Walking For Fitness
NAME: Lily
TOPIC: Walking for fitness
STATUS: Skipping the blow-dryer for a naturally curly ‘do
PEEVE: Appalling lack of cute galoshes in wardrobe
GLEE: Waking up on the right side of the bed
It’s a little too easy for some of us to figuratively fall off the treadmill. I’m pretty good at getting an exercise routine rhythm going, but I find myself getting derailed at the drop of a hat (read: drink invitation). I keep trying to find something interesting to capture my attention – hula-hooping, Zumba, hot yoga – but sooner or later, my interest flags, I become resentful of the time the class is taking away from, uh, my important work brokering peace treaties among undeveloped nations and photographing disappearing cultures (or the latest episode of True Blood), and I find an excuse to ditch.
Did You know?Walking one mile a day burns 100 calories. You could lose ten pounds in a year without changing your eating habits.
Walking increases the blood flow to the brain. A 1999 study of people over 60 found that walking 45 minutes a day at a 16-minute mile pace increased their thinking skills.
A University of Tennessee in Knoxville study with pedometers revealed that women who averaged more than 10,000 steps a day had 40% less body fat and waist and hip measurements that were four to six inches narrower than those who averaged fewer than 6,000 steps.
Why can’t I be more like B.? She’s a mover and a shaker, a wife, a new mommy and maintains a killer bod. I knew her when she was merely a lovely lounge lizard. Now, she’s a total gym rat. She LIVES for her workouts. She harbors no excuses, never looks for an out and seems to really look forward to working out every day. Me? Although I always love the way I feel when I work out, I never seem to anticipate my workouts the way I do, say, a good shoe sale. I have to drag myself to the gym, talk myself into not skipping what I know is a crucial part of my day. And too many times, I let myself skip the exercise. Although never the guilt.
Try These:
Make your smartphone work for you when you do your walk with these free apps.
Walking GPS for iPhone, iPad, iPod
CardioTrainer for Android
Map your route and find out how far you walked with Goggle Pedometer.
Create your own walking log to keep track of your miles.
When you feel good and look good, it’s kind of easy to forget why it’s so important to maintain fitness. Luckily I have my creaky parents to remind me. They’ve become a litany of bad knees and chest pains and sagging butts (sorry, Mom), my very own cautionary tale. Plus the fact that my mother and sister nag me incessantly to lead a healthier lifestyle.
So I’ve decided to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather and launch something new in my exercise life: an outdoor walking regimen. Why not, right? First of all, it’s gorgeous. The colors inspire me, the fresh air invigorates me, and there’s always something new and different to discover on these outdoor tramps. Especially when the idea of running into six different people I know at the gym seems unappealing, the whole solitary fitness walk seems like a good plan.
Rose was skeptical, and really, I can’t blame her. I’m what you might call an indoors enthusiast. I’d rather be in a shopping mall than in the woods any day. But I think I can handle the urban outdoors pretty well. And for days when I don’t feel like facing fitness alone, I can always drag Rose and the tater tot with me.
Find the answer to this and all your walking questions with Renee Anzalone.
All the above information has been reviewed by this week’s expert.
