Recently a new term "weight-walking" has been introduced. While walking helps you burn calories and lose weight, walking combined with exercises for the upper-body muscle groups may help you get even better results.
Questions for Dr. Richard Schofield, the author of Weight-Walking: A New Path to Health and Fitness.
What do you need to start walking?
Weight-Walking is for "regular" people. All you need is somewhere to walk, sensible shoes, and a pair of light-weight dumbbells. No spandex is required. Most women would use a pair of 2- or 3-pound dumbbells, while most men would use 3- or 4-pounds. Basically, you should be able to lift both weights above your head ten or twenty times without undue strain.
What health benefits will you get?
On the health and fitness front, you will 1) tone up all of your upper-body muscle groups from the "Weight" component, 2) tone up your lower-body muscle groups from the "Walk" component, 3) increase your overall cardiovascular fitness, and 4) lose some weight (assuming you eat sensibly).
How often do you need to walk to lose weight? How long should a session last?
Each Weight-Walking session should last 30 to 60 minutes. During this time, you will typically do between 1,000 and 3,000 lifts, stretches and swings. For serious weight-loss, you should Weight-Walk for 60-minutes at least five times per week (assuming this is your only exercise). For maintenance, 30 to 45 minutes three-times per week is enough.
What time of the day is the best time to walk?
Preferably, you should Weight-Walk when the temperature is about 70-degrees, whether that is first thing in the morning in the summer or before lunch in the winter. For weight-loss, the best time is right before a meal.
What pace would you recommend? Is the pace important for weight loss?
Regarding pace, you should power-walk, but not at race speed. If your health permits, you should aim for 3.5 to 4 mph. If not, stick to whatever is comfortable and can be maintained for the entire session.
How many calories can you burn in one session?
Most people will burn 300 to 600 calories in a one-hour session, depending on their weight and level of effort. The more overweight you are, the more calories you will burn.
Do you have to stick to a diet? If so, what diet would you recommend and why?
The book does not prescribe or endorse a particular diet, although it does offer some hints, suggestions and meal plans. The focus is on applying commonsense and willpower to your existing diet plan, and creating a sustainable health regime. Weight-Walking can be used as a tool to augment whatever diet plan you have selected.
How long does it take to see weight loss results?
I personally lost 40 pounds in three months.
Does walking suit everybody? Are there any limitations?
No exercise program suits everyone, but Weight-Walking comes close. Pilates is not for everyone...but if you can walk, you can Weight-Walk. It can be done in the park, on the hiking trail, on the treadmill, or just walking in place in front of the TV.
walking to loose weight
i had two babies in one year( not twins) and i weigh 178 and only 5'2 im starting to walk 1 mile every day. but i dont walk fast i walk at an average pace. mainley because my 5 year old daughter walks with me. how much weight will i looses just by walking everyday? and im going to try and cut back on carbs. cuz it seems everything i eat is nothing but carbs. but another thing is i drink like 4-5 cans of soda a day to. so i know i have to cut way back on that too. but my question is will i loose weight walking, walking not fast? and how long till i notice the weight comeing off??
please help.
I just started to walk 3.1 miles a day and eating just healthy. About 2000 calories a day. How long will it take to loose weight?
walking to loose weight
i have tried everything liquid diets,diet pills,surgery,starvation and i find that they all work if you can stick to the plan at hand.low carb intake,lots of water,crystal lite decaf coffee or tea 1200 cal is good anything less your body will go into starvation mode and hold on to the fat as if it its not going to get another thing[lol].1200 cal is good with 60 min of exercise walk or stationary bike.
Notice
Dear Michelle, thank you for sharing your experience with us. We do appreciate it. We'll be glad to see more comments from you.
Also, I'd like to remind our readers that all comments on this web site are personal opinions, not medical advice. 1200-calorie diet with 60 minutes of exercise recommended in the previous post may be very good for some people but it does not mean it suits everybody. You should always consider your individual health conditions. The idea that you should not go below 1200 calories without medical supervision is very sensible.
student, preparing for exams
Hi ,
I am a medical student and am preparing for my exams.Recently I have put on a few kilos. usually I keep my weight under control by walking but this time I just cudn't. My entire day revolves around my writing desk and books. I have recently started walking again and feel my body a bit toned but haven't lost much . All I want to know is a diet which can keep me alert and still help me loose weight without feeling hungry all the time and diverting my focus from the studies.I really want to lose weight not only because it'll make me look better but also because I want to feel good when I write my exam in late January and not depressed.My problem is that I am not out rightly obese, am just a few extra kilos, so it becomes slightly difficult to see quick results on the scale.I am 5.2 and weigh 58 kgs (was 54 kgs earlier)
PS. just loved the article and I should tell you this,walking is the only exercise I truly love(I am sorry I discontinued).I am glad that you came up with such a good article about this, with all the facts and figures in a simple didactic language. nicely done !
losing weight
how fast do you think i will lose weight if i walk 8 miles a day and cut out all the starches i eat? not to mention i am a marine and do more physical activities other then that a day.
carbs
Cut out any unnecessary carbs and the weight will fall off.
8 miles a day
If you walk 8 miles a day you will burn at least 800 calories a day, assuming you burn 100 calories for every mile you walk. The more you weight the more calories you will burn for each mile your body walks. You should lose at least a pound every five days with out changing your diet (5 x 800 = 4000),since a pound equals 3,500 calories. What ever else you are doing is all to the good.
Don't cut out all starches though. You need to eat at least 3 servings of complex carbohydrates a day, like whole grains and whole wheat. If you cut this out you will start to get weak and will eventually stop exercising. It is better to cut out fats, sugars, and alcohol.
It sounds like if you continue to walk and reduce your calories by at least 500 a day you will easily lose 2 to 3 pounds a week,if not more.
Good luck! I'm trying to lose weight too. Best not to get tied down too much with the numbers.
My daughter is 33 ,and weight about 240lbs
How can I movate her to loose weight, Ive cut out the salt in our food. I'm always asking her to walk with me.I walk at lease 4-5 miles 4or 5 days a week, I bike 2 of the day that I walk. I'm hoping to get her off the blood pressure medication as well as myself. "CAN YOU HELP!
walking
She NEEDS to walk with you whether she wants to or not. Cut out the 'Whites' as we all should know by now!! White bread, sugar, rice, flour. No-no to sweets. But you CAN have a 'cheat day'. Never deprive yourself, I have found that out, too... Buy some bottled water and the bottled Diet Lipton Citrus Green Tea (which is actually not bad!!) and stock it in the fridge. (I've found that my kids drink MORE water if I buy bottled water ~ more than they would just getting a cup and getting tap water ~ which to me is worth the cost.) 0 calories, 0 carbs, and grab it as you go. My 12 year old son and I are on the path to slimness! (within the next 6 months is our goal) UUhh. It's not easy but it will be worth it. We recently bought a great treadmill on Craigslist for $200 that was normally $800, and barely used! We LOVE it, and use it daily. Yep, I too am about to throw my scale across the room. I am exercising, eating right, drinking lots of water, and from my scale's point of view, the pounds are not coming off like they should be! Yet, my butt feels like it is getting smaller. Compared to a few months ago when I told my coworkers I could 'feel my butt getting bigger'. And what I mean is I could 'feel' extra jiggles back there when I walked!! That's the only way I know how to describe it!! Now it feels like my butt is firming up (Yeah!! yet the scale doesn't reflect it and that's F'ing frustrating) and I've noticed a few less dimples back there, which is very encouraging. I'm 38 and yes weight loss is more tough as you age. I've heard people say that for years, but now I do really believe that.!! Definitely not as easy as it was 5 years ago. We can all do it together. I just think Positively of the END RESULT and it keeps me moving!!! Good Luck to all... :)
Some ideas
Do not put pressure on your daughter; just encourage her. These articles may be of some interest to you:
Simple strategies for successful weight loss
Weight loss motivation: tips and tricks
Trying to walk and and be an OTR trucker.
This is a little difficult. But I'm tyring to find a a way. I'm a 31 male, 5'8 at 228lbs. My problem is I drive a semi-truck 6 days a week. I leave at 7pm and usually finish up about 6am. I stay in a hotel for about 12 hrs than drive back home. And I get home about 3am to 6 am. Then I have about 13 hours before I go out again at 7pm at start it all over again.
I've change my eating habits. Less red meat(WHICH WAS REALLY HARD!) more chicken. Less coke, and more water. I try to eat enough with health snacks throughout the day or driving shift. Snack's like banana's, grapes, baked potato chips, yogurt and Special K granola bars. I'm trying not to starve my body. My wife is a nurse has warned me about that.
But the walking and or exercise I need is hard to do with my schedule. When I'm home on days off every other week. I ride my bike 5.2 miles every day off. But I only get 3 days off every other week. So basically I work 6 days one week, 4 the next week.
But when I'm at the hotel, their is no gym, and by the time I get in at 6am, I'm just to tired to go for walk and wanna sleep. Same when I get home. So the exercise days I'm getting is on my days off. 1 one week, 3 the next week. Now I know I need more than 4 days of exercise in a 2 week period.
I guess my question is. Is that enough, or do I need to suck it up and do a walk every morning before I got to bed at either the hotel or my house.
I hope I explained that well.
the scale is not a friend.
I get on the scale 1x a month, some times it likes my workout some times not.
I am doing 4 miles every day with my 70 pound stoutly built dog, the vet says he's fat I say he's ok.
I read the posts, and yes it's hard to get out of bed every morning, here the park laws have it not friendly to dog owners but we can use it at 3:30 am to 5:15 am so making it there on time is the factor, to those having a hard time make a goal for yourself, aim for three month thing for me I didn't see any change in myself for that long, then one day I just felt great my clothes got lose and I had a lighter feel to my being.
But you will hit lows, just add more to your doings I have 1 & 5 pound strap on sand weights I use em on walks and in the house, I do house work and the workout, I do an hour of stairs, just walking up & down my house stairs, in the 1st month of that my behind got comments as to wow your looking great.
Just stick to it, remind yourself the best styles are in the smaller sizes I am almost at my size I want, all I can say is the work is worth it.
By aug. I will be a medium down from 2x, so it works if you work at it.
(and my puppy's pot belly is firm and he bounces with every step)
i am 5"1" weighing at 207lbs
i am 5"1" weighing at 207lbs istarted walking at a fast pace and ive been walking for 3 wks and actually gained about 4 lbs more and i walk at least 35 mins which i walk about a mile and a half. Im upset at this i feel like im realy not doing it right can you help me lost in San angelo tx.
weight walking
I just started walking with 3lb weights. i avg about 3 to 4 miles a day, 5-6 days a week. I've already noticed toning in my upper body. I've incorporated so many upper body movements for biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, waist, and chest. do you have any suggestions or calculations on how long it will take to lose 15 lbs. I weight 148, 5"4 and 43yrs old. I eat 85% healthy, which includes lean meats, salads, fruit and drink plenty of water.
TRY THIS
I am no Jillian but try waliking for 15 minutes then sprinting as fast and hard as you can for one minute. Do this for an hour and I know the pounds will fall off.. Only 5 days a week ....Stay on a 1200 calorie diet also.... I lost 26 pounds in a month in a half.
Thank you for sharing
Thank you for sharing your experience. It is very inspiring. I just wanted to warn that 1200-calorie diet is not for everyone. For some people it may be too low. It may be tempting to go even below 1200 calories a day to lose weight faster but you should never do it. You do not want your body to go into starvation mode which means your body will try to burn as little energy as possible.
Frustrated
i have been exercising and not eating all that bad. My scale goes up and down and is very deppressing. Any suggestions to boost my metabolisim?
walking 10 miles a day in 2 1/2hrs
i started walking 10 miles a day and i am hoping to lose 100 pound in 6 months does anyone think i can do it and i am eating between 600 and a 1000 calories a day. what do you think my chances are of reaching my goal.
10 miles a day
If you are walking 10 miles a day you may want to up your calories.
power walking
I've got a cocker spaniel dog and she thinks the fact I'm wanting to lose weight and power walking her 4 times a day is great. lol xx
personal
hi my name is Andria and i am 14 years old but i have a serious problem to solve.i am 103kg and my height is 1,66.i so dont know what to do because i look at my friend that is 70kg and i get really jelous.when i want to get on the treadmill i feel so lazy and cant be bothered to do it.usually i get tired easilly and i sweat fast depending on what speed im using to walk.what do you believe i should do?i want to start aerobics but i have to keep a diet and ill try my best but usually i give up and i start eating sweets.i also have thyroid but i take my tablets for that.i wish to lose my weight in six months but i am so depressed because m allways sitting on the couch and i cant find something to do....what do you believe i should do?i really need some advice.
losing weight
Hi Andria , the healthiest way to lose weight is obviously to reduce your calorie intake and increase your exercise :)
Be patient :) it will work believe me !! if it works for me it will work for anyone !!have confidence in your own ability and determiation :)
Go easy on yourself Andria if you want it , it will happen !!! Don't compare yourself to your friends ,we're all different with different metabolisms as you will know with your throid condition .
I also have a underactive thyroid and have become very successful with my weight loss :)
I started by checking fat content and saturated fat , and of course calories before eating or even buying the food item .
Drink plenty of water (8 glasses a day ) and fruit and veg, cut down on your unhealthy food intake and replace it with low fat and lower calorie items that you will still enjoy !! also with the thyroid its better to eat smaller meals but more often as this also boost the metabolism .
As for exercising , go walking take you ipod and off you go any bit of exercise you do is more than you were doing before and as you get fitter you can increse pace and amount :)
One thing I must tell you that surprised me , is how great I began to feel , I have come to really love exercising and walking which I never dreamt I would hear myself say !!! you will feel much better , your self esteem and confidence will be heightened and your mood will be lifted !!! All this will motivate you to continue to eat and be healthy , and you will notice all the benefits,I wish you well in this lifestyle change and remember thats all it is ,the changes you make should be ones you will be able to keep ,you can still enjoy things you really love to eat....but you will also discover things you hadn't even tried before :)I love chinese food and i still have my fave dish once a week !!you don't need to deprive yourself of everything !!life is for enjoying , i feel it's about being more careful and health aware that's all soon it will all be second nature to you :) there are lots of websites you can get helpful tips from , google" weight watchers " ,"lose weight the healthy way " etc.... just take the hints and tips you feel will help you :)
I hope I have been of some help to you , it's hard to get all that I want to say down on this , don't want to averwhelm you with too much info !!!
I wish you well and success :)
dude
just treadmill it all day i aint got a treadmill you are luky so just treadmill for two hours all be worth it
A tip
Power Walking
Power walking is one of the best ways to drop weight. It is low empact and builds stamina. To get the most out of power walking, I recommend a 4 mile walk with the goal of walking it under one hour. My best time, when I am focused is 53 minutes. I also recommend some conditioning exercises 3 to 4 times per week. And of course, diet and hydration are important.
I love walking, especially
I love walking, especially outside. I do not own a treadmill or any other equipment (which sucks during Michigan winters!) nor do I live anywhere near a gym, so walking is my ideal form of exercise. Ive been walking 5 miles daily for the last 2 weeks up and down huge hills (I live next to mountains) and Ive lost 3lbs so far :D :D
Thats just the bonus though, the biggest reason I do it is because walking makes me happy. No matter how bad my day has been, when I go for my daily walks, I can just let it all go.
walking feels good
i think you are doing a great job keep it up and 3 pounds is great but how do you feel. has the walking become any easier since you started
realistic espected weight loss
female
age 31
height 5ft 3"
weight 193lbs
walk 30min. at 2.5mph
just started 300 calorie/day diet for next 7 days. how much can i expect to loose?
What you are planning on
What you are planning on doing is CRAZY!!! and will do NOTHING for you. If anything, you WILL gain weight. Will that little calories, your body is going to hang onto every piece of fat you have and then pack on every single calorie you put in. This is becuase your body thinks you are starving. Just eat regularly and do the walking.
wanting to loose weight
i really want to loose weight,cause im not happy with the weight that i am right now. Am turning 16 in may and i weight 52kg and i want to loose 7 kilos. But i don`t know if i should loose that weight or not,but i really want to loose that weight cause everyone said to me that am fat and i feel uncomfortable with myself all the time. And i don`t know what i can do to loose that weight because i really want to loose it badly. And i just want to know if the weight that im in right now healthy or not.if not wat can i do about it.
You do not need to lose weight
If you are not very short, 52 kg is a healthy weight for you and you are definitely not fat. However, people may look fat without being fat if they do not exercise. I'd recommend that you go in for dancing. It really helps to look great. For example, try hip hop or latin dancing.
Walking and gaining
I started walking back in October 3 miles a day 5 days a week and lost weight, now I am walking 8-9 miles a day 5 days a week and I have gained 14 pounds and look fat. I am eating a lot of fruit and vegetables and a very balanced diet and wondering why the weight gain, which appears to be belly fat. Is it muscle? that I am gaining? according to my Dr I need to lose 25 more pounds and suggestions?
Heather
Heather what is more important is your health. People always want a magic bullet "cure" to lose weight. Losing weight is not easy and it can and will be discouraging. I am also very unhappy with myself, but I have begun a daily plan of healthy eating and walking. When I started walking I was only able to walk a mile before I was tired. I'm now hitting 3 miles (in less than 2 weeks of walking). I am aiming for 3 miles. Once I do three miles a day, I will up it to 5 miles. When you walk or exercise, you are not only burning fat, but you are building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so you will initially not see any results on a scale. The numbers may fluctuate - go up and down. That's also normal. In the long run, you will have cut your chance of heart attacks by 50% as well as a number of other dreaded diseases or illnesses. You will be much healthier and able to do a lot more things. Yes you will lose weight, but it will not be magic and certainly not overnight. Try walking and adding in strength training routines three times a week for your thighs. Good luck to you!
stomach
I wonder why my stomach is flat one day then big the next .How can this problem stay down. I've been walking 4 weeks and still see very little results. My husband is way bigger and people have noticed that he has lost quit a bit of weight. This really makes me feel I,m not doing nothing but wasting my time .We do the same and eat the same foods. Please help!
Need helpp !
Okay listen. I am 5'3 and I weigh 160 pounds. I am very unhappy with myself and I want to change. I am willing to diet thats not a problem for me. I like the whole walk on a treadmill for and hour and a half every day idea. It sounds simple and easy to do. But I really need to know if it will work. I'm sick and tired of doing new workouts and exercises that dont work. I just want to get rid of my flabby stomach and huge thighs before spring. So please give me somee feed backk !!
Every new workout needs time
Every new workout needs time to show its affects. Persistence and patience are key to any weight loss program.
walking and my my scale is not moving.
I started walking on Oct. 17th. 2 miles a day. 2 weeks later, i upped it to 4 miles a day. I missed one day only. I started at 200 pounds. I am 5'8". Now nov. 25th , my scale says 195, last week it said 190. I have cut back and have been eating healthy. I am so discouraged right now i could just cry. Should I get rid of my scale and just keep going. I could see it going up a pound or two, BUT 5????? Yes, some of my clothes feel better, but the nuber just slaps me in the face. I have walked 143 miles since I started, I just thought i should have lost a lot more. I srart at 3 mph and after 5 min. I do 4 mph. Sometimes I jog a bit, and I am constantly mesing around with the incline, so it's like I am doing hills. When i am done, my hair is soaking wet with sweat. I should be further than I am!!! Help!
walking
Weigh yourself ONLY once a day. That is only in THE MORNING after you pee and before you drink or eat anything. DO NOT weigh yourself after that. If you do weigh yourself at night it can be up to 5 lbs more that you normally weigh, and is VERY discouraging. Drink LOTS of Water!!
walking
stand on the scale after you take a dump... and before you eat breakfast =) weight yourself that way every day and you will see whats up.
Rhonda-- Don't be impatient,
Rhonda--
Don't be impatient, and don't weigh yourself frequently. Salt intake, water retention, time of day, there are a multitude of things that will affect the number on the scale. The most successful and healthiest weight loss is very slow and very steady. You are doing just that-- losing more than a pound a WEEK is EXTREMELY hard to keep off. Know that you are making a life change, you will be healthier (much more important than being skinnier), and you will wake up one day in six months with the epiphany that you didn't just shed weight magically overnight-- you worked hard and changed your lifestyle.
youknowwhat
I get too frustrated & impatient is my problem, I walk almost 2 miles & I've been doing it for a week & I'm about to increase my laps (that is on the land where I live, around the path) from 10 to 12 & up from there.
I'm reminded of a Nike slogan: Just DO IT!
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