It can be time consuming due to the sheer length and duration, but I have found fat falling off in the places I have most issues (lower abdomen, chest, and back). It's free, it's super chill, and I have found it clearing my mind too. In combination with more intense regime, I think it is a a necessary supplemental exercise. I think walking outside is probably better (it feels more natural to me at least), but just a plain ol' treadmill or other cardio machine will probably get those steps up. Its super low-impact, easy, and do-able.
I'm dropping weight and I'm finding my brain rebooting in some places as well. It's overall super great and I encourage every Hexbear to increase their step count.
can't outrun a bad diet and we're pretty efficient at distance running. eating an extra 300 calories every day costs a couple hours of light exercise or requires you to increase the intensity of whatever you were already doing. building muscle to increase your resting metabolism can help but it's marginal.
my experience matches yours, the easiest management i've ever had was when i could bike year-round and was biking to work or somewhere most days but the bigger deal was tracking calories accurately in conjunction with the increased activity level.
hunger is the real enemy, it's one of the only sufferings i can actually alleviate at will so it's pretty impossible to deliberately sit around feeling like shit instead of eating something and both not feeling hungry and getting all the happy brain chemicals.