Hello!
I start my day by walking my daughter to school. Some days I don't feel like it but I drag my butt out the door. Once I'm outside breathing in the fresh air and my blood starts to circulate I feel good! It takes me 25-30 mins to walk there and back and I do that twice a day.

Walking is a great way to explore the world!

146/125
Tammie

Welcome, Mona!

Most of my tips for starting a walking program are aimed at comfort. After all, we're less likely to avoid or put off walking if we feel more comfotable while we're doing it.

The best way to get started walking is to make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes. Really, it makes all the difference to me - well, I admit I'm over 50 and I've had various foot injuries from dancing; so maybe it's not so critical for others.

I try to wear light colored, lightweight clothing if the sun is shining. Dark colors absorb the heat and I find that to be uncomfortable. So, put away your favorite black jeans or slacks unless it's cloudy.

My preference is to walk in the shade - if that means crossing the street several times, I do it. While I expect to get warm when I walk, I definitely don't like to get dripping wet (unless I'm out on a real hiking trail). But, for daily walks, I want to be comfortable. The more comfortable I am, the less likely I am to skip.

If you are really unfit, try for 2 short walks a day - even two 10-minute walks will make a difference. If you are in better shape already, a single 30-minute walk is a good starting point.

I'm not a fitness specialist or trainer, but those are the things I found helpful when I started walking.

~~~Teelbee

174 (Mar. 2002, highest weight), 164 (Jan. 2003, begin LC)
164/135/137-134
remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic

Hi back to Oyesican and Mona.

Tia - The pay was pretty good - for 3 days I made 188 dollars. considering I only had to do about 3 hours work a day, not bad.
As far as walking tips, I think what teelbee said about proper walking shoes is good advice. I find that I can't get cheap when I buy new walking shoes. And I replace them about every 3 months. Depends on the distance walked as to how often to buy new ones. But buy a pair that says it's specifically for walking.
I usually pay 50 to 60 a pair for mine. but sometimes I can catch a good sale.
when I first began to walk I did a mile a day and upped it slowly. I think by the 3rd month I was up to 4 miles. Speed should be whatever you can manage. everyone has different leg lengths and ability to attain high speeds is gained with time and weight loss.

Well this month isn't going well. Am running a fever again so I didn't walk today. Yesterday I walked an hour though. so far I've only walked 10 miles in 5 days. I'd better get moving if I'm going to reach this months goal.

Now that the weather is cooler I think we are all going to do great with this challenge in september.
Rob

Well, pooh. There has just been NO walking here.

The job is making me crazy, but I know I'll get through it all.

Know I'm thinking about you all and walking with you in my mind. I'll be doing it "for real" when I can... but I have to get the office to stop considering a 90 work week "normal."

*sigh*

Bon
210/181/165
Atkins since 12/15/02

Bon-I used to think that the more hours you worked the more you lost but that only applies to manual labor. I had a job for 6 weeks where I'd leave my house at 6 a.m. and get home at 10:30 p.m. and I did it 6 days a week. gained 25 pounds in those six weeks. Course I didn't know about low carbing, that would have saved me.

I felt much better today and walked the 7 miles around the lake. Sophie had to be on the leash the whole time so I took 2 hours and 9 minutes to do it. No matter how hard i try I can't get her to pee on the move. lol
Hope everyone is doing well.
Rob

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> No matter how hard i try I can't get her to pee on the move. lol
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Too Cute!!!

My febe was the same way!!

Have a Great Day!!

Old age ain't no place for sissies.

-Bette Davis-..
215/181/160

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rob:
Bon-I used to think that the more hours you worked the more you lost but that only applies to manual labor. I had a job for 6 weeks where I'd leave my house at 6 a.m. and get home at 10:30 p.m. and I did it 6 days a week. gained 25 pounds in those six weeks. Course I didn't know about low carbing, that would have saved me.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL

NO! Wait... you mean there's a way to GAIN when working this many hours??? Ack! NOoooooooooooo!

Good news is, I am doing the stairs as many times as possible during the work day. Hope that's helping.

Rob, you're an inspiration. And Febe, I totally forgot that Febe was your dog's name! LOL Hee hee.

Bon
210/181/165
Atkins since 12/15/02

Bon-the way to gain weight with those hours is to send out for meatball subs with extra mozzarella for lunch and lasagana for dinner. LOl when i think how little I knew back then. I was 25.

The weather here has been a walkers dream. High temps in the low 70's and low temps in the low 60's, so it doesn't matter when you walk. So I walked the 7 miles around the lake today for the second time in 3 days. And yesterday I did 3.9 miles. So fay I've racked up 24.5 miles in 8 days.

Rob

I got in a short, 2-mile walk today - maybe a little more. Yesterday I was shopping* for new stuff and tromped all over the mall back and forth. I was on my feet for well over 4 hours. So, I was EXHAUSTED when I got home, thus no evening walk.

I know I talk about shopping a lot lately, but I waited until I got to goal before going out to resize my wardrobe. So, there was some pent-up demand, LOL! Now, I'm cleaning the baggy stuff out of the closet. Yeah!

*Shopping, non-groceries, 140 calories burned per hour according to http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.html

~~~Teelbee

174 (Mar. 2002, highest weight), 164 (Jan. 2003, begin LC)
164/135/137-134
remember, amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic

Thanks for the advice Teel and Rob. I will invest in new shoes that's for sure. I have started walking on my lunch hour. It is only been about a 20 minute start. I have no idea how far that is, but I intend to increase by 10 minutes every week or so. Thanks for the motivation.

You're welcome Mona. another trick to walking is finding a good place to walk like a park or a trail. especially now with fall coming fast my challenge is trying to stop my walks before my feet fall off.

3.5 miles today. I don't know if the walking is helping me lose weight but sophie is looking downright skinny. lol
Rob

New avatar is because I liked the artwork not mimes.

Walked for 20 minutes briskly on my lunch hour today

Rob how do you measure your distance?



Victors are really just temporary quitters who then regroup with a vengeance.

Mona
The lake at which I do a lot of my walking has a set starting point and mile markers nailed to trees every mile. some bicyclists have put up some signs in kilometers. I set my pedometer by walking to the one mile marker and if my stride is set incorrectly I move it up or down. Right now it's nearly perfect.
Rob

I only walked 2.4 miles because I needed the rest. Plus I had to format my hard drive and reinstall windows. I think they call it windows because you'd like to throw it through one.

I can't seem to get my speed back up to where it was 10 years ago. I have to really push to the limit to get 3.75mph. Today I managed the first mile in 16 mins and 54 seconds. didn't time the rest of the walk because my stopwatch reset itself. But I had my dog on the leash so that slowed me down some.

Rob

Hey where is everybody? How have you done with your walks. The changing weather has given me a case of fall fever. Hope it does the same for you.

I am trying to cut back on my walking this week. my aim is 75-80 and don't want to achieve that in 3 weeks.
So today a nice 3.2 miles at Reynolda house grounds an old RJ Reynolds estate donated to Wake Forest University. So also took in WFU's campus while I was at it.

Rob