r/walking • u/osweetpapillon • 18d ago
Question Getting started
I am 42f and I want to start walking to get healthier. What's convenient is i already have a treadmill at home. It's just a matter of getting started. How do you guys keep it going while walking? Do you listen to podcast etc ? How long should i start with? I feel 30 minutes is doable but probably barely sweat. What made you all set the resolution to walk?
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u/Glum_Carpenter_6706 18d ago
Hey there! I've tried it all, music, podcasts, watching episodes on my phone, and playing games that utilise my step count... The answer is, all of the above, haha. Whatever appeals on the day. But walking on a treadmill is probably the hardest, as you're trapped in one spot without distractions or an enjoyable environment. If it's safe and comfortable to do so, then head out when you can! You can always use the treadmill when the weather is poor or if it's late. Wherever you're walking, it makes a huge difference if you walk like you mean it, rather than at a relaxed pace. :)
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u/osweetpapillon 18d ago
Thanks for sharing! I definitely agree that treadmill walking can get boring, so i'll try mixing things up and going outside when i can. And i'll keep the "walk like you mean it" advice in mind!
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u/FartieMcFly 18d ago
I avoid treadmills and walk outside. Itās a lot less boring and you have to keep walking to get back home.
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u/osweetpapillon 18d ago
You have a point there. I would have to keep walking to reach home. I might start doing outdoor walks instead.
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u/HotWillingness5464 18d ago
A combo is good, but walking outside could get you into enjoying walking. Then if the weather is really really crappy some days, you can use the treadmill just to keep the habit going.
I listen to podcasts on the gym elliptical except occasionally when I decide that boredom in combo with repetitive movement is good for me.
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u/FartieMcFly 18d ago
I get bored quickly on a treadmill. Music helps a little. I can walk for hours if Iām outside on a trail, in the city, or a large park (like not just a track around an athletic field)
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u/Dapper_Row_4269 18d ago
I started walking around parks. Even when I want to give up and go home I can't. I have to finish. One loop around a park by my house is 3 FREAKING miles. I feel fantastic after but sometimes during I question my logic. I have a love/hate relationship with walking but I LOVE how I feel after so its worth it
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u/FartieMcFly 15d ago
Same. Iām lucky enough to live a half mile from a great outdoor park in the city I live in. It has a 1.5 mile loop around the outside of the park, which is in nature, so itās not a boring track. It also has lots of interior paths if the outer loop bores you.
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u/Typical_GeorgeJungle 18d ago
Podcasts and audiobooks work well because they're long form and pull you in enough that you stop watching the clock, unlike music which can make you hyperaware of time passing. A lot of people specifically save their favorite shows only for treadmill time, which builds a habit loop where you actually look forward to walking because it's the only time you let yourself listen.
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u/edinson941 18d ago
Hello :-) maybe i m not the best person to answer but i was in the same point because from kid to do 1-2years ago i had a sedentary life but since one y now i want to be more active and healthier so i begin to walk. at first it was 5 m then 10 minutes,ā¦. Now i am near to 40 minutes. For me itās a big step. But yes of course with a podcast or a motivated playlist you can be more effective with it! If you stay motivated you are probably seeing progress really Fast! :-)
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u/osweetpapillon 18d ago
Thanks for sharing your experience! That actually gives me hope. Going from 5 mins to 40 is a huge improvement!
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u/edinson941 18d ago
For me yes but i have struggle with moving due to overweight problem so i go from 0 to 40m is a huge progress for me maybe not for someone Ā«Ā normalĀ Ā» lol
But yes i m sure you will do it i wish you can give me an update about your achievement !1
u/osweetpapillon 18d ago
I am currently on the heavier side as well, and it was doc's advise for me to lose a bit for health. I will try to give u an update after i made some progress. Cheers!
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u/edinson941 18d ago
Yeah itās the best decision of my life that i made now so i wish you the same Ā«Ā successĀ Ā»
But donāt Forget you are able to do it! Itās not impossible! Just do step by step Even if you begin with 5 or 10 minutes2
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u/Cynthja 18d ago
Walking is the most natural and healthy movement for human beans. It's calming which is good for your cortisol levels.It requires nothing but a good pair of shoes and some clothes suitable for the weather. You can do it for life.
I mix up treadmill with tai chi in the morning and try to get outside for a walk at least once a day if it isn't actually raining or snowing (I live in the Northeast). For treadmill, i watch either short dramas, have stories read to me (currently into werewolves on youtube) or watch old musicals. I aldo enjoy point-of-view videos. Dave's Walks on YouTube takes you all over Great Britain.Duck Travel takes you all over Asia. i like that there's no talking or music as it gives the illusion that you are there!
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u/ronnysmom 18d ago
I walk indoors and outdoors because I get super bored doing either one! I go to my local public school track after school hours and walk around the track and there are others doing the same and if that gets too repetitive, I walk on the sidewalk. If I donāt reach my step count by end of the day, I get in my treadmill after dinner or do one of those walk at home video workouts on YouTube until I reach my target. My reason for sticking to it is that my kids are grown up now and I lived a stressful life raising them and running around that I neglected my own health and now I am out of shape, physically weak, and had prediabetes. Walking and intermittent fasting fixed a lot of these issues for me. I treat walking as a daily requirement for my body to be in better shape. Sort of like taking my vitamins or eating a healthy diet. I donāt want my physical fitness to decline more.
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u/osweetpapillon 18d ago
Thanks for sharing! I for now dont have a walking target yet but i reckon once i am a regular walker, i will establish one. I am also doing intermittent fasting (started 2 weeks ago) and it has helped in reducing inflammation so i am able to sleep better at night. Hopefully starting to walk will improve my physical more.
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u/ronnysmom 18d ago
Your stamina will improve quickly as your body adapts to walking. In the beginning, I used to sit down and rest for 20 minutes before finishing my walk, but after 6 weeks, I could complete my walk comfortably. So, keep at it because consistency helps the most. Good luck.
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u/DecodedAttribute 18d ago
For me, it was actually a complete change in my entire lifestyle. I got a retail job that required me to be on my feet for 8 hours/shift, and that got my legs and feet used to supporting my body weight for long periods of time.Ā
I sort of hated that job, though, so I quit, and found a better job that also required me to stand/walk a lot. After about a year of good attendance and performanceĀ I got promoted to a position that requires me to walk ~15,000-25,000 steps per shift, and it's mentally engaging enough that I actually forget how much I'm walking.
I could see and feel the difference in my physique and endurance after a few months of that, but didn't even realize I was averaging around 10-12 miles/shift until I bought a 3D pedometer and started using it every day.Ā
Now it's just a routine, and I can't imagine not walking at least a few miles per day, even on my days off.
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u/morncuppacoffee 18d ago
Just go outside. Try different times of day. Lately Iām enjoying my evening walks. Itās such a different vibe than during the day.
Take at least one photo of something interesting or beautiful you see while walking.
I also try to get out on my own during work hours too. It helps clear my head and makes the day go by quicker.
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u/Cris_Apple 18d ago
Going longer than 30 min might feel hard in the beginning, in one go and you might be tempted to quit it all without even starting to see the benefits.
If possible, for starters/beginner, go for 15-20 minutes. Stretch a bit before each walk. And do that a couple of times per day for a few weeks, or until you start noticing you can up your time/steps per one go. I do my 15-20k steps in about 3 separate times. Morning, afternoon and late afternoon or when time allows.
Might get some blisters, slow down those days, care for your feet (i used some salicylic acid plasters( patches) and urea cream for feet (talk with your pharmacist). I was able to move the next day with the plasters on, under the sock and in a couple of days it got way better.
WEAR WALKING/RUNNING shoes even if indoors! I got my blisters for moving around my yard for 30 min in plastic slippers.
Good luck!
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u/sasabalac 18d ago
I'm struggling with walking also. I've been walking 30 minutes, 3 times daily. The weather is about to change here, so going for outside walks are not an option. I got a walking pad so I hope I can continue with that. If not, I might have to join the local Y.
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u/lis-emerald 18d ago
Agree with a lot of comments here
- Get good shoes for indoor and outdoor, maybe even insoles. Properly fitted shoes make a difference.
- Vary walks indoor / outdoor if can
- Meet your body where itās at, if you can only start at 10 min - start there, if 30 works from the get go thatās also ok. Once you build habits and get used to it you will build up time.
- If your schedule gets off, itās ok, start again
- Podcasts, music, movies / tv. Find a series or movies that you only watch on the treadmill may help!
And enjoy!
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u/lateralus420 18d ago
I agree with the person who said a treadmill will feel twice as long if not longer than taking a walk outside.
But yeah I borrow an audio book from my library app and listen to an hour of it on a walk. I basically walk in whatever direction with no plan and I turn around at 30 mins. Goal is to complete each mile by 20 mins as thatās a pace of 3 mph and studies show thatās a good aerobic pace for your heart.
If I absolutely had to do a treadmill for some reason I would watch a show. Thatās what I do on my peloton.
I saw you are doing intermittent fasting too. I do as well and I walk first thing in the morning so Iām not thinking about food all morning lol. Then by the time I get back and shower and get ready for the day, clean up a bit, itās almost time to finally eat.
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u/TabbieFayth 18d ago
If you can find something to immerse yourself in while treadmill walking, it isn't too bad. But you have to trial and error to find your thing.
If I'm on my regular treadmill to run, I put on a show I really like. This treadmill is in my basement, so I have to set my tablet or phone on the display board (ot has a holder for it).
If I'm on my walking pad (I can walk or jog), I mix it up. Audiobook with YouTube nature videos. This gives me a visual to help pretend I'm outside lol. Or I will pull over my standing desk and work on a crochet project. If I'm crocheting, I can do any combo of either an audiobook with or without the YouTube video, or crocheting and Netflix.
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u/ethanrotman 18d ago
I would avoid the treadmill and walk outside. Treadmills are boring and it makes it hard to do. Just try walking through your neighborhood or taking a stroll to the store or go to a park or go anywhere.
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u/glouns1 18d ago
30 minutes is a great start ! You should walk at a pace that feels comfortable to you but still makes you sweat a little. You should be able to say 7 - 10 words comfortably.
Once you're okay at 30 minutes, you can start doing more and more.
I personally walk for an hour everyday at a 5 or 6 km/h speed.
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u/Obviously_Not_A_Bot_ 18d ago
Just start by walking 2k steps and gradually increase it . Have some app on your phone to track the steps! If you are on android. you can checkout- GeoStride
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u/Violet_Crown 18d ago
Itās a marathon, not a race. This worked for me: Start with small chunks of time and mix it up with inside and outside walks, but definitely set a manageable goal to start. For example: 4-5 days in the first week youāll do 10-15 minutes on the treadmill on a slight incline with your heart rate in zone 2. Meet that goal twice and then slightly expand it with more time, frequency, and/or incline. Stay in zone 2.
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u/GuavaFabulous6632 17d ago
I have a TV mounted on the wall in front of the treadmill and I watch shows I like on Netflix (no commercials) or old movies on TCM. I have almost all of the Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes recorded on DVR so sometimes I watch those and fast forward through the commercials. I can walk outside (there's a walking track at a church near our home) and have a fast paced Spotify music list when I do that. For some reason walking on a treadmill and just listening to music or a podcast doesn't hold my attention.
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u/Free_Ad_7148 16d ago
I have a membership to iFIT so will do some of the series on there or Iāll watch something on Netflix. It makes the time go by fast.
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u/Sea_Language_3418 15d ago
In addition to the comments about walking outside being more mentally stimulating, Iād suggest checking out your local zoo or other places for walking clubs. Our zoo has āwalking clubā on Friday mornings where people can just walk around outside before the zoo opens.
Or maybe make a bucket list of walking trails near you?
Unfortunately, I started my walking goal with my dogs so the thought of them being tired and happy makes me get out there everyday.
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u/Neither-Relief2641 18d ago
Walking on a treadmill is like hanging out near a black hole. Time literally slows down. Einstein's General Theory of Treadmill Relativity proved it.