Monday, September 5, 2011

Why I Love Walking

 

I love this video and song, which are all about walking through life. 

Have you ever noticed that walking is so often used as a metaphor for life? 

In my last post, I did one of those "get to know you" posts. One of the questions was, "what is your favourite way of losing weight?" I said walking. Now walking is certainly not very glamourous. Anyone can do it. And it's not as intense as jogging or a hardcore aerobics class. Some might even wonder, is walking worth it?

For me, it definitely is. I have always loved walking. Some of my best times were walking with my Mom, as a child, a teen and then as a woman. When I stayed there as a an adult, she would run into my room at 6:00 a.m. and ask if I wanted to go for a walk. I grouchily said, "no,": but then got up anyway and we had such awesome talks. The last five years of her life were spent battling cancer and she taught me so much during those years. That life must be grabbed and treasured and lived fully. She fully planned on living longer but cancer finally took a fatal blow.

To me, walking is meditation. It is a time for me. My thoughts run free and unfettered. I plan my future days, contemplate my gnawing decisions and dare to dream. Sometimes I pray, too. Asking for wisdom, understanding. Try to give up my problems to my LORD.

I have now lost ten pounds. My sister asked me last night how it feels to have lost ten pounds. It feels great. I feel so much better and it's partly from carrying around ten less pounds and it's even more from getting in shape. My pace has improved from a 40 minute mile when took my first walk three month ago to an average of 22 minutes for a mile. I can feel the muscles in my legs firing off pistons. The last couple of days, I have sometimes included my upper belly in my walk, thrusting forward slightly to include that part of my body. The first time I did that, I had a pace of 17:44 (I only managed that pace once!)




I am craving healthy foods now. My cravings for junk are rare because my body is starting to feel so much healthier that I don't want to mess up with too much fat or heavy carbs. I am sleeping better from the oxygen which is pumping through me and that I am inhaling as I walk. 

My mind is calmer and I feel happier. Ahh, walking, how I have missed Thee!

If you would like to see my training record for the last couple of miles, see my profile. on the Daily Mile. 

2 comments:

  1. I'm with you 100%... walking helps me think, clears my head and puts me in a spiritual place. Oftentimes I dont even need music and prefer not to have it while I walk... its easy for time to go by so quickly when you zone out and go to that type of peace. Next thing you know, you've walked over an hour and sometimes aren't even tired. I cant wait for the weather to cool down so I can walk so much more often.

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  2. First, thank you for the award. You're too kind.

    Second, I'm so glad to see your post on walking because right now I'm enjoying walks with some intermittent jogging. Walking is wonderful - thank you for remind us.

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