walking for exercise

[stacysheil]

is it better to walk for longer periods of time at a slower pace or for shorter periods of time at a faster pace?

[LisaS]

better for what?
burning fat, raising your metabolism, increasing your VO2 max ... ?

[stacysheil]

better for burning fat i guess is what i am asking. i just wanted to know which has the better benefits.

[Arie]

Burnning calories is the same.. However, the longer you walk the better you will do in the long run. As you get in better shape, you will increase your pace of walking and you will already be in the "groove" for longer walks...
the short answer: walk longer time, and increace your pace as you get better at it...

[stacysheil]

Thanks Arie
I have been walking a 16 min mile. I can usually walk about 4 miles, I just get so bored doing it. I was wondering should I just start walking faster to cut my time. I have to make myself do it everyday, I watch tv while I do it helps sometimes but other times I just keep wondering when I'm gonna be finished.

[Arie]

here is a trick I use to do when I needed to start running (at 280lb): I would walk 100 steps, and then run 50, and so on. Some time to make it interesting I would walk 100 steps, run 10, walk a 100, run 20, walk 100 run 30... you get the idea. You have no idea how fast time flys, and how easy it is to trick you body into working harder, while you think you are just "counting"...

If you are no ready to run, just change the pace from walking to walking faster, and count the steps... it is distructing, it is relaxing, and as I have said, time will fly...

[texascarl]

is it better to walk for longer periods of time at a slower pace or for shorter periods of time at a faster pace?

Would you believe...both? I normally walk 30-45 minutes per day 5 days a week (for a weekly goal of AT LEAST 150 minutes of walking) I 'budget' one day off out of 7, and on one weekend day I try to go walking for 2 hours or more. The time spent over 150 minutes per week is the time that's actually 'burning' some calories per my calculations.

Up to 150 minutes = my 'staying healthy' baseline. Time over that, I'm burning lard. From all I've read, 20-30 minutes of moderate walking (a 20 minute mile is moderate, your 16 minute mile is much closer to 'weight loss'...shoot for 15 minute miles!) is enough to help keep us healthy and burns enough calories that our dieting will pay off over time. But amping up the rate a bit AND increasing the time a little will put you much closer to your weight loss goals. Going up to 45-60 minutes/day and walking faster puts us closer. The 'more is better' curve ends soon after 60 minutes daily. IMHO, it's mo' bettah to do other crosstraining after that. Your time will be better spent lifting weights, biking/swimming, pilates/gymnastics, tae-bo/tai chi or other martial arts, etc...with weight lifting being your best crosstraining addition after walking.

For lots of really good info I'd recommend any of Mark Fenton's walking books (tho' know up front that he was never a fan of Dr. Atkins. So skip thru most nutritional advice & stick to the walking info) Otherwise, very well written, motivational, includes some great planning tools. All in all, if you can find his books they're very useful information. (Sadly, when Walking Magazine went under some of his books went out of print). He's had a recent TV show on PBS, so keep your eyes peeled for more info. Meanwhile, here are some links you may enjoy:

http://walking.about.com/library/weekly/aa070697.htm

http://www.emedicine.com/aaem/topic569.htm

http://www.active.com/story.cfm?story_id=1748

http://www.walkinginfo.org/insight/features_articles/excuses/printerversion.htm

http://www.trekfit.com/ttn/ttn_0101.html

A walking calculator (time/weight/speed = calories burned)
http://www.prevention.com/cda/walking_calculator2002/1,4783,2115,00.html

[Mr Fat]

This info is very helpful to me, just starting out. Thank you!
MF

[stacysheil]

Thank you texascarl for the great info. I looked at each site and they are very helpful. So I have decided to start walking 45 min. a day and one day a week make it at least an hour. I will work on my timing each day. Usually my first mile is 16 and then I get my 2nd mile in about 15 so now I just have to get back up to 45 minutes of walking. I was walking up to 8 miles a day so I know I can do it, I just have to make myself.
Thanks for taking the time topost all those links, I think they will be helpful to alot of people.

[Khaki]

How do you find the time to fit all that in? (That's my problem - life gets in the way!)

[chelles]

Weight loss is related to the total number of calories you expend thru exercise. You can burn 500 calories in an hour, or 500 calories in a half-hour with more effort.

Higher-intensity exercise also burns much much more fat after you quit exercising, for up to two hours.

There was one study a few years ago that showed people should exercise longer and easier. Since then, almost every study done has shown that higher-intensity exercising is much better. Unfortunately, nobody wants to work out harder!

You can find a really good article on this in Sprts Med., issue 31 (2001)

[stacysheil]

Khaki, you just have to make time. Every little bit of exercise adds days or years to your life, giving you more time to enjoy your life. Just take it a mile at a time if you dont have much time.
I dont know if you work or what but I am a stay at home mom which gives me a little more time than others. I just catch my kids busy doing the playstation or watching a movie and I get on and walk as long as they will let me.

[Khaki]

I work and have 3 kids and all the school and extracurricular activities that go with it. I have a treadmill at my work but I just go SO bored with it (although it has a tv in front of it). So I've been trying to go in the a.m.'s as I have a beautiful city park with a walking path at the end of my street. My husband and I even left the 8 yr old twins "home alone" one day and took a cell phone. Just gotta keep trying. I'm thinking that when school starts back I might can do it after they leave for school...

Thanks for the support!

[stacysheil]

thanks to all of you for your info and support.
I walked one hour and one minute today for a total of 3.54 miles. So now I have to get my mileage up. I have started a walking log so maybe that willhelp too. It was a little hard getting started knowing that i was going to walk an hour but i did it.

[texascarl]

Hang tough! And remember, 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there...it all adds up. If you can't justify an hour at a time, go for 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a day.

[stacysheil]

I am hanging in there, I got in 1hour 3 minutes for 3.74 miles today. I am so determined, just hope I can keep it up.