Walking Away the Weight

Walking has long been a favorite exercise of mine. It likely all started back when I was a kid. When some new neighbors moved in across the street, my mom and her started to walk in the evenings. I considered myself lucky when I was able to join. My parents have also always (since when, not sure, I was a child - I just remember going to a number and know that they still go today) participated in Volksmarch Walks and 5/10K walks.

The nice thing about walking is you don't need any special gear, equipment or training. A pedometer can help you track your steps all day. Apps for your phone like RunKeeper, can help you track a walk. But, even without those tools, you can still be successful at walking.

I also have found that for me, walking is a great way to help me with my weight loss goals. It burns calories, strengthens and tones muscles and can even thin the waistline when you keep your arms involved. Frequently, walking is that extra boost for me...the addition to my "regular" workout. Sometimes though, it is my workout (and there's nothing wrong with that).

At the very least, even without consideration of the weight loss benefits, a walk is a time for me to unwind and destress - another boost to my overall well-being. Sometimes, when I walk, I just relax and take in the scenery, but frequently while I am walking, my mind is running. I use the alone time to work through things in my head, practice presentations or discussions that I need to have, make mental lists (which sometimes I forget when I have paper to write them down) and such - there is no "organization" to this process, I often find myself jumping from subject to subject. It may not sound like it, but this is very therapeutic and relaxing. I feel so much more refreshed and ready for the rest of the day/week after I have had this chance to allow my mind to work through things that it needs to.

When it is nice out, I love to head outside for a walk. Whether that is before work, at lunch time or in the evening - the time of day doesn't matter. Last summer I would meet a neighbor to walk in the mornings. We started in the neighborhood, but eventually started heading to the track to walk - which was when my walks turned into walk/runs, but that is another story. There are a few people that I walk with routinely at lunchtime. We will either walk around town or on the walking track. It is not only a great way to get in a workout, but it is a great time to catch up. As we gab, the miles pass by in no time. I also find it to be a great mid-day mental break that refreshes me for the day ahead. In the evenings, I will walk around the block with the kids, walk up to my son's baseball games or have the option of heading to the indoor track to do some walking.

Unfortunately, mother nature doesn't always cooperate with my desire to walk outside. I mentioned that we have an indoor track at one of the schools in town, so that is at least one option - but that is very schedule driven as it is only open for a few hours each evening. So, another alternative that I have found is the Walk At Home series of DVDs from Leslie Sansone. I am not sure how many titles there are, I must have 6 or 8 discs (3 are from a set) and constantly see different titles at the store and library. In fact, borrowing the discs from the library is a great way to regularly change up your walk and prevent boredom.

A great thing about the workouts is that they are all broken down into mile segments. I have discs that are 2 mile, 3 mile, 4 mile and 5 mile walks. But, even within them, I can walk just 2 miles of the 5 mile walk easily. I love this flexibility. With the varying walks, there are also varying paces, so if I have only 25 minutes, I could choose a 2 mile walk on a faster pace. If I have more time, perhaps I do a slower pace walk and choose one with more resistance band exercises to increase toning while walking. In my experience, I have found walks on the discs that range from 12 minutes to 17 minutes per mile.

Another thing that I really like is that just like walking outside, I can allow my mind to do it's own thing while I do the workout. Unlike my other workout DVDs, where I am so focused on the form and movement or the routine and sequence, with the Walk At Home disc, even though there are several steps used and even some arm movements worked in, I am able to follow it "absentmindedly" allowing my mind to be free to wander and process.

Walking - outside or At Home - works for me.