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. 

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 -- 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!

Physical Work Benefits

Physical work. Sometimes we do it, even when it's not formally classified as "exercise." That has been the case for me, the last couple of weeks. Last week, I helped to decorate for the graduation at the school, where I was teaching part-time. The four ladies and I first walked over the school (about a twenty-five minute walk) and then decorated for most of the afternoon. This was very physical, and I was tired by the end of the day. Not formal exercise, but I was still active.

Before that, on the weekend, I was painting my study, for a day and a half. I was exhausted by the end of the second day. Again, not formal exercise, but still calories were being used; I know that!

And then quite a bit of housework, which involved a lot of running up and down the stairs, bending and moving. Does this substitute for working out? No. Is it better than doing nothing? Definitely. I choose to rejoice in my small victories, and keep going forward.

My eating? Well, overall, better. I did have junk food a couple of time, but haven't really been binging. I did eat dessert three times, during the end of school, during grad, and then a last staff lunch. I don't usually eat dessert; so I know those are added calories. I have been eating pretty healthy at home, with reasonable portions, mostly.

As well, I have started to make protein shakes again, which are super-healthy. And a miracle? My husband has been on the shakes, now, for about two weeks! He suddenly started asking for them, and I was so surprised. God is good!

So, that's a quick update on my status. How is your week going?


"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
--Psalm 118:24

I Love Walking in the Rain!

I love walking in the rain!

Last night, I walked. I hadn't been out lately, and it felt so good to walk! I somehow think that if I could just rediscover the joy of exercise, I would be well on my way back to  health. And it's funny how the joy of exercise is related to the joy of life. I KNOW this! Movement is what makes us alive! (It's basic biology -- dead things don't move!) And moving will make me come alive again. Last night, I felt such a joy!

We walked to the store, which was about 20 minutes away away, and then back, and it had just rained.  For me, that's good, because I haven't been exercising this year. One challenge, though! My feet are absolutely killing me! With the last twenty pounds I gained, my feet just get huge pains shooting through them when I walk. I have to admit, this has made it really hard to walk. I hope a really good pair of running shoes would help; last night I was wearing sandals. Wait! Comfortable shoes ... I feel old!

*Image by Clairity, Flickr.com

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.

Paths!

Well, I just wanted to follow up on the last post, about weight prejudice. I am really interested in hearing about other people's opinions on this topic -- please feel free to give your ideas and thoughts on this topic.

I was very glad for my friend, Melissa, from the blog, "Try, Try Again", for making a mention of this post in her blog, and encouraging people to read the post. She had some really good thoughts on the topic, too, which you can read by going to the following link: Try Try Again. Melissa has been a great support to me in the weight loss journey, and I know you would enjoy her blog very much. Thanks, Melissa!

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.

My week

Well, this week was a step in the right direction. I started teaching again this week, and I was at work very late getting things ready, and didn't get much sleep this weekend. Overall, the week was a step in the right direction. On Tuesday morning, I walked my hour before school, at 4:30 a.m. It was nice, and I really enjoyed the morning air. The unfortunate part was that it meant only getting about 2 hours sleep. I stayed up until two, just excited and nervous about starting work again, and then went into the school right after I worked out. So, I was very tired by that night.

The next morning, Wed, I got up and did about half an hour of Pilates, and then went to work. Well, by Thurs, I was exhausted that I slept in more, and got up in time to do 15 minutes of aerobic-type exercising on my own. And by Friday, today, I was so tired that I couldn't force myself out of bed until 45 minutes before work, and barely dragged my buns into the shower. Well, the week started well, but I petered out from exhaustion. I have to find a way to pace myself to stick with this on a consistent basis. I thought that exercising would give me more energy, but it's not enough yet to make me all energetic and dying to get up.

And my eating has improved. I joined the website, SparkPeople, and have started keeping track of my calories. This practise alone has really helped me to start being aware of what I am eating, and leading me to eat less. I did have a binge of macaroni salad on Wed night, but having to account for it was great for making me face it, and move on. I did not carry the guilt around with me all the next day, but instead let go, and forgave myself. This is a big improvement for me.

I am set up with SparkPeople to eat between 1800 and 2200 calories. I hope this is a right figure for me. I also am scheduled to do five hours of cardio a week. This week, I have almost reached this goal because of going with the P.E. Class at school, taking part in a bit of the tennis and walking to the tennis courts.

This month, my leg has been swelling up like crazy. I have had two blood clots and it swelling up like it did when I had my blood clots. I can't afford to get a blood clot right now, because I need to work, and to lose weight! I am wondering if it is my calves swelling up from the pressure of carrying all this weight around while walking.

It is just one thing after another. I take two steps forward, and one back. I am going a bit forward, though. I am far better than I was two months ago. It's just frustrating that it can't be faster.

Dawn

Well, I feel pretty excited right now. I walked/hiked about 2.5 miles this morning .... starting at 4:30 a.m. before work. Yes, 4:30 a.m.! It was actually wonderful ....

Frogs, crickets sing in quiet harmony,
Steady rhythm puslates
From their tiny, faithful throats ...

Time before daylight
I walk to the sound of the dawn.

Soft grass grows and mingles with the rough ground,
The sweet smell envelopes
Me in its fecund delights.

Time before daylight,
I walk in the freshness of fall.

I breath in the air, and breath out my troubles,
Embracing the freedom
That solitude brings.

Time before daylight,
I stroll in the quiet of night.

Praise to Lord Jesus, my Creator and Lord,
Hallelujah, He's risen,
And he fills my heart.

Time before daylight,
I walk to the song of the Son.

Time before daylight,
I walk to the song of the dawn.

That's kind of how it was this morning ... so beautiful! I find it easier to express in poetic form than prose.

But it was really nice ... and then after that I went to work. My legs are still really sore, but I am glad I did it.

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!