Come Walk With Me - Week 2

Hello Walking ladies

This is how many minutes of walking we have done this week:
(PS If you still haven't reported your efforts please do. :D)

Annette (me) - 200 minutes (3 hours 20 min)
Jay Nic Knit Knacks - 120 minutes ( 2 hours)
Jane - 480 minutes (8 hours, walking the dog every day + 60 min extra on the weekend. NICE!) ✭
Stel - 30 minutes
Henny Designs - 27369 steps (That is probably about 4 hours walking - well done!)
Blandina Aracne
Amy
Happy Little Cottage - No walking yet... But I think this week will be different, right? :D
Mrs Stenlund - 210 minutes (3 hours 30 minutes)
Autumn
IA Nyckelpiga - 210 minutes (3 hours 30 minutes)
Tea With Hazel - 135 minutes ( 2 hours 15 min)
Gilly Flower - 240 minutes (4 hours)
Home Schooled
Kolora - 185 minutes + a swimming session (3 hours 5 minutes and 20 minutes of this was running!)
Rita Baccaro
Lynne - 160 minutes ( 2 hours 40 min)
Anonymous from California - 360 minutes (6 hours - WOW) ✭
NEWBIE! Lisbeth - WELCOME!

My best motivation tips:

• Music - download your favorite tunes, preferably upbeat high tempo songs, to your iPod or MP3 player and get walking. It makes all the difference in the world, believe me. Even when I am in a bad mood my favorite songs can turn that around for me. Or I give in to the sulking and listen to some tear dripping, beautiful, heart breaking songs and let the tears flow for a bit (make sure to bring paper napkins...). Therapy at its best. Finish off with an upbeat song, get rid of the frustration and you come back with all smiles. Some of my favorites right now are:
FloRida - Good Feeling
KT Tunstall - Black Horse & the Cherry Tree
Cobra Starship - You Make Me Feel...
Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger

• Pedometer - This is my best friend ever! Without my pedometer I feel completely lost. I love seeing the stats on how I have done on my walks, short or long. It is so motivating to see that even to walk down to the grocery store on the corner to get milk gives me a few hundred steps to count to my daily step routine... Once you get a pedometer you don't want to let it go. This is by far the best motivation for a beginner. Get one! and start counting your steps.

You find them in a sport shop or on the Internet. I just ordered a new one from Amazon.co.uk. Make sure you get a good one, go for one costing around 30-50 dollars. I only have experience of Silva pedometers and it has worked great. I just clip it on to my waist line and boom. Every step I take is counted and I can actually see how much or little I move. Health researches recommends us to do 10000 steps a day (counting every step we take...) to live a long and healthy life. The average for an office working person, that doesn't consciously add walking into his day, is between 1500-3000 steps only. That is shocking if you ask me. So Come Lets Walk.

• Trainers! - Comfort is king. I have a pair of old sneakers hidden under my office table at work. I am not really a high heal girl and if we are going to a park or longer outing I always make sure to wear trainers. I even have a pair of Gortex trainers to motivate myself to get out in snow and rain as well. Because it can be refreshing - you just have to wear the right clothes. :D

• Find a walking route - I have a walking route that takes 10 minutes, another that takes 15, a third that takes 20 and a fourth that takes 30. This makes it easier for me to really fit some walking time into my daily schedule. If I have a busy schedule I know I can squeeze in a couple of the 10-minutes routes into my day - at least. If I have a 30 minute window I do my 30 minute route. This is really helpful girls. You could time up the route around your block or time how long it takes to bring kids to school. Does it take 10 minutes? Good. Then you know that dropping off and picking up kids equals 20 minutes in a day. That is great! You can do one or more laps around your block depending on how much time you have.

And now we a ready for next weeks challenge aren't we?

Walking mission - Week 2

• Just keep walking minimum 15-30 minutes a day depending on your level. This week you can make it if you didn't last week. You've got all the tips and tools for it. Just do it!

• Speed up your tempo a bit and get that heart rate going, it makes a big difference.

• Keep your head up high. Look around. Reflect on what you see. This is great for your posture, gives more space for your breathing. And you will love paying attention to your surroundings.

Good luck and enjoy!

Kärlek
Annette