Ten Reasons to go for a Walk Tonight

How are you doing today? By any chance, are you feeling overwhelmed, stressed, maybe a bit depressed? Or maybe like something is missing? 

If so, allow me to make a suggestion to help you for getting out of this mental slump. And it doesn’t require pills -- you don’t have to go to the doctor for any prescription. 

My idea for you is get your fix. Your nature fix, that is.

When was the last time you went for a walk in the park? Or the forest, or the field? When did you last see birds up close or hear the sounds of leaves falling from the trees? 

Has it been a while? Do you tend to dwell mostly, in the tunnel so many of us create for ourselves: home, garage, work, garage and then home again?  

If it’s been quite a long time since you felt in touch with nature, I am going to give you ten reasons to get in touch with nature again.

And don’t wait too long ... the snow is coming and this late autumn won’t last forever. Why not go tonight? 

1. It's excellent exercise. In fact, there is extra value in walking outside compared to the treadmill, because of the extra resistance you gain from walking against the breeze, as well the variety of muscles used by obstacles you may encounter outdoors, as well as natural slope.

2. Walking outdoors can help curb your appetite. Going for a walk outside always makes me want to eat less. As I get more in touch with my body, I tend to have less desire to eat unhealthy things and overeat.

3. Walking outside helps cure stress and anxiety. In fact, a recent article in Forbes magazine quoted Dr. Sobel, a leading expert in preventative medicine as saying that spending time in nature is one of the top cures for stress. 

4. Nature makes you feel connected to something bigger than yourself.  Whether it's looking at the stars at night, or simply gazing up a forty foot elm tree, we are reminded that we really aren't the centre of the universe! 

5. Time spent outdoors connects you with those you love. When I was a kid, my mom used to take my sister and me on nature excursions. Sometimes it was a mysterious path that we had never been on before. Other times, it involved going for a drive and finding an abandoned coulee. These are the best memories, because we were together, exploring.

6. A walk in nature is romantic. Whether you are planning a first date, or planning your retirement, there's nothing better than a romantic stroll to pump up the intimacy level between two lovebirds. 

7. A nature walk is educational. Helen Keller asked her friend what she had seen after a walk in the woods. She was shocked when her friend replied. "nothing." She then goes on to say, "How was it possible ... to walk for an hour through the woods, and see nothing worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch."  Let's learn from Helen. When we walk outside, there is always something to see, and to learn. 

8. A walk through nature helps cure depression. This fascinating article talks about the latest research on how walks through nature have documented physical and sensory effects that help people that struggle with depression. The author also goes on to explain how, in Japan, "forest bathing" is considered a therapeutic option for healing. 

9. An outdoor walk is excellent for planning and goal-setting. I have gotten some of my best ideas while on a nice, long walk. There's something about the rhythm of walking that lends itself to dreaming and planning.  In fact, don't think of a walk as just one more thing you have to do,  but as a productivity tool for getting more done in the long run. 

10. You are walking in the shadows of greatness. Jesus himself was a great walker. Albert Einstein is reported to have walked the 1.5 hour distance to work and back, when he worked at Princeton. And C.S. Lewis, was inspired by the regular walks he took on his five acre wooded property.  

So, have I convinced you to go for a walk tonight? I confess

that I have been skipping my walks lately, and during the writing of this post, I actually went out and got a quick walk in. So, what about you? What are you waiting for? 

Or are you already a dedicated walker? What are your reasons for walking? Tell us your story. 

Love Sharilee. If you like what you are reading, sign up for regular updates with Blogger or through my Facebook page. or to receive posts by e-mail, join here. All photos are property of the author. All work is copyright under Sharilee Swaity 2014. 

The Post Where I Lose My Fear of Bears

Did I happen to mention that I love walking? I really, really, really, really like to walk. In fact, when I don't walk, I start to feel restless and listless and just generally blah.

Now, I always dreamed of moving to the country so that I could walk more. Living in the city was okay for walking but how much better to walk where you did not have to worry about muggers or criminal elements. 

Well, it is so ironic that since moving to the woods, my walking had gone down to almost nil. 
Why? Well ... bears. Fear of them, to be exact. 

We really do live in a forest, and this prairie girl has been more than a little nervous about going out into the deep woods to get her exercise. 

Well, yesterday, that all changed. We walked in the woods! And I did not feel afraid. Here are some pictures I took, just in case you don't believe me! ;)

The picture up above is me, ready for a walk in the woods. I can't seem to put captions on my photos, with my new them, so I will have to explain the pics in the text until I can figure out why I am having the caption problem.

First, we saw a little path into the woods. My husband went first, and tentatively followed, shouting at the top of my lungs, "here we come, bears! We are here!" Yes, I sounded like a crazy person.

And I couldn't believe how beautiful it was, and that I have been living five minutes away from this little paradise! It was so still (besides my insane shouting out the bears) and I thought that I had to find a way to be able to enjoy this beauty without being afraid.

So I started grilling my poor husband. "Do you think it's really dangerous," I asked him. 

"Not really, it's cottage country." 

"So, they won't come around because there are too many people?" I insisted. 

"No," he explained. 

And it makes sense. The bears tend to go where they are almost guaranteed to be left alone. These are brown bears, and I guess the grizzly bears are a different story. This was confirmed in our next conversation. 

While we were walking, we met some neighbours who live closer down to the lake. They were outside working on their yard, and I started grilling them, too, about bears. 

They were pros at this living in the woods business (three years out here) and said they had not seen a bear for two years. The first time, a bear came to the door soon after they moved in, but they believe it was because the house had sat empty for quite a while. When it saw them, it high-tailed it out of there.  

And the second time was when the owner had put out a bird-feeder. The bear was just on that! And it is well-known that you should never put birdseed in your yard during bear season. She found out why! 

"So, are you afraid of bears?" I asked them. 

"No," they explained. 

I brought up a recent bear mauling incident in Alberta, in the mountains, but the gentleman reminded us that those bears are grizzlies, and a whole different story. 

So, yesterday was the day that I lost my fear of bears, at least somewhat. I will still carry the bear spray my gorgeous husband bought me, and I will still sing and yell like a crazy lady in the forest, but I have to get out and walk in all that beauty! 

It's funny how fear can keep from so many things, isn't it? I am sometimes like a fear machine walking around, and I know that's not right. 

It reminded me of David, from the Bible. This famous story from the Bible had new meaning to me yesterday.  Bears and lions tried to attack his flock and he fought them off with a slingshot. He wasn't afraid of bears! 

And then, when something even scarier came along (like a giant!) he wasn't afraid of that, either. After yesterday, I feel a little braver for everything else in my life, too. Just a little, though, I am not asking for giants! 

And to end it off,  a couple more pictures of the walk. One of the pictures is of the dock by our house, and the other is a big piece of wood that sort of looks like a bear. 

What about you? Do you like to walk? Are there any things you are nervous about as you walk, or are you as brave as a bear? Have you recently overcome any fears? 

Tell us your stories! 




*All photos are my own creation. Written work and photos protected by copyright 2014.

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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. 

Monday Moves: Needing a Push to Exercise

Photo by d'n'c

First of all, the bad news. I did not reach my movement goal for this week, which was to walk five hours. I only walked for four hours. The reason that I did not reach it is that I was lazy. Plain and simple. I'm not being hard on myself but just honest.

Couldn't seem to get my myself out there and there is no excuse, really. I am just used to being sedentary, after a year off doing almost no exercise and it's hard for my mind and body to adjust. Ever heard of resistance? Well, I got it big time and I realize that a huge part of this battle is in my mind. I resist exercising, even though I KNOW it will help me in the end, and make me feel better.

I have been trying to figure out why I am so resistant and I think it has to do with the concept of homeostasis.  Remember this concept from Science class? That living things always try to stay in a stable state? Well, I think my body has been in the homeostatic state of not moving and eating whatever it wants. Now I have disturbed the balance and mind and body do not want to cooperate.

And I have to disturb this homeostatic state again and again, until I reach a new homeostatic state where I love movement and walking. I used to absolutely love walking and I will get there again. Right now, I enjoy it when I go but have a really hard time getting motivated.

Truth be told, if my gorgeous husband had not pushed me this week, I would  have had even less exercise to report: almost none, actually.

Bless his heart, he biked with me twice this week while I walked. (And he was the one that suggested it both times.) That was a lot of fun and we spent some time together doing something active. And then yesterday he gave me a little lecture about how I was not doing what I said I would do. This kicked me out the door, so to speak and I had a two hour walk that day.

photo by RWTurenne

So I am very glad that I did do the four hours. I did part of the walk in this little tiny park by the river that I found and the breeze blowing off the river was wonderful! I really do enjoy walking once I start but I have a hard time getting out the door.

As well, I am happy to report that my new shoes are amazing! It honestly feels like I am walking on pillows. Yay!

So, that is my report: the good, the bad and the ugly. What's great is that God always gives us new weeks! This week, my goal is to walk five hours, without my husband having to push me! I  have to do this! 

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Movement Minutes This Week ----->>>>

(From SparkPeople)

Monday Moves -- New Running Shoes -- ASICS

Oh my goodness, girls! I got new shoes, and these are not of the high heel variety. No, this woman who never wears running shoes, just bought two pairs and my, oh my, were they pricey!

I just paid $250 for shoes and sports socks and I feel good! I went to Sport Chek, and the guy there (he was the manager) knew his stuff.

I was totally honest with him and told him I needed something for high impact because I had gained a lot of weight and was starting to walk, and it hurt like crazy. He listened and then went on to explain why I was hurting so much, and how to fix it. Wow!!

I am so glad that I bought good shoes. I know it will be completely worth the cost. I spent $250 in total! I've never done that but I have no regrets. These are tools for getting my health and life back.

My movement goal for this week is to walk five times, for at least an hour.

ASICS Kayono 17 Gel

This is what I bought:




--------------------------->>>>>>

ASICS Gel 160 Training Shoes

And I also bought these:

I Burned 819 Calories Last Night!

Calorie Differential Report

Hi! I am trying this blogging thing again, after a day of Blogger not working for me. Arrrgghh! Has anyone else had this problem?

So, I just wanted to say "yay!" Last night, I walked five miles and burned 819 calories. I am so, so happy! You know, it actually felt good to walk. My lungs were starting to fill with air, and I was hardly out of breath. And I enjoyed the fresh air and flowers and yards.

And in case you are wondering what that cool looking picture is, just beside you <<=====-. That is a screen picture of my report from Sparkpeople. The report shows the amount of calories I ate versus the number of calories burned, for the day. And there were more burned. Yay!

I just went back to SparkPeople, after two years, and actually tracked my exercise and food yesterday. I also wrote a little blog in there. Doing that was a sign to myself that I am committed to do it, this time.

Sparkpeople is such a good site. It has a food and exercise tracking program and gives you reports about everything you can imagine. It has a home page for each member and TONS of support. Best part of all: it's free!

So, I am feeling good today. I am committed to making this work. I will post again soon. Thank you so much to those of you that reached with your support on my last post. I am going to respond to the comments in comments section soon. Take care!

River Walk

The Bridge we saw. Look at how high the water is! 

Well, I did it. I walked for two and a half hours tonight, and I am completely exhausted! Well, it wasn't just me, but we. My gorgeous husband asked me to go for a walk tonight, and boy, did we go for a walk. We saw three bridges, the river swelling up unto its banks, almost to overflow, and trees, trees, and more trees. It was so nice!

Another view of the river. And gorgeous trees.

My body feels like I have run a marathon. It is so strange to feel this fat, and exercise because moving my body feels like I am pushing myself beyond anything reasonable. It is actually painful -- something I don't think I have experienced very often, in regards to exercise. Until I got this out of shape, I could always walk without any problems. Now, it felt like I couldn't. But I still did it.

AND, I walked one week and four days ago. For two hours. That wasn't as hard, because I was more energetic to start. Tonight, on the other hand, I started out very tired. That's one thing I learned today: that it's okay to be able to do less, for one work out time. I don't need to feel ashamed of that: I just need to treat my body and my self with respect. I was tired tonight, and couldn't walk as easily. That's okay.

This river is normally quite a small little thing. Not now!

So Praise God! Thank you, LORD, for being able to move my body, even though it was very difficult. To move it for two and a half hours. And Thank You, LORD Jesus, for my gorgeous husband. Who asked me to go for a walk. And walked for two hours and thirty minutes. Who loves me enough to do that. Who took me for a walk, and let me take pictures of the river. I love  him!

I will post pictures soon of my beautiful river, that is brimming over the top! Cheers and goodnight!

N.B. I have posted pics this morning, as promised.

Curves

Well, this morning, I went to Curves again. This was my fourth workout, although I have been a member for a month. How is it? I am trusting that it is good, and that's why I am going to stick with it. Curves is an half-hour workout which consists of one minute on an mini aerobic pad wheree you jog in place, and then one minute on a hydraulic machine designed to work your different muscle groups. It is way different than a regular gym. In fact, it feels easier. But the point is, I can do it. I know I can do this ... and that there is no reason that I can't stick with it.

I have read the research on their website, and many women have lost weight on curves. It is what is called a circuit workout, and circuits are supposed to be very effective. The workout elevates your heart rate significantly. (This according to articles I don't have on hand right now.)  Also, it keeps your basal metabolism up during the day. (According to studies done by an Institute funded by Curves, I believe. )

I do believe that it is going to really help me get exercising and get moving, and be a part in my losing weight. I need a program right now, because I am not motivated enough to do it completely on my own. I'm just not. Hopefully in time, I will get more self-motivation, but now I don't have it. So Curves it is.

Better Choices

Well, after being shocked last night at my calorie numbers, I have come to peace with it. I have to just keep trying to make better choices, overall.

For example, if I do indulge in macaroni or potato salad, it should only be a maximum of half a cup a day. That stuff is lethal!

And spits or other nuts: the serving size should be a maximum of half a cup.

And no pastries... I don't crave these but once in a while, I am offered and don't refuse.

In summary, last week I exercised three days out of seven. I ate reasonably four days out of seven. Three days, I went way over my calorie range. So overall, there probably wasn't a calorie deficit for the week. I may have even gained some from the three overeating days. But .... my habits are getting better. My body is getting more used to exercise. I am getting used to being accountable for my eating. And I only did one emotional binge last week.

Overall: Okay.

Oh yeah: one more thing. I asked God to forgive me and heal me from my sin. I know that he forgives me, so I forgive myself for my sins and mistakes. That is important ... to forgive myself, and to move on. This is a new day, and his mercies are new every morning!

Feeling Sore

I am feeling extremely sore from the exercise I did three days ago. It feels like I ran a marathon! I hope this is normal ... I am sure it is, but it's a bit disconcerting. I mean, all I did was walk and do some pilates! Walk, for crying out loud! Very slowly! To be honest, this soreness is discouraging. It feels like everything is such a big deal ... nothing is easy right now! And I can barely walk around the house. It feels like I am going to need a week to recover from every workout!!!!!! Yikes!!!!

This weight loss thing is such a slow, wearying process. I had read a post from "Escape from Obesity" which chronicles what she is doing, and how it has been a slow process for her, but she's doing it month by month. Reading her story gives me courage. She emphasizes that it is slow, but it does work.

http://escapefromobesity.blogspot.com/2008/07/how-i-am-doing-it.html

Right now, I am the heaviest I have ever been. I am experiencing things I never have before. I guess this inappropriate soreness is one of them. So is the absolutely overwhelming exhaustion that I feel so much of the time.  I thought it was because I was so busy, but I hate to admit that it's more likely because I am fat. This is kind of humiliating, but it's better to face the truth.

What gives me hope is that others (like the writer of "Escape from Obesity,") are doing it, and having success. It is possible, although it doesn't feel like it is.

I just hope that this the extreme fatigue from working out does not last, because my life already makes me tired. Arrrghhhhh!!!! Whine, whine, whine!

What I am Learning About Weight Loss

Well, my head is spinning right now with ideas. I've been doing some research tonight on Pilates and also reading a book called, "The Abs Diet: the Six Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life," by David Zinczenko. David is the Editor-in-Chief of Men's Health magazine. (Or at least he was when this book was written, in 2004.)

I've been learning, and re-learning a lot. (I did read this book, which has been sitting on my shelf, a year or two ago, but had forgotten some of it.) 

This book teaches me some new things, and also confirms some of the stuff I have been learning on the copious amount of websites I have been "digesting" lately about exercise, weight loss and diet. This what I do whenever I am interested in something ... mega-research. The problem is, though, is that I tend to not write it down or organize it all. I just consume it (burp) and hope to retain it all. 

This one of the reasons I am looking forward to the blog. It gives me a place to regurgitate some of these great idea-stuffs, and organize them on paper. If someone else eventually benefits, too, even better!

So, what, briefly, did I learn tonight? The book confirms that my plan is good: some kind of strength training (for me, Pilates) and some aerobics. Strength training causes a metabolism burn (burning calories) for the next 48 hours! That's good stuff! This confirms what I had been reading on several sites lately.

Also, to eat shakes, he says, is very good. This has been what I've been doing for the last year. (Although I got a bit slack this summer.) This confirms that I can stick to my shakes. I was beginning to wonder because I was eating shakes all year, but actually gained weight. But my eating for the other 23 hours of the day, and lack of exercise was causing the problems. 

The shakes were good...some of the best food. Mine are usually made up of 2 scoops of whey protein, milk, yogurt sometimes, hemp, and fruit if I have it. Yes, I said hemp. Apparently, this is a wunderkid food ... great for Omegas and a host of other things. So, those are good. Good!!!

What else? That milk, low fat, is good for you. (There have been countering opinions on that one.) But the calcium is very good for you because it is thought to break down body fats. Good! I am a huge milk fan. I am going to keep going through this book. Here's the link:

http://www.absdiet.com/uof/absdiet/withemail/

Also, I learned a bit more about Pilates online, from the following book called Pilates, by Rael Isacowitz. Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.ca/Pilates-Mr-Rael-Isacowitz/dp/0736056238/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251789068&sr=8-2,

I learned that Pilates is considered a whole lifestyle, designed to make your whole life better, by teaching you balance, harmony, etc.  Wow! I'm not surprised ... I love it. It feels so wholesome, like my whole body is coming into alignment. 

I did Pilates tonight, after walking my route. It felt great. I was able to do more of the workout than last time. Ouch! The work on my abdomen is very intense and extremely difficult. But it felt great! After three days of no exercise, I did two hours tonight. Wow!

What a great way to end the day. Take care everyone.

Did Pilates Yesterday

Well, yesterday, I did Pilates. Wow! What a great workout. I felt so amazing after doing this workout ... I didn't know exercise could feel that good. I really believe that Pilates are going to help a lot in getting my body into alignment and into shape.

I also walked yesterday, and ate healthier. I am already starting to feel better, and my gorgeous husband said that I feel a bit smaller, too. Today, he walked with me to the dump road ... it was great to  have his company. Walking has already helped to feel more optimistic about my life overall.

"They" say that exercise helps to boost your endorphin levels, and I believed it, but now I am experiencing it. I just have to keep going. Have to get and stay organized, in order to be able to keep it up. I am writing this blog to try to motivate myself, and to feel less alone in the journey. Even if no one is reading my journal, I can somehow pretend that I writing to an audience out there. And that motivates me.

Today I feel better than I have for a long time. I think this is way we are supposed to feel!