using walking for permanent weight loss advice needed

Rick Johnston said:

Five years ago, I started a walking program. From almost the first week, the walking was extremely
intense, especially for someone who was 75 pounds overweight. However, I lost the weight within 6
months BUT 3 years ago gained it all back and then some because I switched jobs and couldn't find
time to walk.

I need to start a new walking program and I am seeking advice as to how I should proceed. I am a
33 year old male of medium build, with a weight of 275 pounds. I should weigh 190 lbs. The last
time I did my intense walking program, I often felt so weak afterwards that is took hours before I
could do anything else. I lost weight quickly, along with vitamins and water. In fact, dehydration
happened so fast that it was the cause of my weakness. Of course, I really wasn't working at the
time so the weakness didn't matter although it was uncomfortable at times. This time, I want to
start a similar program, but I'm wondering how intensity works. For example, my walking program 5
years ago consisted of 5.5 mph walking for 45 minutes, 5 days a week. HR would average 175 bpm and
declined somewhat as I lost weight. This time though, I want to decrease the intensity as I'm
older and more concerned about health, plus I'm working full time. So, if I decreased my HR to 145-
150, which is more like what it should be, how much longer am I going to have to walk to burn the
same amount of calories?

Any other helpful advice would be appreciated. For example, I'm not always going to be able to
continuously walk throughout my life, so how can I keep the weight off without exercise?

Thanks, Rick Johnston

Rick, why would you not be able to walk for the rest of your life? Are you planning a debilitating
disease for yourself? Hang in there. Eat a lot of beans and salads and other green stuff. Hold the
cow and the cookies. Stop wondering and start walking. Bring some water with you.

Also, consider carrying dumbbells with you as you go. There are various things you can do with the
weights. I carry 7-pounders or 3-pounders, on alternate days. Today I will carry the 3s. As I walk I
swing these weights like a soldier swings his arms when marching. I swing them up to my navel for a
while, then up to my shoulders for a while, then up to my ears for a while. Ears is tough. I need a
little rest after that, so I go back to the navel and start again there. The idea is to keep
yourself out of breath for the most part. The system is called 'heavyhands' and to learn more about
it for now, do a Google search on that term.

There's another program I follow with the 7s. You can check it out on my website:

justjohn.4t.comwalkingwithweights.htmOpen ↗

I plan to update it soon to include the heavyhands method.

Rick,

Just keep in mind fitness is not a destination, its a
journey. Part of that journey is finding out what works for
you. At the age of 48 I find I still need to rest everyother
day from my workouts. I lost 50 pounds and have not gained
much of it back. I would suggest that you find a workout the
elevates your heart rate for 45 minutes and do that three
times a week. As long as you are walking at 65% of your MHR,
you will benefit from the pace and time you spend walking.
This is true if you run or walk. Mayself, I run and walk.

Loosing 75 pounds in 6 months is 3 pounds a week, that is
really too much, too fast. Two pounds a week is the
generally accepted safe maximum rate to loose weight and
keep it off.

Good luck and stay with it. Have fun because it will reward
you many times over in your life.

Jim

"Rick Johnston" <[email hidden]> wrote in
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Quoted message said:

Five years ago, I started a walking program. From almost
the first week, the walking was extremely intense,
especially for someone who was 75

pounds

Quoted message said:

overweight. However, I lost the weight within 6 months BUT
3 years ago gained it all back and then some because I
switched jobs and couldn't find time to walk.

I need to start a new walking program and I am seeking
advice as to how I should proceed. I am a 33 year old male
of medium build, with a weight of 275 pounds. I should
weigh 190 lbs. The last time I did my intense

walking

Quoted message said:

program, I often felt so weak afterwards that is took
hours before I could do anything else. I lost weight
quickly, along with vitamins and water.

In

Quoted message said:

fact, dehydration happened so fast that it was the cause
of my weakness.

Of

Quoted message said:

course, I really wasn't working at the time so the
weakness didn't matter although it was uncomfortable at
times. This time, I want to start a similar program, but
I'm wondering how intensity works. For example, my walking
program 5 years ago consisted of 5.5 mph walking for 45
minutes, 5 days a week. HR would average 175 bpm and
declined somewhat as I lost weight. This time though, I
want to decrease the intensity as I'm older

and

Quoted message said:

more concerned about health, plus I'm working full time.
So, if I

decreased

Quoted message said:

my HR to 145- 150, which is more like what it should be,
how much longer

am

Quoted message said:

I going to have to walk to burn the same amount of
calories?

Any other helpful advice would be appreciated. For
example, I'm not

always

Quoted message said:

going to be able to continuously walk throughout my life,
so how can I

keep

Quoted message said:

the weight off without exercise?

Thanks, Rick Johnston