What? Are you serious?
First let me say Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!
Second let me say that I'm sure glad I didn't have a portion control goal in place for this weekend. The turkey was awesome - if I don't say so myself.
Now on to the matter at hand. I personally don't like gyms. If I have a choice of being outside enjoying nature or inside a gym sweating, I'm going to choose nature any day. If given my druthers I'll be outside walking the dogs. Believe me I'm odd. For a couple of years there I walked with Rocks instead of weights. I felt more 'grounded'. Two good sized rocks easy to hold on to and a brisk walk. I must have looked like an idiot. I also walked race horses for a couple of years while I was building my business clientele. I loved it. It paid next to nothing, but I loved it. I love walking. To me it's not exercise. Which is the way that it should be isn't it?
I can remember in my thirties when I was extremely happy (even though my personal life was in turmoil) and oddly enough rather thin. I danced almost every night. I was doing a lot of theatre or singing at the time and we would go out as a cast after almost every performance. We danced, and danced and danced. Gosh it was fun. The word exercise wasn't even in my vocabulary during that time. And I never stepped foot inside a gym. I glowed. I look back on those times with a real fondness. That's what exercise should be - fun. Not work.
I walk almost every day. I'd say at least 6 days a week. I take the dogs for a walk once a day for at least for 35-45 minutes. Sometimes I do it twice a day. I've picked up my pace while walking the dogs as per week one's goal "Walk With Purpose" but I've been walking for years. I also eat like a Sumo Wrestler (something I am going to have to address sooner or later) so thank goodness I at least walk.
Every winter I blossom. You thought blossoming only happened in the Spring and Summer? No, you are mistaken. I begin blossoming in the autumn and don't reach my full plump potential until January. It's quite remarkable actually. If you watch me closely for long enough you'll see me growing right before your eyes. I figure there are three main reasons for this - lack of Vitamin D due to less sunshine, less walking due to shorter days and weather, and eating copious amounts comfort food. I need to tackle this issue. Also, my current walking routine, although enjoyable isn't really doing anything as far as changing my body. My body is obviously used to it. I need to step things up.
One thing I've noticed while "Walking With Purpose" is my heart rate would go up for a few seconds as I would walk briskly up the stairs, or to and from the car etc. I'd be breathing deeply, not panting, and then my heart rate would go back to normal in a few seconds once I was stationary again. I thought "Huh. This is sort of like interval training without interval training." which got me to thinking. If while I was on my walks I sped things up a few times during the walk - my heart rate would speed up for a bit and then go back down once I resumed my regular pace. I could interval train while walking. No extra time commitment and certainly not a lot of work. I can do that.
Week Five - Step up my Stepping Out
So this is rather easy, since I'm already walking. It can be as small as 10 seconds or as much as 1 minute. I'll play it by ear. The thing for me is I don't want it to be like exercise. As soon as I start feeling like I'm at a gym I'll start complaining. But if I make it a game - like how fast can I get to the next sign post, and play with the dogs while I'm doing it then it stays away from being exercise.
Now for the issue of weather and shorter days. My days of getting two walks in one day are numbered. Even daily walks could start having issues. I need to put a goal in place that is going to keep me moving.
I do have a piece of equipment at home. Grr. gym. Its a Gazelle. Don't laugh. An Olympic athlete may not use it. But then an Olympic athlete isn't going to consider a daily walk as exercise either now is she? And the Gazelle is an awful lot like walking, but easier on the joints. I kinda like it. Put on the music and walk away. So I commit to either walking outside or inside on the Gazelle 6 days per week.
Maybe I can keep the winter blossoming to a minimum.
Second let me say that I'm sure glad I didn't have a portion control goal in place for this weekend. The turkey was awesome - if I don't say so myself.
Now on to the matter at hand. I personally don't like gyms. If I have a choice of being outside enjoying nature or inside a gym sweating, I'm going to choose nature any day. If given my druthers I'll be outside walking the dogs. Believe me I'm odd. For a couple of years there I walked with Rocks instead of weights. I felt more 'grounded'. Two good sized rocks easy to hold on to and a brisk walk. I must have looked like an idiot. I also walked race horses for a couple of years while I was building my business clientele. I loved it. It paid next to nothing, but I loved it. I love walking. To me it's not exercise. Which is the way that it should be isn't it?
I can remember in my thirties when I was extremely happy (even though my personal life was in turmoil) and oddly enough rather thin. I danced almost every night. I was doing a lot of theatre or singing at the time and we would go out as a cast after almost every performance. We danced, and danced and danced. Gosh it was fun. The word exercise wasn't even in my vocabulary during that time. And I never stepped foot inside a gym. I glowed. I look back on those times with a real fondness. That's what exercise should be - fun. Not work.
I walk almost every day. I'd say at least 6 days a week. I take the dogs for a walk once a day for at least for 35-45 minutes. Sometimes I do it twice a day. I've picked up my pace while walking the dogs as per week one's goal "Walk With Purpose" but I've been walking for years. I also eat like a Sumo Wrestler (something I am going to have to address sooner or later) so thank goodness I at least walk.
Every winter I blossom. You thought blossoming only happened in the Spring and Summer? No, you are mistaken. I begin blossoming in the autumn and don't reach my full plump potential until January. It's quite remarkable actually. If you watch me closely for long enough you'll see me growing right before your eyes. I figure there are three main reasons for this - lack of Vitamin D due to less sunshine, less walking due to shorter days and weather, and eating copious amounts comfort food. I need to tackle this issue. Also, my current walking routine, although enjoyable isn't really doing anything as far as changing my body. My body is obviously used to it. I need to step things up.
One thing I've noticed while "Walking With Purpose" is my heart rate would go up for a few seconds as I would walk briskly up the stairs, or to and from the car etc. I'd be breathing deeply, not panting, and then my heart rate would go back to normal in a few seconds once I was stationary again. I thought "Huh. This is sort of like interval training without interval training." which got me to thinking. If while I was on my walks I sped things up a few times during the walk - my heart rate would speed up for a bit and then go back down once I resumed my regular pace. I could interval train while walking. No extra time commitment and certainly not a lot of work. I can do that.
Week Five - Step up my Stepping Out
So this is rather easy, since I'm already walking. It can be as small as 10 seconds or as much as 1 minute. I'll play it by ear. The thing for me is I don't want it to be like exercise. As soon as I start feeling like I'm at a gym I'll start complaining. But if I make it a game - like how fast can I get to the next sign post, and play with the dogs while I'm doing it then it stays away from being exercise.
Now for the issue of weather and shorter days. My days of getting two walks in one day are numbered. Even daily walks could start having issues. I need to put a goal in place that is going to keep me moving.
I do have a piece of equipment at home. Grr. gym. Its a Gazelle. Don't laugh. An Olympic athlete may not use it. But then an Olympic athlete isn't going to consider a daily walk as exercise either now is she? And the Gazelle is an awful lot like walking, but easier on the joints. I kinda like it. Put on the music and walk away. So I commit to either walking outside or inside on the Gazelle 6 days per week.
Maybe I can keep the winter blossoming to a minimum.
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