Does walking burn fat?

Bayblue

Also, I think that it's really useful if you actually enjoy whatever exercise that you're doing. Doing something that you hate merely because it burns fat faster just won't work in the long term.

OP, if you like walking, then go for it.

Bitsy_Beans

Bayblue wrote: »

Also, I think that it's really useful if you actually enjoy whatever exercise that you're doing. Doing something that you hate merely because it burns fat faster just won't work in the long term.

OP, if you like walking, then go for it.

That is so true. I couldn't join a gym. I hate them. boring and unpleasant. As such I'd probably fail to go on a regular basis and as such waste money into the bargain.
But give me a team sport like Netball and I am there. Likewise for swimming too.
If you like walking stick with that. Up a hill even better, just make sure any walking is brisk enough to make you breathe deeply.
Sadly you can't decide where you lose fat from your body. Annoying but you can't spot reduce fat on certain areas.

eslick

last year without dieting I lost over 2 stone by just exercising, all I did was 30 mins of brisk walking

MoaningMyrtle

I have been on a calorie restricted diet for a while now, to reduce my weight. During the weeks I manage to exercise, I lose far more weight.

I start walking and break into a little jog. I aim for 45 mins four-/five days a week. Of course it is also free.

Ted_Hutchinson

eslick wrote: »

last year without dieting I lost over 2 stone by just exercising, all I did was 30 mins of brisk walking

Last year I lost over 2 stone without doing any exercise, all I did was stop eating those foods that require my body to burn glucose and store fat.

Of course brisk walking is good for your health but Effects of a popular exercise and weight loss program on weight loss, body composition, energy expenditure and health in obese women shows us that Exercise alone appears to have minimal impact on measured outcomes ....Greater improvements in waist circumference and body composition occurred when carbohydrate is replaced in the diet with protein.

eslick

Ted_Hutchinson wrote: »

Last year I lost over 2 stone without doing any exercise, all I did was stop eating those foods that require my body to burn glucose and store fat.

Of course brisk walking is good for your health but Effects of a popular exercise and weight loss program on weight loss, body composition, energy expenditure and health in obese women shows us that Exercise alone appears to have minimal impact on measured outcomes ....Greater improvements in waist circumference and body composition occurred when carbohydrate is replaced in the diet with protein.

nope. no change in diet at all, we already had a good diet, no fats or sugars and plenty of fruit and veg, dont drink either so didnt have to cut that out and the only differences was the exercise. When the exercise stopped the weight goes back on so its a case of keeping the exercise up

Ted_Hutchinson

eslick wrote: »

nope. no change in diet at all, we already had a good diet, no fats or sugars and plenty of fruit and veg,

As your brain and heart both function better when they have access to fat it's simply is misguided to think a diet without saturated fat is healthy.
I don't think you have yet watched the videos here

When the exercise stopped the weight goes back on so its a case of keeping the exercise up

The fallacy of this arguement is that it fails to take account of the fact that your body adapts to the demands upon it and will adjust it's metabolic rate in line with the exercise and calories available so eventually you will find that more and more exercise is required to achieve the same status quo.

By reducing those foods that make you hungry and require your body to burn glucose and store fat you save your body the hassle of having to work off the surplus calories. Because you don't have the hunger cravings you don't have a problem with snacking or having to resist the temptation to eat, and by not raising insulin the natural ketone burning system is allowed to operate for more hours during the day and night hence the stored calories in fat cells are released and used as fuel.

Do by all means carry on with your daily brisk walking. It will indeed be excellent for your heart and brain, but so to is ensuring your brain gets the fuel it evolved to function best with.
Why do you think human breast milk is a high source of saturated fat and Medium chain tryglicerides if it isn't to ensure optimum nutrition for the developing brain?
There is an excellent series of videos about Alzheimer's here and one thing that struck me as I watched them is the consumption of carbohydrates amongst those most affected by this dreadful condition.
For more information study
Mother Natures Brain Fuel and the rest of the blogs on Dr McCleary's site.

Lunar_Eclipse

Ted_Hutchinson wrote: »

Why most of us believe that exercise makes us thinner—and why we're wrong.

Gary Taubes weighs up the facts and takes a controversial look at why the gym is not going to fix it
It was after reading these articles I realised my inability to exercise was no justification for being overweight.
My weight loss was achieved without any ADDITIONAL exercise. Not that I believe anyone should abstain from regular exercise, It's extremely important for both brain and heart function. But I doubt it make much if any difference to long term weight loss.
In order to burn fat your body needs to have longer periods with low insulin levels.
The video's here explain how we have been duped
When you stop eating carbohydrates, or at least get intake down to below 100g daily, your body will naturally be able to use the reserves of fat stored in fat tissue to burn.

Successful weight loss with dieting is linked to vitamin D levels this research showed those with each 1ng 2.5nmol/l higher vitamin d status lost 8 ounces more weight.
Each 100iu/extra D3 daily raises 1ng 2.5nmol/l
1000iu/d extra = 10ng 25nmol/l
most UK adults will require 5000iu/extra/daily to attain and maintain the level associated with least chronic illness.
The low carb plan I followed

My cheapest source of 5000iu $5 discount codes in the referrer's board.

I haven't looked at your links, but I think the overall message is interesting to say the least. To lose weight it's simply a case of exerting more calories (ie energy) than are being consumed; watching protein and liquid intake and ideally doing some exercise to ensure that the weight loss is fat as opposed to water/muscle. Additionally one can harness the power of digestic tricks to enhance the weight loss, eg Atkins diet, food combining etc.

I have lost over 2 1/2 stone over the past year, via exercise alone. I was overweight (size 18 at the start), but not excessively obese. Initially I walked until I felt fit enough to join a gym. I still walk once a week (fast walking in the woods for say 90 mins min), along with playing tennis, swimming and cardio gym work. I try to do some exercise 5 times a week for at least an hour, although this morning I jogged for 40 minutes. I learnt that I'm not awake enough at 5.30am for such antics!

To the OP - yes, walking is good, certainly until you see your fitness/stamina build up. Cycling & swimming are also excellent - swimming is brilliant for the midriff area.

Needless to say diet & exercise together get maximum results, but most people working out regularly will struggle on a diet restricted in or null of (good) carbs. I did the Atkins diet very briefly years ago, it was effective but the effort required simply to walk up the stairs was staggering; my legs felt like lead weights. Never again.

Lunar_Eclipse

Ted,

Whilst it's great that you are enjoying good weight loss on your diet, you are sounding a bit brain washed! It is not the only way to lose weight and maintain a healthy body.

You must also have heard the research that changing ANY variable in one's diet results in weight loss. Even cutting out just one daily biscuit leads to a 3kg weight loss over a year. There are lots of tools to assist in weight loss, the trick is to find the best one for one's individual overall long term health. What works for one person will fail another and vice versa. Not because of the diet system perse, but because of a human response to it.:)

Dave101t

there are no two ways about it. just do more excersise.
2 hours walking will not burn fat, it will use free energy.
turn that 2 hour walk into a 30 minute run and all of a sudden your fighting for breath, you use up your free energy and your body starts to covert some fat to energy. i usually find i start to feel quite sleepy at this point but i like to work hard.
and if you want to use more energy when actually doing no excersise (i.e. increase your metabolism) then do heavy weight work.
remember you have to 'feel' the burn!