topic Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour in Wellness

Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

SeaMaiden — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 20:09:05 GMT

There's a certain amount of steps you should hit per minute if you're walking to lose weight, a new study says.

100 steps per minute (about 2.7 miles per hour) is magic formula for it to be considered moderate exercise, where your heart rate increases by 50 to 70 percent. When you break it down, it's just under 2 steps per second, which definitely sounds doable for a healthy individual.

“The good news is that this pace will probably not feel strenuous to most healthy people,” Dr. Tudor-Locke said. The same research says that for those looking for a challenging workout should raise their step count to 130 per minute, as this rate officially counts as "vigorous."

simply hitting 100 steps per minute will do wonders for your health. We've always been about getting in those steps wherever you go, but this bit of news proves that keeping fit can be as easy as putting one foot in front of the other.

You should exercise at least for 30 minutes each day, so you'd need to ensure that you get those 3,000 steps in within that time period.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/fitness/walking-is-considered-exercise%E2%80%94but-only-if-you-take-this-many-steps-per-hour/ar-AAzj5Hw

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

AuntG — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 20:22:09 GMT

That's good to know because it is something most people can do. I'd encourage everyone to walk for exercise, no matter the pace. Can't say I've lost a lot of weight this year, but I keep plugging away.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

SeaMaiden — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 20:28:59 GMT

@AuntG wrote:
That's good to know because it is something most people can do. I'd encourage everyone to walk for exercise, no matter the pace. Can't say I've lost a lot of weight this year, but I keep plugging away.

@AuntG I know what you mean about losing the weight...diet and calories eaten is a huge part along with the walking.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

Harpa — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 21:56:00 GMT

I should be out there now, only not in this heat! And I hate to exercise, I mean, er...walk... late in the evening, because I do find it gives more energy, and I want the evenings for relaxing.

Thanks for your post, @SeaMaiden.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

hckynut — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 22:06:04 GMT

@SeaMaiden @AuntG,

Not really sure what this means in relation to anything concerning fitness and/or weight loss. If you think this will simplify something for you, who am I to say it won't?

To me it just adds another bunch of complicated numbers. First a person has to be on a treadmill in order to know exactly when they are at 2.7mph. Now I have logged at least 75,000 miles on treadmills over many decades, and closer to 200,000 miles outdoors. Ain't no way I could tell when I am walking at 2.7mph, probably not even close. Yes! Many of my long recoveries, walking is what I did, not running.

Knowing this, now a person has to know their Max Heart Rate, how many have taken a Maximal Treadmill Test to really know what that might be? I am guessing very few, and they were/are most likely athletes. So it is 50-70% of what number? More numbers once again.

I could go on and on about the many different formulas used by "trainers/so-called experts) as to numbers used to GUESS at one's Max Heart Rate, but A Guess is exactly all it would be.

Very few have had an opportunity to ACCURATELY measure their Max HR to a PERSON THEIR SAME AGE/SAME TYPE OF FITNESS TRAINING, and WORK THE EXACT SAME JOB! I have, and both of use did the exact same Max Fitness Protocol/on the same treadmill, and on the same day.

My Max Heart Rate was 171bpm, my co-worker's Max Heart Rate was 198bpm. Now 27bpm is not a small number, but that is why using any formula using one's age/minus whatever number, to give someone a close to accurate Heart Beats Per Minutes? It tells a person next to nothing.

For anyone that doubts a Max HR number of 27bpm sounds insignificant? Get to a high Heart Rate Number, for you, and them work to raise it 27bpm. Good luck!

To simplify my whole post and it's meaning? All a person needs to do concerning losing weight and/or getting more physically fit? Forget counting "steps per second/minute/hour, or whatever".

Get an accurate chest Heart Rate Monitor(Breast Bra Monitor) find a comfortable Heart Rate/use ONLY TIME SPENT(no counting anything or looking and/or guessing at exact miles per hour) raise your Heart Rate to a point you know it has increased. Only you, with the advice of your doctor, can then decide what percentage(%) increase is safe for you to use.

More studies, while interesting to me, complicate even more, an activity that is very simple to measure. That is TIME SPENT ONLY and at a HEART RATE that is safe for each individual. Pretty simple to me and for me, I have used it for decades, and for recoveries, from some pretty bad health and injury issues.

Long? Of course, who would expect anything else from this old man?

hckynut(john)

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

ALRATIBA — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 22:07:16 GMT

Oh ... if you want to lose weight ....

I don't need to lose weight. My cardio doc, PCP and physical therapist consider any type of walking to be exercise ... at least for me.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

RetRN — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 22:09:54 GMT

I figure as long as I am moving, it can't be bad for me.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

151949 — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 22:27:19 GMT

If walking is your only exercise that will only keep using the same set of muscles over & over. You need to vary your exercise routine so you are exercising all your muscles .

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

hckynut — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 23:43:56 GMT

@ALRATIBA wrote:
Oh ... if you want to lose weight ....

I don't need to lose weight. My cardio doc, PCP and physical therapist consider any type of walking to be exercise ... at least for me.

@ALRATIBA

And I fully agree with all of them. As I mentioned on this forum many times over: "most human bodies do not wear out, they rust out"! Is that factual? Beats me, but I use it when someone tells me age(younger than me) wore their body out, thus they cannot do xzy.

I never initiate these face to face conversations, I just tell them my view on age and fitness.

hckynut(john)

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

Bhvbum — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 22:57:24 GMT

It is almost impossible to lose weight through exercise. You must change your diet for the rest of your life. It’s that simple.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

blueroses47 — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 23:04:52 GMT

@hckynut wrote:

@SeaMaiden @AuntG,

Not really sure what this means in relation to anything concerning fitness and/or weight loss. If you think this will simplify something for you, who am I to say it won't?

To me it just adds another bunch of complicated numbers. First a person has to be on a treadmill in order to know exactly when they are at 2.7mph. Now I have logged at least 75,000 miles on treadmills over many decades, and closer to 200,000 miles outdoors. Ain't no way I could tell when I am walking at 2.7mph, probably not even close. Yes! Many of my long recoveries, walking is what I did, not running.

hckynut(john)

That's how I feel about a lot of the tracking of things lately. So many numbers, so complicated. I just can't get into it. I realize it may help some people, motivate them to achieve certain goals etc., but for me it's just one more thing to complicate matters.

I realized this some years back when my girlfriend and I were taking a vacation together, one in which we would be doing a lot of walking. She kept insisting I buy a pedometer so that I could keep track of how many steps I was taking, or how far Iwas going, or whatever. I just didn't want to be bothered. I would just rather WALK and enjoy the process.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

blueroses47 — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 23:07:42 GMT

@Bhvbum wrote:
It is almost impossible to lose weight through exercise. You must change your diet for the rest of your life. It’s that simple.

I agree with you. Many people have argued about this with me, and I let them think what they want to think, but I know that unless you are excercising ENORMOUS amounts, like all day, it's not going to have that much effect. Diet trumps excercise every time.

I excercise for other reasons, but I eat less to lose weight.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

Pook — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 23:41:53 GMT

@Bhvbum wrote:
It is almost impossible to lose weight through exercise. You must change your diet for the rest of your life. It’s that simple.

It most certainly is possible! When I was younger and very active I ate whatever I wanted and never gained weight. After I became less active (still worked out) I started gaining weight and even though changed my diet didn't loose weight. Upped my workouts, quit the diet and lost weight. Then more recently I had health issues and still worked out but not as vigoursly as I wanted to and tried changing my diet but in 4 months lost no weight whatsoever. When the health issues were gone, I went back to my regular diet and I lost 27 pounds in 3 months since I could up my workouts. I now work out 45 minutes resistance, 45 minutes Zumba, 45 minutes walking with dog and off and on high intensity bursts of different exercises many times a day. I have lost a few more pounds also. I am a healthy , happy (and not grouchy eating boring food) toned and muscular size 12. For me life is too short to not enjoy it!!

A friend just got a job in an office after having been a landscaper for years. He changed nothing about his diet but put on weight due to being way less active! Also two coworkers started walking programs and also lost weight without changing their diet. With both diet and exercise you have to stick with it though. I love working out so I'll just stick with that!

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

hckynut — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 01:03:19 GMT

@Bhvbum wrote:
It is almost impossible to lose weight through exercise. You must change your diet for the rest of your life. It’s that simple.

@Bhvbum

Not for everyone. My belief is it is better doing both. This I know from having had way too many serious illnesses and injuries, thus having to recover from virtually zero as a fitness level, and also weighing much more than I desired.

I can, and I have used both, or at times 1 or the other, to reach my weight goals. Physical Fitness however, there is only 1 way that I know of, to return to an excellent physical fitness level. That has much less to do with what I eat, and mostly achieved by what I do and how I do it.

My ways have always worked for me, but were interrupted way too many times, by another serious health issue, and or injury. Those many times left me starting back at "square 1" and took me most of 15 years to get to what is my acceptable level of excellent physical fitness. That was achieved by using both an excellent food program, along with many hours/days/weeks and months of dedicated Cardio/Resistance/Stretching, and balance programs.

Another part of my many factual stories.

hckynut(john)

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

software — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 11:39:06 GMT

I don't do the step thing either but there are reasons to monitor certain aspects of our health, especially when we get older and our bodies are changing.

I think knowing your BP as well as your heart rate can be valuable information

But if you like the idea of step counting, don't stop it. But it's not for everyone.

If you need to lose weight, you should consider why you gained weight.

Like other posters have mentioned, if you are over eating or over snacking, just stopping that will help. If you used to be active and now you are a couch potato, then start being active again.

For me, it has to be a combination of smart "dieting" and exercise.

Smart dieting is rolling back the sweets, like ice cream and increasing fruits & veggies.

I don't believe in diet pills or fad diets.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

Sooner — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 11:50:06 GMT

I don't see anything to argue about because everyone's health, abilities, limitations, health concerns, access to facilities and time, diet needs, weight, issues and needs and capabilities are so different. Where you live, how you can exercise, etc. what state your joints and lungs and heart are in, and so on, what meds you are on . . .

Each person is different and unique and one size never fits all. What might be a breeze for someone is a mountain to climb for another.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

jubilant — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 12:47:42 GMT

I tell myself..."just walk"! On some days I do 25 min. on my treadmill. Other days it may be 15 min. two or three times a day (a little faster). A lot depends on how my back and hips are holding up. I have noticed, I do better with aching when I do my stretching and weights before I walk. That's the order they teach you to do it in Rehab. I find it goes a long way in helping with any aches and pains.

I am up to a 3 now and, while it doesn't make me breathless, it seems fast enough for me. However, I can't seem to get my heart rate above 120 at a 3. I'm kind of afraid to "push it" much harder because of my heart surgery. It's been 8 months now and everything is working fine although I do still tire more easily. I think maybe I'm being a little overly cautious. It seems like they should give a stress test about now so I would know how hard I could go at it.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

novamc1 — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 13:44:45 GMT

Long gone for me are days of running a couple miles on the local high school track, or on an indoor track and taking aerobics classes at a health club we used to belong to.

However, we moved to a town with two YMCAs that have all sorts of indoor equipment and classes, plus a pool and indoor track,sport courts, etc.

For a reasonable fee of a little more than $65 per month, DH and I take advantage of many things it offers. He takes classes designed for Parkinson's and works out on various machines.

I use the treadmills to walk 2-3 miles at a brisk pace (screen in front of me says I'm doing 3 miles per hour) --and even get to watch my stock market show while I'm doing it so I can see whether I'm making or losing money on my stocks--LOL!!

The screen on these gym-based treadmills also shows other metrics about your exercise. You can adjust the incline to put a little more resistance into your walk or run. Plug in your own smartphone app and you can monitor heart rate and maybe even more.

I usually follow up treadmill work with a "gentle yoga" class.

No boredom because many TV channels are available right there on the treadmill, or you can bring your own smart device and stream anything or read a book. No exposure to heat and cold that comes with exercising outdoors.

Plenty of private gym facilities are also available here, so no one has to drive far to get there. You can pay as you go at some places that are open 24/7.

If you're physically able, look around for a good place to walk indoors, whether it's a local gym or an enclosed mall that has an early-morning group walking program.

As for exercising to lose weight.............hmmm.

The electronic screen on the treadmill supposedly measures how many calories you are burning after you enter your weight...........I can walk briskly for an hour and only burn about 150-200 calories, so exercise is not the only thing we have to do to maintain ideal weight, unfortunately.

Exercise mostly seems to help in maintaining cardio health, steady metabolism, flexibility, strength. Any way I can avoid boredom of repetitive exercise, I'll gladly go for it!

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

MoJoV — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 13:40:29 GMT

@Harpa I walk 3-5 miles almost every day. As you said,it's too hot to walk outdoors lately. Our local park district has a fitness center with an indoor track. I walk there when the weather is bad. Anyone can use it free. Its cool and pleasant there. My point is I hope you can find somewhere like that in your area. It's worth investigating.

Re: Walking Is considered exercise but only if you take this many steps per hour

RetRN — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 14:11:43 GMT

@151949 wrote:
If walking is your only exercise that will only keep using the same set of muscles over & over. You need to vary your exercise routine so you are exercising all your muscles .

Care to share your exercise routine? Zumba? Yoga? Weights? Aerobic? I would hate to use the same set of muscles over and over. Any suggestions could help many of us to exercise all of our muscles.