Walking For Weight Loss [results?]

Health issues like PCOS definitely play a role in how well anything works for one person vs. another but overall you will lose weight by creating a caloric deficit. That is all it is so don’t let any one method or plan confuse you! Try to balance eating and walking to burn more calories than you are taking in. If you haven’t exercised consistently in a while then yes, walking alone will help you. Any increase in exercise and movement will help. You will probably need more
than two days per week to make a fast change but start with two and add little bits as you can. If you can take breaks at work, set a timer for every 30 minutes or hour and walk around the office (up and down stairs is great if you have them nearby). Even little bits of activity add up! Try getting up 15 minutes early and walking around the block or just doing some stretching and body weight movements to get your day going. Try to just continue to add little bits of activity and be consistent!

Walking a mile will burn about 100-ish calories, so walking 5 extra miles per day will burn an extra 500 calories per day. If you do that 5 days per week and ALSO consume daily calories equal to your base metabolic rate (probably **** per day), you can lose about a pound per week. Staying on track with that for 6 months would mean you can lose about 24 pounds. =)

The walking only works to lose weight if you make sure to not to eat those calories you burned off, so keeping a food log on My Fitness Pal or the Lose It app is very helpful for making sure you are staying on track!

I also have a PCOS and lost a total of 75 pounds a while back. I cannt stress enough it 99% diet. I did not have a gym membership nor an exercise plan when I lost all that weight. Diet is especially important when trying to combat our metabolic challenges. You cannot walk off a bad diet. Hard to say and probably harder to hear, but take it from someone who spent many years thinking 30 mins a day on a treadmill was going to solve all my problems.

Also, OP - are you on metformin/glucophage? If not, you might want to talk to your doctor about it. Id be happy to chat over DM.

I think if you just start by trying to walk for 30 minutes a day (don’t worry about distance) you’ll see a difference. Then you can slowly increase your time. If you’re normally sedentary and have quite a bit to lose, even smaller changes can make a noticeable difference.

And while I know you said you don’t want to worry so much about diet right now, so keep in mind that when it comes to fitness and weight loss, it’s about 70 percent diet, 30 percent exercise. If you’ve heard the saying “abs are made in the kitchen” that’s why.

Thing is, you don’t have to go on a super extreme diet either. Concentrate on things like avoiding fried food, avoiding prepackaged food as much as possible. Lean meats, big salads, less sugar, less bread. Lots of water! It all makes a difference.

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Thanks Brooke! PCOS makes weight loss so hard! I have always, and still do, eat pretty healthy [like 70/30 lol] so It was easier to deal with when I had an active job and a gym. Recently these past 2 years with my 'sedentary lifestyle' the weight has been building up and I barely have energy to move my body. I was starting to feel like the only way to lose weight is starve.

Good ideas to sneak in 15-30 min walks through-out the day. I'm gonna start thinking of a master plan to do that. Between both jobs I have two 1 hr lunches and four 15 min breaks so I should be able to get at least an hour of walking everyday during the week plus have my 2 weekend days to take longer walks.

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Thanks for that breakdown! That made it seem not so daunting. I tried My fitness pal awhile ago, but as a kid I struggled with eating issues so MFP triggered me into eating less than what I should. smh Since then I've been trying to avoid calorie tracking but it seems like that's the best way to know for sure you're staying on track.

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Lol!! yesss you definitely can't walk off a bad diet! && Congrats on that 75 lbs weight loss though omg!!

I think I need to get with a dietitian and figure out what food works best for my body. I always trying to read up on what foods to eat and change things up but it gets so overwhelming to me. The only thing I haven't done was reach out to a professional.

My doctor hasn't prescribed me any medications beside Birth control and I refuse to take it lol

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Thanks Jody! and you're right about diet. I've been eating pretty healthy for a few years. I definitely struggle with beef and carbs though so I think those are 2 changes I can make to help speed things up. I need to just do what I've been avoiding and speak with a dietitian.

I know nothing about pcos
But I do know i was 312 pounds until i started working out at curves and doing leslie sansone walk away the pounds. I used sparkpeople.com and tracked my food there for free
I got down to 180...but 2 time I went back up to 200
I cannot maintain 180 for long I have no idea why but i have hypothyroid caused by hashimotos and it seems like every 2 or 3 years my medd need adjusted i think thats it
Now i do believe walking works but after a while yoy should up the intensity because when i started 1 mile was hard but 2 months later i was walking to her 3 mile walks i also branched out to morr difficult exercise dvds
So yes walkinh gave me a good head start
It also depends on how much ypu have to lose
I could lose weight so much faster when i was above 260 but now at 200 i lose it so slow

View Quoted Comment Well you have the absolute right attitude to start and the here and now is the best time to begin!

Absolutely speak with your doctor. If you have PCOS, chances are you are also insulin resistant which means a *very* low carb diet is absolutely essential or else all your hard work will be in vain - it is a b#%@ of a syndrome and makes things 10x as difficult but also 10x more sastisfying when you achieve your goals.

Metformin is a very safe and commonly prescribed insulin sensitizer and truthfully, it really helped me lose the first 10 - 15 pounds which inspired me to kick even more ass through a serious diet overhaul. You should ask your doctor if it might be something worth exploring (metformin definitely not right for everyone or a smooth ride for many).

Good luck. It is possible and you can do it!

Can you get a standing desk at work? A few of my colleagues have them and they all say it’s made a difference for them.

Lifting light weights will burn more calories than walking alone. As your body heals from lifting, you burn calories. You don't have to get a gym membership either. Use water bottles filled with pebbles. Lift a baby and curl. Don't have one, borrow one. Lol

My dress is strapless, so I am focusing on my arms, chest and back for a nice look. I walk at least 3 days a week. Eating the right foods is a must.

Good luck to you!

View Quoted Comment Fabulous job . Keep up the great work ☺ There is a plateau that a body gets too after losing weight, drink plenty of water, eat right, exercise, stay positive. Your in the right direction.

As woman the "W" WORD is always a struggle. Drink plenty of water that helps flush your system .start walking bit everyday 15 min is great. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Use the stairs at home . When sitting use water bottles as weights and do 20 reps this strengthens ur upper bod.
There is a excellant 7min app 30 day weight loss u tone and get fit and feel good. It's simple. Add more veggies and fruits to your diet.
My FH hubby and I are walkers /runners so we r out 6 days. Daughter and SIL are not he goes 2 days a week 15 min before or after work
Then an hr on both weekend days. He's lost 35 lb in 5 Mos. Her 30.

Stay strong

Have you tried metformin if you have pcos? It can help with weight loss.

Hey! This can definitely be done, but it's going to take more than walking (especially since you're a busy woman!)

My dad lost 50 lbs in 4 months by walking, but he had the dog to keep him company and motivated, and he would walk 5-8 miles per day, 6 days per week. If you can definitely get 2 days in, make them count! Beyond that, you can check your diet and portion sizes to make sure you're not eating back what you've burned. Are there any other kinds of exercises you're interested in?

Walking can help you lose weight! When I was 50 lbs over weight I started by just walking every evening after work. I would walk at least 3 miles if not more and I lost probably around 10 lbs, BUT I want to throw in there that you can not out exercise a bad diet!!! You have to also eat healthy to see any results for any type of exercise. After I lost those 10 lbs, I upped my intensity of workouts and started going to workout classes at the gym. I've lost 40 lbs now

Instead of focusing on restricting calories focus on making sure you're getting the good nutrients in your body- maybe counting macros instead of just calories alone. As said above, if you haven't discussed medication with your doctor it would be a good idea. A lot of people lose weight when on Metformin.

Walking is a great way to get out and burn calories but if you want a little more bang for your buck adding some body weight exercises will kick it up a notch and you'll feel great after a couple weeks. No gym membership necessary, there are tons of videos to follow on youtube and lots of easy routines on Pinterest.

Good luck!! You've got this

Everyone is different, and while I don't have PCOS, 7 years ago I lost 80lbs in a year and a half by dieting and walking 2-3 times a week, whatever I could do. I was so unhealthy and couldn't even walk 2 miles when I first started, but it got easier and easier. Generally, the benefits from walking are very good, but it will be a more slow loss. I suggest cardio.