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| To go for a walk can be so much more than just a road walked upon... |
Hello Walkers! How are you doing with your Walking Mission of the week? I am doing pretty well. Not really reached my goals but I sure have made an effort to walk every day at least. I am looking forward to receive your reports on how you have managed this week.
Email me the amount of minutes you have walked this week and I will put together a weekly report on our progress! :D But now - let me tell you a story.
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Right here I almost got knocked over by a deer who came jumping - flying!!! - cross the road I was walking on...
She was so beautiful! |
I read an article about walking in a Swedish magazine at the end of last summer. It said that you could easily walk off 2 inches/5 cm around your waist in just a couple of weeks. WITHOUT making any changes to your normal diet. "Ha! Sure...", I thought. And of course I had to take on the challenge as I already had given myself a serious go at jogging throughout the whole summer - and failed. Jogging is soooooo NOT my thing... no matter how expensive and flashy shoes I have, no matter what surroundings, no matter what good looking outfit... it is just NOT my thing. Period.
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| These trees will soon be full of apple blossoms... I can't wait! |
So, get the idea that I had been pretty active throughout the summer but still had not lost those cozy, mushy love handles of mine... The article said to walk
12000 steps a day (approx 90 min, 6 miles/ 9,5 km) and absolutely not less than 10000 steps (75 min). I should add that my average steps done on a working day without active walking is around 2000... So 12000 is quite a lot more. I found
this article with some statistics on how many calories you loose when walking 12000 steps a day, the health benefits and more that might be inspiring to read. Check it out. :D I s
Anyway, I got started. Measured my waist line, upper arms, thighs and bottom. Weighed myself in... I left the house more often to go for walks. I started out with 15 minutes first thing in the morning. I swopped chatting and cookies in the cafeteria at work towards three 15 minute brisk walks outside on my two coffee breaks and lunch break. I soon had company on my walks and today I walk and chat on my coffee breaks. :D
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| I wonder what these flower buds are???... |
When I got home at night I checked my step counter and after dinner I squeezed in what was missing. It could be 15 - 30 minutes. And believe it or not... When measuring myself two weeks later I had lost 2 inches/5 cm around my waist, 1,2 inches/3 cm around my bottom, 0,8 inches/2cm around my thighs and 0,4 inches/1 cm around my upper arms. WOW! It actually worked!!! And I have to add that I was feeling so great these weeks. I got up easy in the morning. I slept like a dead person at night. My short temper disappeared and I felt more relaxed and mellow. I laughed more and just in general felt more energetic and focused. Happy! And I think that that is worth more than loosing those inches. To feel one with life is the ultimate satisfaction and joy!
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There is something special to walk in "the wild". Get off the road and walk the fields, be one with nature.
Aaaahhhh... even on a cloudy day like this. |
The end of the story is not as great though as autumn kicked in full speed with storms and rain, cold and ice and my walks quickly died off... Christmas came knocking on my door and let me put it this way - I need to start all over again. But this time I have faith. I actually know that this work. Without having to live on a crazy diet that I can't stick to as I love cream, sugar, bakery goods and good food.
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| I love love LOOOOVE dirt roads. They are my favorite and my best! |
Did you know the following about walking?
• That you don't have to walk a loooong time to get a benefit from it. If you want to make 60 minutes a day you can break this up in 5 minute walks, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minute walks throughout the day and still get almost the same benefit as if you did it all at once. That is GREAT news isn't it? So break it up girls, and reach your goal by doing mini walks if you have to. :D
• That a brisk walk burns about 30% more calories than a normal slow walk. So speed up your tempo a bit (ditch the sniffing dog and walk by yourself) and see even greater benefits from your walks.
• That in 10 minutes you take approx. 1000-1200 steps
Keep up your good work girls. Spread the word about Come Walk With Me. I would love to post a weekly report on how we are doing Sunday together with next weeks challenge, some tips on how to squeeze in those mini walks into our busy everyday schedules and add some crafty stuff as well. The crafty corner has been in a bit in a slumber lately. Guess I got my focus somewhere else... I hope you dear followers don't mind my side tracking for the moment. All the best to you all. And join in at any time. Everyone is welcome!
Kärlek
Annette
thanks again annette for your inspiration..great photos too..:)
ReplyDeleteWhooo I managed 1 x 15 min, with my dog. BUT I listened to what you said and walked a bit faster, all the other times: when dropping en getting kids from school, through the mall when shopping etc. We have a pedometer somewhere...now I need to find it! Thanks for the encouragement, you have done well!
ReplyDeleteI don't think of it in such a methodical way. I have no car and if it is not too far then I walk, otherwise I get a bus. I walk all the time but having a pedometer or thinking about it would drive me mad! I just like to walk and enjoy. The result is the same. I know it has made me fit and healthy I don't need to count my steps. Sometimes I walk a long way and sometimes less. That's all I need to know. I practise the art of walking and not the science of it - a lot more fun that way to me.
ReplyDeleteMy goal is to walk 6,000 steps a day because I also like to fit in an hour of yoga and pilates too, and 10,000 is just a step too far (forgive the pun).
ReplyDeleteI sort of agree with the person above in that in most things I too prefer the art of it, as opposed to the science of it, (this is definately how I see my yoga and pilates) however I think with the walking it gives me a real thrill (or not) to see just how much I've accomplished that day.
Also I do think it's possible to do both, in that I spent the day with my daughter on Tues and never really thought about my 'steps' until we got home again, thoroughly enjoying our environment. But we were both thrilled when we got home that such and enjoyable day had also been such a productive one too.
My goal therefore is 42,000 steps per week - I managed (despite Tues good result) 27,369 (mainly due to my ridiculously heavy periods - sorry TMI). It is of no matter - the intention is there, onwards and upwards!
I didn't count the steps but walked the kids to school every morning (15 minutes x 5), walked with my husband for an hour, did a wonderful game with a kids group through our town - 30 minutes walking and running...so much fun! And I go running for 20 minutes once a week - I need the fast running for my "system" and I love it. And went swimming with the children, which I like because it exercises my arms a bit. Not every week is like that, of course. But I definitely feel the difference, when I manage to have a "moved" live! I really enjoy this! Have a nice Sunday, Annette!
ReplyDeleteI'm slowly building up my walking regime again, injured my knee last August(out walking!) and needed surgery. As the weather improves so does my knee so although not doing as much as I would like, I am thoroughly enjoying 'getting out there'
ReplyDeleteYour little buds are probably a sedum.
Helo my dear hop u doing wil
ReplyDeleteOk stars walking 20days a go and i loss 2kg i wolk for 2hours 12000 steps everyday
I started by walking 6000 steps a day. I had my leg operated two years back and my walking speed is very slow. I intend to increase my steps to 8000 in a months time.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your inspiring and motivating write up. Regards...
I started walking last week. I did 12000 steps today. Planning to get to 16000
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