and thats it. It will tell you how far you have gone and how many calories burned.
It was kind of hard opening it. It clips on your belt like a pager. *
*Opens down not up!
This is a website that has the one I bought. It was cheaper at Meijers.
06-17-03, 06:26 PM crescen7 for what it's worth, I don't think the pedometer will give an accurate reading with roller blades.
for the latest and greatest in determining speed and distance check out the Timex GPS watch . Admittedly it's a bit over the top at $130.00 - but it's incredibly accurate in measuring distance and speed.
06-17-03, 07:09 PM aminator2002 Walking also helps increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
Doing weight bearing exercise even if it's just casual strolling around is important to keep bones healthy.
Read an article today by a woman who wore her pedometer around all day to get a measure of what kind of lifestyle she led and how active she was. She found that some days when she was working around the house, shopping, etc that she actually walked a great deal. The opposite were days when she used the computer a lot... obviously she didn't get a lot of walking time.
THe interesting thing was that on those days where she set aside time to exercise but was on the computer, she didn't even come close to the activity level of a non-computer use day... something like 2 miles walked during exercise time versus 8 miles walked during course of active day.
the point I guess is that our computers are making us fat, lose bone density and probably a lot more prone to heart failure....
want to check it out with your pedometer Clare?
I think I'm going to check it out.
06-18-03, 10:53 AM clarebear
quote:Originally posted by crescen7: for what it's worth, I don't think the pedometer will give an accurate reading with roller blades.
The pedometer was for walking. I don't think it will calculate how many calories I burn falling down on the roller blades. Wink LOL
I went to the beach this morning with boyfriend's daughter. I walked around and played on the playground. (I'll try another time just walking by myself)
My pedometer says this:
Steps: 4051 Distance: 1.854 miles Calories burned: 148.8 Timer: 47 min 25 sec
I'm not sure if this is good or not. Confused
06-20-03, 05:45 PM Oceangurl Clare, just an fyi. My WW leader was discussing pedometers and walking today. I guess during her meeting last week, she challenged everyone with a pedometer to walk 10,000 steps a day. Someone said that equates to about four miles.
06-20-03, 09:22 PM LVLF Hi Clarebear, It sounds like walking for health has become so 'technicalWink Anyway, walking is very good for you in so many different ways, but, while you are walking past that beach, stop and take a swim. Swimming is an excellent way to tone and slender those nasty parts of our bodies that just don't want to stay young looking. I used to swim laps for an hour, switching the strokes to work different parts of my flab, and believe me, it worked. I lost inches and inches, but not much weight (we all know that MUSCLESmile weighs more than fat)and went from a size 13 to a size 10, and now though I don't swim anymore, I'm at a comfy size 6/7, thanks to some serious talks with myself about snacking, and how it is not your friend-- convincing myself that once dinner is over, it's over, and dinner is never (hardly ever) served after 7pm. But walking is good, too, one thing I do know is that I get VERY bored while walking, and it's too hard to walk with someone for company because I either end up slowing way down, or running out of breath because it's kinda hard to walk fast and talk without getting a bit winded, 'course that's probably because I smoke, which is another issue entirely. Big Grin Anyway, don't let yourself get discouraged, because the you we all have come to know is darn near perfect, and you don't want to mess with perfection. Smile
06-21-03, 10:41 AM clarebear Oceangurl
10,000 steps is about 4 miles. (just wanted to confirm that Smile)
I've been doing this the past 3 days. (taking a break today!) and about 2500 steps is a mile. One mile keeps averaging around 100 calories burned. It is really good for toning.
Thanks for the advice LVLF. ( I gotta learn how to swim first. Eek) I used a walkman when I went. It was great. I live about 2 miles from the beach! Smile I figure if I can spend as much time on the computer as I do, I have no excuse not to exercise. Say... didn't we have a bet going a long time ago? I forget. Roll Eyes
06-21-03, 01:26 PM kittypal Clare, have done a lot of reading on walking and weight loss, of course like all diet and exercise stuff it depends on who you listen to and it always is changing. Everyone walks at a different pace for the normal walk, but it is probably between 2-3 miles an hour, when I walk on the treadmill I start at 3.8 for a few minutes, increase every few until I am at 4.3 for the biggest share of my walk, take it to 4.5 for a few and then lower back down to cool off. If you walk at 4.0 you will walk 1 mile in fifteen minutes, 2 at 1/2 hour and so forth. Buy an odometer, they are cheap hook to your waistband and will keep trkck of how far you went, you can figure your speed with a little math. Most of the experts say to walk at least 2 miles, the calorie thing supposedly is the same for burning at whatever speed because if I walked 2 miles and it took me 1 hour and you did it in 1/2 hour, you may have went faster, but I worked out longer so it is supossed to even out the calorie burn, not sure how true it is, but het, at least you are execising!!!.....and sheesh, we told you so!!!(about the diet pills!!!) Smile Smile Smile
06-21-03, 02:02 PM Sherasi well, the calorie burn is about the same for almost all speeds of walking and jogging... only difference is the length of time it takes to accomplish the exercise.
Of course, if you don't have much time, a faster walk is better.. jogging is quite bad on the knees and joints though.
06-21-03, 10:48 PM LVLF Walking for weight loss Yes, clarebear, we did, but I forget too..old age creeping in, but I do remember I wasn't going to eat anymore donuts, and I think I've stuck to it fairly well. I've only had about 10 in the last 6 months or so. As for the swimming goes, if you stay in shallow water, REAL shallow, you can do some exercises that are good for your butt and legs. Just go in deep enough for the water to reach you chest while you are sitting down, then you can do all kinds of leg stretches, moving your legs up and down, then holding them up ( but still in the water) and close your legs, open them, and so on. You can do them laying on your side as well, but you will have a bunch of sand to deal with when you're all done.Wink
It was about taking CLR. I do have chromium in my vitamins but I never did take the CLR. Roll Eyes
06-22-03, 11:25 AM LVLF NOW I remember, and I took a whole bottle of the stuff..no, not all at once Big Grin, but it didn't seem to work, of course, I don't think I was totally watching what I ate at that time, so sue me Big Grin Big Grin ANyway, I decided that I take enough meds for RA, and I really had to set my mind firmly in the belief that I COULD quit/ cut down on snacking, and try to eat properly, and it seemed to help. I also quit drinking pop, even diet, almost entirely. Water and raspberry ice tea do it for me now, and I'm down from about 2 pots of coffee a day, to 1 cup. I don't know if that has anything to do with it, but I feel better.
I am so excited! I have been working out everyday and taking vitamins. I've been alternating from walking to workout tapes and freelance situps. I am still eating. (had chocolate cake this week too). I stopped eating and going right to bed. I can fit in my old clothes again. I have lost 6 pounds and I feel GREAT!!!!
Big Grin
06-23-03, 07:04 PM LVLF HIP-HIP- WHOOORAY, Smile Smile Smile and by hip hip, I'm much smaller hips
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