Walk to work (two hours) worth it? (lose weight and exercise)

westie17 · 12 Mar 2009 at 20:59

I once decided to walk home from college, took me a little over 2 hours and google maps says my journey was 7 miles, and I had my bag on my back.

Wouldn't want to do it every day, maybe once a week/month if the weathers nice.

helpimcrap · 12 Mar 2009 at 21:35

i'm not the fittest guy in the world but 10 miles on exercise bike takes 45minutes with resistance on 12.

i'd say try and cycle it, otherwise you'll get bored by the time taken. 4miles takes me about 40mins to walk.

banja · 14 Mar 2009 at 07:08

Wolf11 said:
Surely thats relative? as unless you increase the distance you are in effect excersising for a far shorter period while cycling

It's relative time wise, but if the distance is the same then cycling is still better. I walk to work sometimes, but mostly I cycle. The walk takes 50mins, the bike 20. The bike ride is a much better work out.

SexyGreyFox · 14 Mar 2009 at 08:51

If you're 2 hours from work then it will be about 6 miles away unless you're brisk walking.
Walking/running will be far more beneficial to weight loss than cycling because you have all your weight to carry instead of sitting on a bike and letting that carry you.
However 2 hours of exercise before work will take it's toll on you for a while until you get used to it but it is a long time out of your day.
Personally I would get home from work and then use those hills to get into a 2 mile run and then increase slowly.

dodgem · 14 Mar 2009 at 09:10

reflux said:
Yeah because it's up a massive hill both ways and I walk at practically the speed of light. Always been a fast walker - can't stand people who dawdle.

Good word... "dawdle"

don't see it used often enough imo - certainly not written...

And do you live near some kind of temporal anomaly?... UP a massive hill both ways...?

OP: Don't try walking 2 hours to work... :eek:

just set aside 3 or 4 20 minute sessions each week to go jogging, and get off the bus/train a few stops earlier for a gentle walk each day... you'll be fit as a butchers dog in no time!

VFR_KID · 18 Mar 2009 at 09:38

How is the exrecise going?

I have lost 6lb since last thursday, been swiming twice walked 3.66 miles just to buy swimming goggles and been out on the bike for a little 2 hour jolly around town (mostly on forest trails) had one packet of crisps since thursday and only a light amount of coke on friday night, saturday was a disaster as i ended up drinking about 6 pints. but on the whole cut out the rubbish and eating fruit and veg all the time and exercise seams to work

SlyReaper · 18 Mar 2009 at 09:45

And I thought my 15 minute walk to work was bad.

steve-h · 18 Mar 2009 at 09:49

do it... its a walk - not going to tire you out much (well it might, but you will progress quickly)

i cycle 45mins to college and 45 back, love it. (ye, even in the rain)

VFR_KID · 18 Mar 2009 at 09:52

steve-h said:
do it... its a walk - not going to tire you out much (well it might, but you will progress quickly)

i cycle 45mins to college and 45 back, love it. (ye, even in the rain)

I love Cycling, used to do cross country all the time, then some little Wheasle stole my custom built bike and i have never got around to building another one. i have a complete pille of dung Appolo, but it gets me around,

I love walking too. its strange as i love sitting doing SFA and playing on pc but love to get out as much as i can too. going to walk the local hills this week end. should be fun.

bledd · 18 Mar 2009 at 09:57

cycle

R.O.S.S.I · 18 Mar 2009 at 10:01

I'm thinking of cycling to work, its only 2.5 miles away, so i'm thinking it wouldn't ever take me longer than 25 minutes at a good pace. Could leave the car at home and save on car parking too as I could lock my bike up at work.

Don't think I'd cycle in winter though. I'd only do it in the Summer, the only thing that puts me off is the journey home after a day at work lol, dunno if I could be bothered the ride home! But that's just me being mega lazy, if I get into a routine i'd be able to do it no doubt!

bum · 18 Mar 2009 at 10:05

Mum's walking to work everyday and she lost quite a bit of weight. It is a healthy option and a very nice cardio to do as the weather is getting warmer.

However, 2 hours is really long (if one way) considering it'll take up to 4 hours of your life each day.

VFR_KID · 18 Mar 2009 at 10:05

CDj-Rossi said:
dunno if I could be bothered the ride home! But that's just me being mega lazy, if I get into a routine i'd be able to do it no doubt!

Im like that but as soon as you start doing it within a week you start to enjoy it. im getting fed up with my mates saying i dont have time to exercise, thats pants everyone does, i would cycle to my work but the only road there is like the wakky races circuit

knowlesy · 18 Mar 2009 at 10:11

MikeHunt79 said:
I'd cycle

Tomdun · 18 Mar 2009 at 14:07

I walk 1.5 miles to and from work, its rather good. Just plug in music and the walk wakes you up in the morning, then the walk home is a nice wind down from work.

Dinomania · 18 Mar 2009 at 14:27

CDj-Rossi said:
I'm thinking of cycling to work, its only 2.5 miles away, so i'm thinking it wouldn't ever take me longer than 25 minutes at a good pace. Could leave the car at home and save on car parking too as I could lock my bike up at work.

Don't think I'd cycle in winter though. I'd only do it in the Summer, the only thing that puts me off is the journey home after a day at work lol, dunno if I could be bothered the ride home! But that's just me being mega lazy, if I get into a routine i'd be able to do it no doubt!

2.5 miles shouldn't take you more than 15min, 20 at most! That's going 10mph, which is pretty slow tbh - I average about 11.5-12mph and that's with a whacking great long slow hill in the middle

At that kind of distance I could understand not wanting to face rain and such (I used to cycle 1.5-2 miles into work), but even then with a set of lightweight waterproofs, it ain't too bad! and even then you don't actually get wet that often.

radderfire · 18 Mar 2009 at 14:30

rossyl said:
EDIT: Ok might do a 40min walk instead to start off. Thing is would a 10min jog be more beneficial?

Depending on your level of fitness you might want to build up to walking to work, but whatever, walking to work is the perfect way to lose weight, so just go for it! Oh, and walking would be better than the jog, a much better form of exercise long term.

Rgds

platypus · 18 Mar 2009 at 14:46

Davepen said:
Well a 2 hour walk is about what, 6 miles? You could cycle that in about 30-40 minutes.

Pushing the bike maybe :eek:

.

mjt · 18 Mar 2009 at 14:57

only if it's 100 steps a minute

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7950003.stm

You should be taking 100 steps each minute for half an hour a day if you want to achieve "moderate" exercise by walking, a study shows.

R.O.S.S.I · 18 Mar 2009 at 15:24

sara said:
2.5 miles shouldn't take you more than 15min, 20 at most! That's going 10mph, which is pretty slow tbh - I average about 11.5-12mph and that's with a whacking great long slow hill in the middle

At that kind of distance I could understand not wanting to face rain and such (I used to cycle 1.5-2 miles into work), but even then with a set of lightweight waterproofs, it ain't too bad! and even then you don't actually get wet that often.

Hmmm, might look into a bike purchase then!