Walking

[{Dakota}]

I need to lose weight before my Summer holiday in July. Having to save money means I cannot really afford to join a gym or whatever, but I live in a City that has a 2.5 mile long beach, so I thought if I could walk the length of it and back everyday I could shed those extra pounds that way. Thing is, I'm not so sure if it IS an effective weight loss exercise or merely an exercise for maintaing weight.

I don't want to jog/run as I always get shin splints. Will walking shift this extra weight?

[Dan Glebitts]

I think you could succeed with that master plan of yours. Its surprising how a bit of walking can help, even going up and down a flight of stairs a few times can make you lose hundreds of calories! Give it a go and see how you get on. ;o)

[Ward-Minter]

dakota, the best investment you could ever make is to buy a heart monitor. trust me.

Walking will only lose the weight if your heart rate is aerobic (about 60-70 percent of max) Not higher, as this will burn muscle only and lower will be just circulatory beneficial.

There is no reason that walking can't be used for weight loss. If you are not in the best of shape, you will be surprised how easy it is to get to weight-loss heart rate. Some people struggle to lose weight because they literaaly work too hard.

Therefore ergo buy one today. Without bragging, i am in excellant shape with a six-pack and a very low BMI. Most of this is through simple aerobic exercise only, NOT gyms, NOT pills, and certainly not new fad diets. Simple heart rate monitoring.

[~Ruby~]

Yes I am sure it will. When I used to go to the gym, I remember one of the trainers telling my friend she shouldn't start off running on the tredmills as it won't help her lose weight. He said she should walk briskly and gradually build it up over weeks! Don't know why!

What are shin splints? Doesn't sound good!

[Ward-Minter]

Re "weight-loss heart rate" the more common term is "fat burning zone" nowadays.

[{Dakota}]

Hi Wardy - long time no hear!

I will take your advice and buy that monitor tomorrow, but I have to stress here that it's only around 14 lbs I need to lose!

Rubes, I don't know what shin splints are technically, but it is basically like the shin bones are really sore to the point I have to stop running for long period of time. I believe it's something to do with not supporting my foot arches but I bought new trainers to support the arches and I STILL got them!

[~Ruby~]

Hmmm not to sure about that then Dak hun! Weird indeed.

Hey Wardy! Guess who? Shhhhh ;o)

[Ward-Minter]

My God, is that you Sarah? The blonde bomshell from Lincoln who once stated you were pregnant with my twins? The same Sarah who I went to Tuscany with in 1998 only to find out you had been sleeping with my Grandfather's accountant. The same Sarah who has a tattoo of "WARDY" on her left fun bag??

Surely not...........................

[~Ruby~]

Tis me Wardy. I should have never left you. *sniff sniff*.. Can you ever forgive me?

[Ward-Minter]

If my memory serves me right Sarah, I left you. was it not a cold night in Skegness with you wearing little more than a belt for a skirt. Mascara streaming down your face like Alice Cooper and language. Well language that would make a sailor blush. Foul I tell ye, foul.

And don't ever steal my sisters Rubik toys again!

[maximo]

lol ! Wardy, you have a way with words sometimes...

Hi Dak ! ( btw ...;-) )

[Ward-Minter]

Bonjour maximo and bonjourno to the lovely dax whom it appears i have inadvertently ignored.

A big wardy kiss to you lovely ladies XXX

[jacko50]

I answered your question here and I gave a long and complicated answer but when I went to spell check I naffed it up and lost it all so instead I will just say best of luck with whatever you do .all the best jacko.

[Goodsoulette]

You get shin splints cause you dont stretch properly. I used to get them when I excercised and as soon as I started stretching before/during excercise I stopped getting them.

Apparently its also to do with technique and muscle tone as to why you get them. The muscles arent taking the pounding so building your calf muscles up a bit wouldnt hurt you either.

[Goodsoulette]

Just a quick thought though... as you seem to have a problem with high impact excercise do you have a bike!! half an hour on that daily if you are pushing yourself would be great and would help your legs become strong enough to take the higher impact excercises in the future.

[{Dakota}]

Hi Max xx

Jacko - Good to hear from you again, I appreciate the time and effort you put in, even if it did go pear shaped!

Goodsoulette - Thanks for the info on shin splints. I think I'll stick to walking though since the idea of bulky calf muscles to ease shin splints is less than appealing!

[Goodsoulette]

heheheh... honestly honey they dont have to be bulky. Maybe walking on sand will be better anyway.. its more difficult naturally and you wont be pounding the concrete.

[patiodors]

I find the easiest and most fun way to lose weight fast when i need to, is to put one of the music channels on tv when no one else is home and dance to the music for half an hour at a time! Sometimes i even do the ironing at the same time! I have a laugh and lose the extra pounds...

[{Dakota}]

Hi Goodsouette again! I don't have any problems with high impact exercise per se, it's just running gives me splints. I'm OK with aerobics etc. but cash is the problem there - I'd much rather put the money I would use for those classes towards my holiday. I don't have a bike and have nowhere to store it if I did as I'm in a 1 bed flat!

Patiodors (cool name BTW!) I do dance around the flat regularly anyway, I think I will do it more often during the next couple of months. Tell me, how do you manage it AND iron at the same time??? I tend to do it while dusting and hoovering! It saves any burns anyway...:s