I am not a gym person, an exerciser or anything close. I hate to exercise. Big word - hate. But I hate it, hate it, hate it. Nay - I despise it!
The main problem with all this exercise malarkey is that it works. And works really well. Exercising lowers stress, lowers weight and strengthens the body. It's really, really good for us. Kind of distressing news for an exercise-hater like me.
Then when I do start a regime, I get told to add this and add that and don't do this or that. One person told me if I couldn't work out first thing in the morning not to bother at all. And I thought - seriously? That can't be right! In this day and age if we can only work out at 2am or 4pm or noon, let's do it! Let's take our exercise when and where we can!
So since I started reading about the walkers and runners on Empowher, I put aside my hate and started power-walking in the evening. It's free, it's my only alone time (ever) and it....works. Really well!
I power-walk my way into a sweat, almost panting and for 40 minutes non-stop, four days a week, using my arms as well as legs. I was sore at first but a good kind of sore. I still dislike it (note, I now 'dislike' rather than hate - a big step up!) but combined with a healthy diet I have reached and stabilized my weight at 138 lbs with a BMI of 21.0. (I am 5'8")
So right now I am not doing weights, I am not doing Yoga and I'm not working out at the crack of dawn. We work with what we have.
If you have a bunch of kids, if you have no money or time, seriously consider power-walking at least four days out of seven. More if you can but every day isn't always possible. Don't beat yourself up if you aren't following the latest fads or using certain equipment and know that not everyone is a born athlete. Let's live in the real world!
Watch your nutrition (I have eliminated all white foods like white bread, pasta and rice) and power walk. That weight will drop off and you'll firm up, in addition to the health benefits of regular cardio. All you have to do is put on some sneakers and open your front door. I feel amazing. I'm wearing clothes I never thought I would again after 3 c-sections and if a dedicated Exercise-Hater like me can do it, you can too!
See www.powerwalkersworld.com or http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/power-walking/4ee850d1fa803110VgnV... for further inspiration.
Does anyone else power walk or walk for fitness? Is it working for you?
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What? Posture? Yes! It's just as important a factor in fitness walking, jogging or running as it is in normal daily activity.
Stand up straight
Tuck in your pelvis
Relax your shoulders and neck
Bend your knees, not your waist
Bend from your ankles and lean forward to let gravity pull you
Not so easy, is it! This takes practice. But, once you "get" it, it feels really good and effortless.
Happy feet :)
May 22, 2008 - 4:22pmThis Comment
You should be fine with 1-2 lbs weights. I think you might feel fatigued very quickly with anything heavier than that. They're really just to help tone up your arms (and give you something to do with your hands). Plus, I wouldn't take them on very long walks, just short - 15-20 minutes; otherwise, you'll be wanting to get rid of them really fast, lol!
You can always do your workout with weights at home. :)
May 22, 2008 - 4:07pmThis Comment
Thanks for the walking tips. Will try them out the next time around. What's the recommendeded weight to carry while walking? Two pounds? Five?
May 21, 2008 - 8:22pmThis Comment
Now that you're into "power walking," (I prefer to say "fitness walking," as most folks don't understand the difference) the coach in me is speaking up so that I might help you stay injury free while you're out there burning rubber under your shoes. Even though I train people to walk a half or full marathon, these basic principles will remain the same for fitness walking. :)
Arms: keep them bent at 90 degree angles (or, at your waist) and pump to the back. Avoid crossing the breastbone with your wrists. This is a more highly efficient method for "powering" your walks by using your arms. You can get in some strength training by carrying or wearing light weights (not too heavy, or you'll stress your arms or wrists). I don't recommend ankle weights, unless you're only planning to go out for about 5-10 minutes. Ankle weights are too heavy for sustained walking and you could hurt yourself.
Stride: avoid reaching too far forward in your stride. You can avoid major overuse injuries by keeping your stride relatively short. This means more "turnovers" in your pace, but that's a good thing for your heart.
Breathe: into your belly (not your chest). Controlled breathing in/out through your mouth and into the lower part of your lungs more efficiently oxygenates your blood. Breathing cadence helps: in 2 counts, out 3 counts.
Cadence: start with a 5 minute warm-up walk at a comfortable, not brisk pace. Pick up the pace and try to maintain it for at least 5 mins; drop the pace a bit for about 1 minute; repeat. This gives you a more effective workout and prevents tearing your muscles down. Sustaining a high pace for too long can actually do more harm than good, plus, you'll plateau and get frustrated.
Hydrate: always carry hydration with you. Unless you can walk an 8-10 minute mile and only plan to walk a mile, you will most likely be in the need for hydration every 15 minutes. Your body requires hydration to keep your muscles fueled, among other things. Also, in the summer heat, you'll sweat out more salt. An electrolyte-based sports drink will help maintain good mineral balance in your system.
Strength training: can be done along your route, if you happen to pass a park bench or playground. Do some bench presses.
Stretches: most people get this all wrong. Improper stretching prior to your walk can do more harm than good. Shake yourself out after your walk and learn proper stretches for flexibility. Flexibility actually helps your power walking efficiency and keeps you injury free.
Shoes: last, but most important: wear the proper shoes! Go to a running store and get properly fitted. The right shoe makes all the difference in the world to your walking experience. Walking shoes are NOT the same as running shoes, tennis shoes, or sneakers. Be good to your feet, and you'll also be good to your legs, hips, pelvis, back, neck and sanity. (Just thought I'd toss in that last part, lol!)
My favorite resources for fitness walking:
ChiWalking http://www.chiwalking.com/shop/pages.php?pageid=25
Active.com
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?CHECKSSO=0&CATEGORY=Walking&NUM=0&STORY_...
Prevention.com
May 21, 2008 - 4:54pmhttp://www.prevention.com/cda/article/power-walking/4ee850d1fa803110VgnV...
This Comment
What a great example. I'm actually a lover of walking and sometimes my husband and I will try to work in eight miles or about two hours of walking a couple times a week. (Hey, with no kiddies, we have a lot of spare time.) In addition to all of the benefits you mentioned, another great aspect of walking for us is that we can actually have a conversation even at a very brisk pace. At first he wasn't completely sold, but when I calculated he may be burning about 600 calories in that time period, he was motivated.
Here's a great little tool that helps you determine the number of calories burned per hour if walking for weight loss is your goal. I tend to use these tools more generally than rely on them for actual calories burned.
Aside from weight management, walking has been a great way for me to get outside without banging my joints too much and I unearthed a few little facts (mostly mischief in childhood) about my husband.
May 21, 2008 - 3:02pmThis Comment