TV Walking

If you've been reading my blog for very long, you know that I'm a proponent of walking in place in front of the television if that is your only option for walking.  I've written before, and told a lot of people, that if you walk only during the commercials for a one hour show, you'll have gotten in 20 minutes of walking.

Well, that's old news.  With the cost of ad time increasing for all television programs, if you walk during the commercials, you'll get in 28 minutes!  That's a huge percentage increase.  Plus, you really won't even notice the difference.

So, if you're struggling with pain, or trying to find time to walk, or are just starting out on this journey with us, turn on the TV and go walking.  Walk during the commercials.  Walk in place in front of the TV or stroll around your house. 

When that gets comfortable, ramp up your activity level by including some knee lifts and a couple cans of soup, one in each hand.  Do that only for one of the commercial breaks when it's a new activity for you.  Then, each week, increase the amount of knee lifts you do.  Use the soup cans as light weights to do arm curls.  Tuck your elbows against your body and lift those cans up and down while you're walking.

When you're even farther along, begin lifting the cans a bit by moving your elbows away from your body and lifting the cans in front of you up to your shoulder level.

If you get comfortable with this regimen, you're a WINNER!  You'll begin to feel better, have more energy and less pain - and it hasn't cost you a thing except maybe a little sweat.  You can even do it with your husband/wife/kid/roommate/dog in the room as you don't need to make any noise.

It's all about taking advantage of what's available to you and making the most of it.  You (and me too) are worth this little investment.  You'll feel better - and your life will magically improve.  Check the guarantee at the bottom of this page - and see if you can prove me wrong!


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

Bad Dogs - an Update

Sophie and Amber, those two bad, barking dogs I made friends with on Valentine's Day, are now good friends.  I look forward to passing their yard often.  Initially, I'm greeted with their usual barks - until they see it's me or hear my voice.  Then, they settle right down, rush to the fence, and wait to be petted.

I had what turned out to be an inspired idea to take a little treat for each dog.  I put a handful of Cheerios in my pocket and meted them out one at a time to each dog.  Since mine own dog is immune to the joys of Cheerios, there was no canine jealousy.  For our first few quiet visits, the dogs, Amber and Sophie, continue to growl and bark at my dog, Lizzie.  I ignored that and focused on sweet talk and treats then ear rubs.

How do I know the dogs' names?  Someone had written their names on their collars in permanent marker!  Good enough for me.  They answer to those names and recognize me every time I see them.  The fence line along the back of their yard where the sidewalk runs is long and overgrown.  There are a couple of areas where the dogs have kept the vegetation at bay.  We meet at each of these areas as I walk the fence line.  The dogs lean against the fence for me to pet them - hard to do through chain link fencing.  Now, they stand on their hind legs to reach my hands so I can nuzzle them behind their ears, tickle their throats, and offer a small treat.

I actually look forward to visiting 'the girls' these days.  When I tell them to stop barking, they do so immediately.  They are always outside - in all kinds of weather which doesn't please me - and seem a bit neglected.  But, they are friendly and loving, eager to be petted, eager to please.  I'd take them home if I could.  Walking past them is a little treat for me now.



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

A Cure For Cancer?

Right now I'm watching a newsflash on TV describing how exercise actually prevents colon and breast cancer!  It prevents the first occurrence and diminishes the likelihood of the spread of the initial cancer if exercise is started after that initial diagnosis.

We already knew that regular exercise can lower blood pressure, improve cardiac health, end restless leg syndrome and night leg cramps, and improve mental and emotional well being.  This ain't rocket science!

Now, we are getting hard scientific data to support what many of us, including physicians, already knew from our own first hand experience.  There is, in fact, absolutely no downside to very low or no impact exercise like walking.  It can't hurt you and may well keep you from getting a big bad disease like cancer.



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

Is There Something Holding You Back?

 My friend Kris has become one of my regular walking buddies.  She short like me but moves fast so she and I are able to walk at a comparable rate.  We typically walk on Sundays and try to get in another walk during the week, depending on our schedules.  She's also a biker.

Recently Kris fell and suffered a serious injury to her knee, requiring stitches which became infected, swelling, and a lot of pain.  Still, she realized that babying herself or her knee was not the best thing she could do.  Despite the fact that she couldn't bend her knee to allow a proper stride, she wanted to walk.

So, I let her establish our pace and determine how long we'd walk.  I actually had to put the brakes on so she wouldn't push herself too far. 

What's right about what Kris did?  First, she was determined to continue her stress-relieving walks but she listened to her body and didn't overdo.  She iced and rested but she didn't allow her knee to swell up more with disuse and stiffen.  She used painkillers sparingly, just enough to allow her mobility.

I admire Kris' determination.  Her gentle walking increased blood flow to the injured knee and hastened healing despite the setbacks of a stitch infection and swelling.  Now that the infection is under control and the swelling has almost disappeared, she's pretty much back to her normal speed and duration of exercise.  Had she remained on the sofa or at her desk for the past two weeks, she would have had to work diligently to regain her endurance and speed.

There's a lesson here for all of us.  There will always be things to hold us back.  Chores, people, laziness, lethargy, pain.  If we let these things determine how we live our lives, we are not able to live the best life.  In the moment, it's often difficult to figure out how to take care of ourselves.  That's why it's best to have a plan in place, a daily and weekly plan, that includes time for walking or other exercise that you can and will do on a regular basis.  Walking and dancing are the two for me.  What's on your list for yourself?



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

What's Next?

 What's next on your exercise regimen?  Spring is here (in the Midwest) and I find it especially difficult to remain indoors at my desk or doing other chores at home and office.  Today, I discovered a bit late that I had the day off.  No office for me!  Since the weather is glorious, if I don't count the pollen count, I laced up my shoes and hit the pavement with my four-legged baby in tow.

There are several pleasures of walking in late morning or early afternoon.  Kids are in school.  Less traffic.  No need to rush myself to get home to start dinner or whatever.  I made a mental map of where to walk and headed for it.  At almost the farthest point from my home on this route is a tiny bit of wooded trail that crosses a teeny stream between the back of a subdivision and a middle school.  The entire trail is perhaps 1/10th mile - but it's a miniature wonderland to me, well worth the walk.

Today with trees all leafy, ground cover blooming like crazy, and only a tiny streak of water in the 'creek', doggie and I slowed down to enjoy the shadowy oasis.  There's even a relatively new bridge across the creek that was built by a scout troop.  One could sit and read a book (bring your own chair) or just veg here for an hour at the time of day we were there.

In the hours before and after school, this little trail is covered with kids walking to and from the three schools that are lined up just north of the wooded area.  This is the third such trail that I've discovered.  I often tailor my walks to include one of these tiny trails.  Without using gas to drive to a park, I'm able to enjoy, albeit briefly, all the joys of a larger park.  The vegetation is just dense enough that if I turn the right way I can't see any house or school, no signs of  'civilization'. 

Have you discovered any such trails in your neighborhood?  I know there are more near me because I see the trodden down vegetation at the edge of the school grounds in various areas.  I'll explore those trails another day.






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

Multi-tasking

What does walking have to do with multi-tasking? You can use walking to get two important things done at once.

Exercise and stress management

Rid of leg cramps and energizing yourself

Losing weight and toning up

Avoiding the squabbling teens at home (or other squabblers) and gaining serenity

Exercising you and the dog

Catching up on your latest music, NPR program, or audiobook while getting into shape

I'm sure there are more multi-tasking ideas. Got any for us?




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

March Madness

No, this is not about basketball. I'm not a fan. I know that March is a huge month in the world of College Basketball, but it's a bigger month in St. Louis as it's usually the time when we get our first whiff of Spring!

Spring. Ahhhhh. God's promise that the World will renew and continue. I love Spring. I begin to think of not having to wear a huge coat and gloves, of flowers sprouting, of warm rain, of the wonderful smell of 'green'.

It's a great time to begin a walking program if you're not already a walker. If you are already working a walking program, it's finally time when you can begin to think about walking safely outside again - even if you have to carry an umbrella. I actually have a pair of old (and not waterproof) walking shoes that I keep in the garage for those days when I just can't help myself - when I MUST walk outside in the warm rain, no matter how wet I get!

What about you? What does Spring look like in your world? Is it Spring in your world in March? Down Under - where my mother in law now resides - March heralds Winter with its cold, damp winds. Ugh!

Do you have a plan for shedding your winter wardrobe and walking outside more in Spring? let us know.



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