Live Healthy By Walking

I was so inspire to read Bruce’s testimonial on using Nordic Poles that I decided to print it for you to read and learn! 

“I use the Nordic Poles.  I took some training (one hour) from a certified instructor that is also a patient of mine.  With them I can do a mile in 8.5 minutes and without them I have to push to power walk one in under 11 minutes.

The workout is tremendous!  I am probably doing more than most readers here but I mention this to point out that you get more benefit for your time by using them.  I am lazy by nature and am always looking for ways to get more for less.  Nordic Poles are a way to get all of the above and if you want a fairly intense workout in a short period of time.  I also use them indoors when I travel.  I climb the hotel steps and they help me with speed and balance on the steps (I only walk up – if I do more than one trip I ride the elevator down and go up again).  Going down is very hard on the knees and more likely to result in a fall?”

Bruce L. Bair ”The Mid-Life Mentor” @ http://www.FemaleMenopauseMentors.com.  I would encourage you to visit his site for excellent information.

Tags: exercise, Exerstrider, Healthy Walking, Nordic Poles, walking training

Are you hestitate to try the Nordic Poles/Walking Sticks?  I had a good question from one of our subscribers asking me if I use my Nordic Poles all year round.  The answer is “yes”.  When I started walking with the poles, I was the only one in my neighborhood using them.  I had a few people stop and ask me about them.  I even let them try them out by showing them the walking technique.  I smiled last week when I saw three people walking with the poles/sticks.  One neighbor even had snowshoes on with this poles and was doing cross country snow skiing on flat ground on ten inches of snow.  Nordic walking/stick walking is for men and women.  It was great to see.

Why should you use the Nordic poles? It is a personal decision.  I use them for balance in walking; giving my upper body quite a work out; helps me speed up; gives my whole body a work out and not just my lower body and it is fun!  Some people do associate the poles with snow/winter walking and that is just not true.  You can use them all year around – it is an exercise technique no matter what the weather may be outside.  I believe it is a “must” for overweight people who may be having trouble being mobile.  The poles provide a stable and balanced walk which is needed when a person has a health issue.  Whether you live in California or the upper part of the Dakatos, you can Nordic Walk and feel good about the healthy benefits you are providing your whole body.  I am happy to report that Nordic Walking Groups are being formed, with certified trainers, right here in the United States.  Check it out here

Tags: Exerstrider, Healthy Walking, Nordic Poles, Rosalie Lynch, Walk, walking

Let us spend just a few moments talking about a walking style that is one of my favorite.  I’m talking about Nordic Pole or Pole Stick walking.  I believe if you would try it, it would quickly become your favorite as well.    There is an excellent video on this site that actually shows you how to begin with this style.    A neighbor asked me why I use the poles when I walked.  Let me list the “Wow” reasons:

1. While Nordic walking, a person uses 90 percent of the whole body’s muscles as you move.
2. You can burn more calories than ordinary walking.
3. Nordic poles are perfect if you are recovery, or trying to control, cardiac/heart; diabetes blood sugar; blood pressure; stress and many other health issues.
4. It has been proven you can lower Body Mass Index, reduce your waistline and control your weight as quickly as 12 weeks.
5. The back and forth motion of the poles provide balance and builds the upper body muscles.
6. Nordic Walking combines aerobic exercise with toning.
7. Nordic Walking targets arms, particularly the triceps as well as abdominals, waist, chest, bottom, hips and thighs.
8. And the most important reason is that Nordic Pole Walking is FUN.
9. Click here to see the poles I use and learn more about the advantages of pole walking.

You may want to learn more about other types of walking styles that will give you a variety each and every day.  I compiled a ebook on “What Kind of Walker are You?  22 Different types of Walking Styles” and you may receive a free copy at http://www.healthywalkinghelp.com

Tags: exercise, Exerstrider, Healthy Walking, Nordic Poles, Rosalie Lynch, Walking Sticks

This sweety pie fell off her bike while going down a hill.  She forgot to put her brakes on.  She had to go to the hospital and get three stitches in her upper lip.  The question was:  will she get back on her bike?  Of course she did!  I always learn from kids with their energy and mindset of “what’s the big deal?” 

Many of us adults, including me at times, when something happens we take longer than we should recovering from the problem.  If my face looked like this, I would be in bed taking pills to relieve a headache and I would tell all of my family about it and complain and complain. 

I have heard people complain when they are walking that their back hurts or their neck hurts and they want to stop walking.  It may be a great idea to walk through our pains and start feeling good about our ability to walk!  So, remember when you are in pain you may be able to walk through it and feel better.

This little sweetie pie is my 5 year old granddaughter and I must admit I cried when her mommy emailed me this picture.  While grandma was crying, she was outside riding her bike and having a super fun time.

“It’s not what you do once in a while; it’s what you do day in and day out that makes the difference.” Jenny Craig, Diet Specialist

Our guest author is Karen Shackles from Healthy Summit. I interviewed Karen on her success as a walker, losing 100 pounds, and nutrition.  You can get an audio of this interview when you become a part of the Healthy Walking Help program.  You can get a complimentary report on the 22 Different Types of Walking at http://www.healthywalkinghelp.com

“People tell me all the time, “I hate to exercise!” We all know that exercise is important for our health and well-being, yet so many people do their best to avoid it. What is the solution?

First, work on adjusting your attitude. Instead of thinking of exercise as just another chore that has to be squeezed into your already too-busy schedule, think of it as a vital part of your life that can’t be shoved aside.

What I have discovered about myself is that I love to walk. I mean, really love it. Especially trail walking. So I finally gave myself permission to exercise the way I love, and to not worry about trying to do what everyone else is doing. I’m back to my trail hikes, and loving it.

When you are first starting to exercise, don’t worry about all the rules of what you are “supposed” to be doing. When I started exercising, the idea of 30 to 60 minutes three to five times a week was overwhelming. I didn’t have the time and I didn’t have the ability. So I started with 10 minutes of slow walking. It wasn’t even aerobic. The important thing is to just get started. You can increase the variety, length and intensity of your workouts after you get into the routine of regular exercise.

 It may take you some time to get to the point where your body likes how it feels to be moving. For me, it took a couple of weeks until I noticed that it wasn’t pure torture, and another couple of weeks after that until I started wanting to exercise. So be patient with yourself. Your body was meant to move and be active, and it will remember that if you give it the chance”.

 You can find Karen at http://blog.healthysummit.com

Tags: exercise, Healthy Walking, Improve your health, never give up, Rosalie Lynch, Walk, walking

I have discovered there are several things a person needs to do when preparing for training in a marathon.   I knew it was important for me to check in with my doctors to get their approval.  So, I made a check list to guide me through the process Here is my check list:

• Purchased the appropriate layer clothing – no problem! A reminder:  do not spend a lot of money on training clothes…go to discount stores.
• Check the soles of my shoes – they were OK for training
• Go to foot doctor – he was happy I was in the training program. No neuropathy in my feet and my circulation in feet was excellent.
• Go to pulmonary doctor – I had increased my lung capacity by 100%.  I have had problems in the past, because of my past life of inactivity and when tested I had improved.  He was very happy – walking outside in the fresh air really does help the lungs.
• Go to diabetes doctor – There was a problem!  My blood sugars were in the 400’s and it appears my pancreas may be shutting down.  He pulled me out of the marathon training until we can see what is happening with my sugars.

My heart sunked.  Trying to think of positive thoughts; such as: “Things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they’re right” and “good things fall apart so better things can fall together”.  As my daughter said “the doctor didn’t say you couldn’t do it in the Spring, he just said you can not do it now until you get your diabetes in better shape. 

I will never give up my dream of walking in a marathon and I do not want you to ever give up what you want to accompish when things stop you temporarily.  Look for the positives and look toward the future when you can follow your dream.  I’ll try it in the Spring!  I continue to walk every day to build my strength and endurance and to continue to create a healthy body.

Tags: exercise, Healthy Walking, marathons, never give up, Rosalie Lynch, Walk, walking, Walking Goals

For years we have heard that exercising will give you more energy and that is true.  However, a lot of people do not even get started walking because they are too tired.  If people would understand all it would take is a fifteen minute walk to relax their brain and their body and they would be energized.  Reducing fatigue will help to enhance your performance and endurance to accomplish your goals. 

A planned walking exercise program plays a consistent and significant role in reducing fatigue.  It does not make a difference if you walk in the morning, afternoon, evening or late at night.  It is doing it regularly that your body and your brain will soon demand you take a walk for it to feel good.  Your body was made for movement rather you are tired or not tired.

Tags: exercise, Fatigue, feeling tired, Healthy Walking, Improve your health, Rosalie Lynch

The last three days I have been so excited about starting the walking marathon training.  At 5:30 I entered the Field House to sign in and gathered with new people.  There were runners, walkers and pacers gathering together and giving each other pep talks.  I was having a super great time.  I had purchase a new hat, new cool max material tops, checked my shoes and socks, had my gloves on (The weather was 34 degrees) and my excitement kept building. 

Finally, it was time for our group to start walking.  When we got outside one of the leaders said “We can do this – Let’s go”.  Everyone cheered, including me, and the group took off like they were flying with the wind!  I had worked and planned for this moment.  At the quarter mile marker, I was at the back of the pack, along with one of the pacers who was appointed to bring in the back end.  I asked him “are they walking the 15 minute mile or are they going faster than that?”  He told me they were walking the right pace and speed to accomplishment the goal.  I was shocked.  I could not keep up with them!  We got so far behind I told him I learned so much tonight and I have to spend this week working on SPEED!  I did not have the speed to keep up with them. 

This week I have to work every day on Interval and Power walking to build my speed.  We were to walk 3 miles last night and I had done that many, many times.  It is obvious I had not walked my path with any type of speed or I would have been more prepared.  The thing I like about walking is there are always athletic challenges and I am in one right now.  I will do this!    

Tags: Healthy Walking, marathons, never give up, Rosalie Lynch, staying focus

We have been taught that strong muscles give our bodies energy.  We hit the gym and lift weights and do what I call “machine exercising” to stimulate them make us strong.  Some people are so enthusiastic about this that they go once in the morning and once in the evening not realizing that our muscles have to have a “recovery” period.  When a person is in the recovery period, this is when the real building of muscles takes place.  More is not better and could be the reason so many people do not success in any real results year after year.

It really doesn’t matter if you are lifting weights or going for a walk, it is important that a person gives their muscles time to recover.  For example, there are 22 different types of walking styles representing different muscles we use.  It is not advisable to use the same muscles day in and day out and not experience results.   You may want to incorporate Interval, Power and Beach or Backward walking styles and a Stroll into your weekly schedule.  It is important to use various options of building your muscles in order to be successful to live a healthy life. 

Stop doing the same things over and over again when they are not getting the results you are striving for in the first place!  Doing the same things and expecting different results is not the answer.  As a result of varying your exercise program will let your muscles recover and because you are not doing the same exercise everyday it will be more fun.

Tags: exercise, Healthy Walking, muscle recovery, Rosalie Lynch