Exercise newbie with questions

[TraceSPN]

I’ve taken up walking as part of my diet strategy, and I have a few questions, please.

1.  Since starting, I’ve gone from walking 1.5km in 30mins to 4km in 45mins.   (I’m limited in time as I’m a full time carer so I can’t be away from my parents for more than 1hr, including driving to and from my route.)  

 What’s more important, longer time walked or shorter time but higher intensity?  I can stay in cardio for the whole walk now.   I’ve tried running but I’m a bit uncoordinated and my running stride are much shorter than my walking stride.

2.  Should I be slowing down as I get to my finish point?  ATM I keep at the same pace, then jump in the car to drive home.

3.  How many times a week should I be walking?  I’m doing everyday atm. 

Thanks in advance. 

[JohnnyRow]

Here's my take on it:

What you are doing now sounds great, and you have made big improvement.  The best workout is what you will stick with and continue doing.

  If you want to try to improve your fitness even more, you could try adding a bit bit of jogging to your walks, maybe jog for a minute every 5 or 10 minutes, and very gradually increase your jogging time.  But since you can stay in cardio the whole walk, that's fine too.  If you do try to increase your intensity, don't do that every day, maybe just a couple of times a week.

Every day is great but I wouldn't feel guilty if you miss a day occasionally. Some people find it helps to take a day a week off, then feel more energetic after that day off.  And especially, if you start to feel any injuries, don't make them worse by feeling you have to go every day.

[Glenda]

@TraceSPN  One study concluded that if you slow down toward the end of your cardio session you will be more willing to do it the next time.   It might be easier for you to walk a shorter time every day as habit and routine can be an aid &   better  than trying to remember if it is the day for it or making any decisions about the matter.  But I'm completely ignorant about comparative value of speed, intensity or length of time etc. so no opinion

[Heybales · Accepted solution]

Great work keeping active and getting something to fit a tight schedule.

As part of diet, it can certainly make it easier. For example, would you rather lose 1 lb weekly burning 2000 and eating 1500 and being sedentary, or burn 2500 with the walks in there and get to eat 2000 for the same 1 lb weekly? One could be much more sustainable and able to adhere to it.

1 - Intensity will ultimately. What is a workout for you now being in cardio zone, won't be as hard when you lose weight from diet and move less around, plus as you get more fit, you have to do more for it to still be a workout for cardiovascular system. It would be like squating so much on a bar, you lose 50 lbs, but don't increase weight on the bar by 50 lbs - that would be a case of not even maintaining your strength. Same thing happens to many walkers, same pace, lost weight, less of a workout.

So great recommendation made to throw some jogging intervals in there as you need to.

2 - When you start jogging, don't end with jog to car and jumping in and going. Walking is pretty gentle, may want to do some dynamic stretching in last 5 min to car if you ever feel tight muscles next day or later. Just pay attention to body. Nothing about slowing down is going to automatically improve anything physically, if it does mentally than great. You sound pretty motivated anyway.

3 - That's fine. Walking isn't a pounding workout or so intense it needs much if any recovery. Just a sensible weight loss diet for general overall non-stress to body would be good enough.