Another Writer Who Loves To Walk

I love this article!  The writer captures much of what I feel about walking - and says it really well IMO.  Please let me know what you think.  What do you think about while you're walking.  Do you walk alone or with another person or with a dog?  Do you walk on city streets, suburban sidewalks, or country lanes?  What do you see on your walks?  What would you like to see on your walks?  I don't really have a desire to walk in an urban area like Manhattan as I'm truly a suburban gal.  But, as the song says, 'just happy in the shoes you wear'.  This is good stuff!


*************************** 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.

Outwalk The Grim Reaper

Who would have thought you could out walk the Grim Reaper? While the Grim Reaper was unavailable to participate in this study, some researchers in Australia proved, rather conclusively, that you can, in fact, outwalk the Grim Reaper.  Don't believe me?  Read it here.

Note:  Image above is from this site.


*************************** 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.

Bundle Me Up!

If you live in an area where it gets as frigid as it can here in St. Louis, you may feel put off by the idea of walking outside on cold winter days.  Have you heard of silk underwear - not the sexy kind?!
These are purely functional pieces of clothing that are so lightweight you'll forget you have them on, but they add a wonderfully warming layer of protection against the elements.  Further, since silk is a natural fiber, it actually breathes.  So, if you are one who is intolerant of temperature changes like I am - I often go from too cold to too hot in a matter of moments - this fine layer of under garments is perfect.

You can go to an outdoors or camping goods store and pay about $60 for a set - or you can go on over to sierratradingpost.com and get them for about half that.  I own two full pairs and a couple of odd pieces I've picked up at thrift stores for pennies on the dollar.  They come in a range of sizes for men and women - although I will say that I find them a bit skimpy on sizing.  The good news about that is that they have stretch or 'give' and cannot be seen under your clothing so they don't have to fit perfectly.  For men, there is even the fly.  I wear a pair of those ;-).

In addition, there are things like CuddleDuds which many people like and the readily available waffle knit long John type underwear you can get at Target or Walmart for about $5 a piece.  I don't like the bulk this type of undergarment adds, so I stay away from them.  My husband, however, is a fan.

Then, for the truly dedicated winter walkers, there are items like Under Armor which adds a thicker layer and lined polyester garments like ski bibs and jogging pants.  I own all of the above and have been fortunate to find them in like new condition at thrift stores.  If it's really cold (but not too windy) outside, I'll bundle up with my layer of silk then my cotton (tee shirt type fabric) jogging pants, a hooded sweatshirt, wool sock liners, wool socks, and an overcoat with a turn up collar with a thick scarf to hold the collar up.  I just CANNOT wear a hat, but I can wear a hood, so that fills the bill, gives me the layers I need, and has me toasty warm - and even sweaty - for my winter walks.

On the downside, I have more laundry.  But, I find it's worth it, especially if it's a sunny day, and I can get in a nice walk.  It wakes me up, makes me grateful for my ability to get out and about, thrills my dog (who comes well conditioned for winter with her full length fur coat), and keeps me moving in the right direction both physically and mentally.

So, cold winter days don't let you off the hook.  You just need to bundle up.  Don't run out and buy a bunch of garments you'll use only a few times a year.  Dig through what you already own.  A pair of jersey or nylon pajamas works nicely as that inner layer.  Sweat suits can be layered.  Scarves are easy to come by in most homes.  Wear two pairs of socks instead of one.  Wear a cap if you can stand it.  Layer up and hit the bricks.  You'll be glad you did!

BTW - don't be tempted to buy the dark silk under garments unless you only wear dark clothing.  The white and off white completely disappear under your clothing.  The other plus is that you can hand wash and hang to dry - and they dry very quickly.  At home, I wash them in the washing machine.  On the road, I rinse them out when I'm in the shower in the evening, hang them on a shirt hanger, and they're dry in just a couple hours.

They go on deeply discounted sales in Spring, so wait for the best buys then if you want to get the best value for your money.



*************************** 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.

Set The Clock

I just read an article on a completely different subject, but it had an element of time management in it.  One statement reminded me how much I can get done if I set an alarm and work at a task until the alarm goes off.  It's amazing how much I can get done in 10 minutes.

What does this have to do with walking?  Well, a couple things.  First, if we can get though all our other activities - out to-do list - more quickly, then there's no denying that we'll have more time in the day to get in a walk.

Another point is that, especially in the beginning of a walking regimen, setting an alarm for even 5 minutes and walking til the alarm goes off can break what might seem overwhelming into 'bite sized' pieces.

So, take advantage of these words of wisdom from people who are way better organized than I am (have you ever been in my home??).  Use a tool as simple as an alarm clock, oven timer, or egg timer (3 minutes usually) to help you set and achieve your short term goals.




*************************** 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.

Even Newer Math

I read but cannot find the article that stunned me with a simple but now well researched way to create change in one's life.  According to the researchers who wrote the article, activity as brief as FIFTEEN SECONDS a day can change your life for the better!

Fifteen Seconds!  Who doesn't have 15 seconds?  What could I NOT do for 15 seconds?  I could probably even stand on my head for 15 seconds if I could successfully get myself upside down.  I could hold a 500 lb weight for 15 seconds if it was really important.  But, seriously, I can certainly try a new activity for 15 seconds.  Really!

The point of the article was that you do 15 seconds today then 20 seconds tomorrow then 30 seconds the next day and so forth until you reach your goal time at the activity.  In my case, I might like to practice keeping my mouth shut when my brothers are discussing politics!  If I can keep my mouth shut for 15 seconds, I probably won't put my foot in it.

Then, the next time the subject comes up, I can go for 20 seconds.

As for walking and other physical activity, I think this technique could easily lead to success especially for someone who feels unsure on his/her feet, is very sedentary, maybe very overweight, maybe ill.  It could also work for someone like me who needs to start resistance training and/or weight lifting to increase my bone health.  I hate the gym!  But, at home, I could certainly do a few resistance exercises for 15 seconds today then for 20 seconds tomorrow.  In a few weeks, maybe I'd get up to 10 minutes a day and reach my goal.

What do you think?



*************************** 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.

AM I BLUE? R U?

After the hooplah that is our holiday 'season' and in the deep, dark freezer we call winter, it's not unusual to get the blues.  Seasonal Affective Disorder is the name of the affliction suffered by many (including me) whose mood turns as bleak as the winter sunset after too many gray days.  Do you get the blues?

This guy has the cure!  Well, I do too.  This guy is Dr. Andrew Weil and  more people know him and he's got the degrees behind his name to give his opinion and research more weight than mine.

Like me, Dr. Weil endorses walking as a fantastic aerobic exercise, gladly releasing all kinds of endorphins in your brain to chase away the blues.  He says you have to walk every day to get the best effect.  Where have you heard that before?  Here!

So, don't just take my word for it.  Take Dr. Weil's word too.  Don't settle for a life that is less than you want it to be.  Take a few steps in the direction you want your life to go - happiness, contentment, good health - by just walking about 15-20 minutes every day.

If you're new to my blog and want to know my way of getting off the sofa and onto your feet, walking toward better health, please go back to the blog articles I wrote in 2008 which contained a detailed plan to get you moving in the right direction.  AND pay attention to the Money Back Guarantee below.  I strongly endorse my guarantee!




*************************** 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.

New Math

Just saw beautiful, petite, very hard working Natalie Morales on a PSA on TV, reminding us that two and a half hours of exercise a week will make us healthier.  Two and a half hours.  That sounds like a lot of time!

So, I decided to break that down.  It's 150 minutes.  Whew! That sounds like less time.  Still, how will I fit that into my routine?

If I walk 7 days a week, that's 150 divided by 7 equaling just over 21 minutes a day.

If I walk for only 5 days a week, the time jumps up to 30 minutes for each walking session.

The average between those two numbers is just over 25 minutes.

Now, being realistic about time, I need some 'lead' time - dress, put on shoes, etc.  Add 10 minutes, tops.

I need cool down/clean up time - longer in the summer for me.  Add 30 minutes.  I keep my hair and make up simple (wash and wear hair do and minimal make up), so if I have my work clothing laid out, I can be out the door to work or whatever about 30 minutes after I return from a walk.

That means that on the long side, it will take me about 60 minutes to get in a 25 minute walk.  Following me here?

I sweat like crazy from my head so my hair is literally dripping wet when I return from a walk, no matter how brief, if it's hot or humid at all.  Winter or Summer walks at the mall (or anywhere indoors) knocks off quite a bit of the time for me.  I don't require a shower immediately after my walk and can head straight onto work in the clothing I'm wearing.  I might change shoes, but that's just a minute or two.

So, am I worth an hour a day?  Is my health and well being - and I mean mentally and emotionally too - worth an hour a day?  That's FIVE TO SEVEN hours a week.  Yeah, I'm worth it!  My husband and kids think so too.  And, boy, my dog REALLY thinks so!

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 The image above can be found here.




*************************** 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.

Loser or Winner?

I've always been clear, I think, that this blog is about walking and feeling good - not about weight loss or dieting.  Still, some of us have dieted and many of us want to lose weight or maintain weight loss.  Almost 15 years ago, I began this journey of a gazillion steps when I had to give up racquetball.  At the same time, the Atkins Diet made sense to me and I went on it for about 6 months.  It was pretty easy for me.  I ended up losing 65 lbs in about a year - and I've kept 50 lbs of it off all this time - by walking.

I have not remained on the Atkins or any other diet.  My husband is the main cook in the house and he's always trying to feed me.  Food is Love!  He understands a lot about the science of weight loss and is very supportive, but he's never had a compulsion (really! well, except maybe to be sure all the doors are locked every night.) I regained that 15 lbs during the time I had my 2 knee replacements.  I have not really attempted to take off the 15 lbs as I feel good and walk comfortably at my present weight.

A Word About Weight - I'm not a doctor, scientist, or physiologist - but I'm a smart, well informed woman who has seen and read a lot.  Many of the ways of measuring weight relative to health.  A scale is only one of those methods.  Those charts from the insurance companies and the Canadian Air Force - well, there's nothing wrong with them exactly.  It's just that they don't seem to reflect reality!  I should never have weighed more than 116 lbs in my life according to those 'experts'.  When I weighed 116 lbs - and I did for a few months when I was 15 years old (fully grown for several years by then) - I looked like I had been starved in an enemy camp.  This is my personal experience.  YMMV,  But, I'm far more of an advocate of finding a weight that FEELS good for you and striving to remain there.  'Nuf said.

But, since I did wanted (and very much needed) to lose weight, the combination of Atkins and walking worked for me.  Since I was a 'beginner' at the walking thing, I often walked for 2 shorter sessions each day, dragging my aging sweet Jasmine (cockerpoo) through all kinds of weather.  The pounds fell off, the energy zoomed up, and I began to feel better than I had for years!

In the December 27, 2012 issue of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, there is a small article citing a Duke University study confirming that the best way to lose weight is aerobic activity. (swimming, running, walking).  This was a better activity for losing weight than weight lifting or resistance training.  "Those who got up and moved burned the most fat..."

Since two thirds of the adults in the US are overweight (still including me since I don't weigh anywhere near that 116 lb mark), this is an important piece of information for us to have.

What have I been telling you?  Did you need Duke University to confirm that I've got the goods?  It's okay if you did.  But, I'm right - and you can be a WINNER at LOSING by MOVING.



*************************** 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.

Who Doesn't Need An Energy Boost?

I no longer suffer from iron deficiency anemia, although I did for most of my child bearing years.  But, even if you don't suffer from anemia, there are still plenty of times when we can use an energy boost.  You know that I think - no, I KNOW - that walking energizes me.  But, here's another blogger's take on energy boosters.  Some of them are ones you'll have seen here.  Others are small ideas you might be able to incorporate into your routine or take advantage of from time to time.

Anyway, this blogger, Jillee, often has good ideas to share on her blog.  So, get yourself there and read her article about 25 ways to boost your energy.




*************************** 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.