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It actually sounds like a great way to lose weight if you can handle it. We need to walk more. I’ve thought about moving to NYC just to walk more.

by sjg007 5y ago

neilv 5y ago
Boston is pretty walkable, too. Example: Some routes between Harvard Yard and Long Wharf take you through residential and nightlife areas where a lot of people life, past biotechs, MIT, a few FAANG outposts, over a bridge with great views, across the Esplanade park, past at least a major hospital, financial district, through North End (Italian restaurants), tourist area, and to harbor walk, to sit on Long Wharf and watch the boats and airplanes. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Harvard+Yard,+Massachusetts+Avenue,+Cambridge,+MA/Long+Wharf,+Boston,+MA+02110/@42.3649856,-71.1194326,13z/ https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Harvard+Yard,+Massachusetts+... (Separate from walking, a lot of people bicycle here, and you'll see heavy bikes on some streets during commuter hours, but don't beware that bicyclist safety is so-so here. If you decide to bike instead of walk, watch out for car doors opening into your path, trucks making turns, negligent car drivers, other bikers ignoring road rules, mild resentment of bicyclists, etc. Personally, I just walk, and know that there's a good chance that a driver even going through the busiest Central Square intersection is looking at their phone. :)
hughrr 5y ago
We do need to walk more but it's a crappy way to lose weight. You have to put a huge number of miles in to lose a significant amount. Tracking your eating and eating less calories is the only winner really. Put it this way: Don't eat a 250 cal chocolate bar or take a 60 minute walk? Same impact. Incidentally I have walked 103 miles in the last 24 days...
- robocat 5y ago
  > but it's a crappy way to lose weight Maybe a crappy way if you are obese. But AFAIK over years walking will strongly help maintain a good weight and keep you healthy. It certainly does help reduce weight and improve fitness compared to just potatoing. You can do more, but as a minimum starting point it is pretty bloody good. One observation: people are generally not obese in central London and part of the reason is the few km walking per day to get to and from work via the tube.
bsder 5y ago
Exercise is not a great way to lose weight. The phrase is: "You can't outrun the fork." Deuterated water studies back this up. Humans burn roughly the same amount of calories active or passive. The body only shunts the available calories around. Now, exercise has lots of documented benefits. Weight loss just isn't one of them.
- Retric 5y ago
  The body temporarily shuts down multiple processes like digestion during exercise to increase peak performance. However, it still needs food etc so those calories are still burned during downtime. Active people can consume 2-3x as many calories in a day as inactive people do. At the extreme end some elite athletes need 8,000+ calories per day diets simply to maintain weight.
jazzyjackson 5y ago
When I moved to Manhattan I started walking about 4 miles a day on average, but I still gained 25 pounds because I could afford all the pizza and fried chicken my heart desires. Biking felt like better exercise, but much more hazardous to your life expectancy.

It actually sounds like a great way to lose weight if you can handle it. We need to walk more. I’ve thought about moving to NYC just to walk more.

by sjg007 5y ago

It actually sounds like a great way to lose weight if you can handle it. We need to walk more. I’ve thought about moving to NYC just to walk more.

neilv 5y ago

Boston is pretty walkable, too. Example: Some routes between Harvard Yard and Long Wharf take you through residential and nightlife areas where a lot of people life, past biotechs, MIT, a few FAANG outposts, over a bridge with great views, across the Esplanade park, past at least a major hospital, financial district, through North End (Italian restaurants), tourist area, and to harbor walk, to sit on Long Wharf and watch the boats and airplanes. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Harvard+Yard,+Massachusetts+Avenue,+Cambridge,+MA/Long+Wharf,+Boston,+MA+02110/@42.3649856,-71.1194326,13z/ https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Harvard+Yard,+Massachusetts+... (Separate from walking, a lot of people bicycle here, and you'll see heavy bikes on some streets during commuter hours, but don't beware that bicyclist safety is so-so here. If you decide to bike instead of walk, watch out for car doors opening into your path, trucks making turns, negligent car drivers, other bikers ignoring road rules, mild resentment of bicyclists, etc. Personally, I just walk, and know that there's a good chance that a driver even going through the busiest Central Square intersection is looking at their phone. :)

hughrr 5y ago

We do need to walk more but it's a crappy way to lose weight. You have to put a huge number of miles in to lose a significant amount. Tracking your eating and eating less calories is the only winner really. Put it this way: Don't eat a 250 cal chocolate bar or take a 60 minute walk? Same impact. Incidentally I have walked 103 miles in the last 24 days...

robocat 5y ago
> but it's a crappy way to lose weight Maybe a crappy way if you are obese. But AFAIK over years walking will strongly help maintain a good weight and keep you healthy. It certainly does help reduce weight and improve fitness compared to just potatoing. You can do more, but as a minimum starting point it is pretty bloody good. One observation: people are generally not obese in central London and part of the reason is the few km walking per day to get to and from work via the tube.

bsder 5y ago

Exercise is not a great way to lose weight. The phrase is: "You can't outrun the fork." Deuterated water studies back this up. Humans burn roughly the same amount of calories active or passive. The body only shunts the available calories around. Now, exercise has lots of documented benefits. Weight loss just isn't one of them.

Retric 5y ago
The body temporarily shuts down multiple processes like digestion during exercise to increase peak performance. However, it still needs food etc so those calories are still burned during downtime. Active people can consume 2-3x as many calories in a day as inactive people do. At the extreme end some elite athletes need 8,000+ calories per day diets simply to maintain weight.

jazzyjackson 5y ago

When I moved to Manhattan I started walking about 4 miles a day on average, but I still gained 25 pounds because I could afford all the pizza and fried chicken my heart desires. Biking felt like better exercise, but much more hazardous to your life expectancy.