Between Cloudbursts....

After the terrible droughts of Summer, we are experiencing a fairly wet Fall.  One night, driving home after dance, I encountered some of the worst weather ever - rain so sudden and heavy while I was on the interstate that I put on my hazards and slowed down to get across the overpass.  It was terrible!  I was really glad I had not been walking when this weather arose.  No way I could have walked in it.

But, between the cloudbursts, I've managed to keep up a pretty good walk schedule despite the weather, work, Fall allergies, and the visit of my niece from Australia.  While niece and daughter headed to a Cardinal's game, I put on my walking shoes and hit the bricks.  My puppy was very happy with that plan.

Have you been able to walk lately?  In anticipation of less inviting Winter weather, I recently purchased two more videos - another Leslie Sansone and a dance workout CD.  I'll let you know if I like that one.  I know I'll get my money's worth out of the Leslie Sansone CD.




*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

Take A Deep Breath And ...

Blow out really hard.

Have I written about this before?  I have asthma and some seasons are worse than others for me.  Fall is my worst season.  Never look forward to it because I know what's coming for me when the Fall rains and colder weather arrive.

One thing I have learned to do for my asthma has other benefits too.  It's called pursed-mouth breathing.  Can't hurt anyone, so I'm not dispensing medical advice here.  But if you want to, literally, get your second wind, you can give this a try - even if you don't have asthma.

Here's what you do.  Very simple.  Take a breath, as deep as you can, then blow it out hard through your lips that are shaped like you are going to whistle or blow a trumpet.  Blow until you can feel it in your diaphragm - all the way down to your belly button.  Do that once or twice and you'll get your second wind.  And, if you're an asthmatic, you'll just be breathing better.  Check this out for more specifics.

One day when I was sharing the track with a grade school group as they were running a mile, I noticed that several kids who were lagging behind the pack were wheezing.  Activity like running a mile when you're out of shape can cause wheezing.  That alone doesn't mean you have asthma, altho' by one count, about 75% of school age children in the St. Louis area  suffer from asthma.   I questioned the gym teacher and learned that she knew nothing about asthma.  So, I took a moment to show her the pursed-mouth breathing technique.  No idea if she followed though, but at least I put the notion out there.

At any rate, this is a technique you might try and benefit from.  If it works for you, let us know.  I think any way I can get a second wind when I'm working hard is a good thing!




*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

The Guarantee

That one gal, forget her name. wrote a book she said was an ancient manuscript she called The Secret about how to attain success and wealth.  Just buy her book, read it, do everything it said to do and you'll be successful and rich.  No guarantee.

Diet Pills - just buy them, take them, follow their 'sensible diet', and you'll lose lots of weight.  Don't buy the pills, follow a sensible diet and you'll lose lots of weight anyway.  But, No guarantee.

Use that special whitening toothpaste, your teeth will glisten with whiteness and that cute guy you've had your eye on will all of a sudden have his eye on you.  Alas, no guarantee.

Be a good girl (or boy), follow all the rules, be chaste, kind, clean, and patient and Prince(ss) Charming will find you and you'll live happily ever after.  No guarantee.

Drink your milk, eat your Wheaties, play sports, and get lots of sleep and you'll grow tall and strong.  You know - no guarantee.

But, take a walk every day, whether it's 5 or 50 minutes long, and you'll feel better.  This one does come with a guarantee! 

Picture Source:

http://www.123rf.com/photo_6545775_middle-aged-woman-walking-dog-winter-sidewalk.html



*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

I Done Tole You So

What Have I Been Telling You? 

Exercise Makes You Feel Good.  See. 

I DONE TOLE YOU SO.

That's a direct quote from one of my sons when he knows he's right.  "I done tole you so."  I think he's quoting some movie character.  What am I right about, you ask?  Well, Dr. Michelle Segar of the University of Michigan has done a lot of research into why people exercise - what motivates people to begin an exercise regimen and what keeps them doing it.  It's the fun, stupid!

I knew science would catch up with me.  The world's leading experts can talk all they want, spout all kinds of statistics about the health benefits of walking and other forms of exercise, about how it will keep you from getting heart disease when you're 90 or osteoporosis when you're 50 or whatever awful things will befall you in about 100 years.  Really?  And in my 20's I care about this why?

Well, most 20 somethings don't care about the benefits.  They care about two things:
Looking Good
Feeling Good

Me too!  I walk every day because it makes me feel good.  If I happen to lose a couple pounds along the way, lower my blood pressure, increase my bone strength, sleep better, and live longer (in good health), I won't turn down those benefits (even if I could).  But, I am like most people in that I'm:
Lazy
Egocentric
Concerned More About Today Than Tomorrow
Concerned More About Having A Good Time Today Than In Twenty Years.

Dr. Segar even agrees with me that if people exercise with other people, they enjoy the social contacts.  See?  I'm right again.  Look at the how many times I've referred to - E Walk And Talk Buddies and all the times I've written about my walking buddies, Kathy, Kris, Sally, Laurie, and my 4-legged sweetie Lizzie.

I'm so happy for Dr. Segar and her colleagues that their research agrees with mine and - no sarcasm intended - that Dr. Segar has shared her results with others.  The weight of her degrees lends weight to my thesis.  And, you know we are right!

I done tole you so.  And, guess what?  I emailed Dr. Segar and she responded the next day (!!!) with positive input and the note that she is putting me on her list to receive update into her research.  I've emailed other luminaries in the business of walking and general physical exercise and not one has bothered to respond!  Kudos to Dr. Segar for helping out the little guy (me) who is trying to change the world for the better one step at a time.

NOTE:  These findings appear in the August 28, 2012 issue of the New York Times



*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

Be Inspired

One of this blog's readers, Jill, recently posted a comment that she is inspired by the efforts and attitude of her mother who has MS but still perseveres, trying to not let her illness keep her down.

I so appreciate Jill's comment.  I am constantly inspired by people I see around me - people who use walkers and canes, who suffer terrible physical maladies, who have every reason to sit but who keep moving forward.

They're not always walking for exercise.  Most are walking, any way they can, because walking is how humans get around.  Just imagine how much more challenging every small activity of daily living is made for those who are unable to walk.

Walking is something we want to preserve for ourselves.  From about age one til the day we die (hopefully), we are walking.  Even if we have a desk job, we have to walk to our cars, walk to the soda machine, walk to the mailbox, etc.  Walking is essential for most of us.

So, who inspires you?  Oscar Pistorius or the old man who lives down the street?  Your mom or the kid you saw who has CP and must use two canes?  The guy at rehab struggling to regain use of his legs after a stroke or the tot who just won't stay down despite being knocked down again and again by older siblings?  

I am inspired by readers like Patty who emails me often about her perseverance with her walking program.  I am inspired by my friend Kris who suffers from MS but walks with me several days a week after working a full day.  I am inspired by my soon to be 90 year old mother who walks her mile or so every day, inside or out.  And, yes, I'm very inspired by Oscar Pistorius.  Wish I had more of whatever he's made of!

Let us know who inspires you!

PS: About that picture.  It's an image that has always inspired me.  "He ain't heavy.  He's my brother."  They walked, one brother carrying another, to Boy's Town.



*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.

Have I Mentioned Richard Simmons?

Back before walking was 'cool' and there were almost no home videos to inspire us, Richard Simmons hit the airwaves with his enthusiastic dance workouts.  Richard is now an old man who seem stuck in the 1970's - but his message is still vital.

While Richard talks a lot about food, his strongest message is about loving one's self and getting up to move one's body.  His choice of activities is dance.  He has over 65 videos available.  Sweating to the Oldies is still fun!

Here's a useful hint.  If you still have a VCR player, you can stock up on Richard Simmons' tapes from the thrift store for under $2.00!  They're nice to change up things on a rainy day.  What can be bad about seeing a bunch of people having a good time dancing?  And, we can all sing along because we all know the words to those old hits.  Singing along doubles the aerobic benefit you get from dancing with Richard!

If you no longer possess the antique VCR, head over to ebay or half.com and find some of Richard's DVD's for cheap.  Even if you pay full price, you'll get your money's worth.  While I love my Leslie Sansone Walking videos, I also enjoy popping in one of my oldie Richard Simmons videos for a change.

Remember, as the old song says, "You can't dance and stay uptight."




*************************** Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.