Sticking to Exercise

Born To Run
Originally uploaded by Cathy G

I'll admit it -- last week, I only walked one day. To make it worse, the day that I did walk was only because I wanted to get out of the lunch room and didn't have anywhere to go before my lunch ended. I did find a neat abandoned road that leads to a dead end so it has seen more traffic from geese lately than from cars.

I walked today and my plan is to keep at it since, according to a recent study, an irregular exercise pattern may add pounds. While the study focused on runners who move a lot more miles per week than I do, the advice can't hurt. Hopefully by walking more regularly, I'll build up to huge numbers like 30 miles per week.

When commenting on the study, Paul Williams of Berkeley Lab’s Life Sciences Division said:

We are getting fat because we don’t exercise sufficiently and consistently. The real solution to the obesity epidemic is getting people to exercise before they think they need it, and to stick with it. The ounce of prevention is indeed worth a pound of cure.

Tracking with a Pedometer

1963
Originally uploaded by Jasmic

I got a pedometer for Christmas and since then, I've kept it tucked in my pants to see how far I walk every day. On days that I get outside for a twenty minute walk, I average about 4,500 steps and on other days about 2,000. As you can tell, I lead a pretty sedentary lifestyle - my daily routine is bed, car, desk, car, desk, bed.

According to a recent study, to get on par with people who are of normal weight, I need to walk about 12,000 steps per day. Effectively, that means that I need to take 4 twenty minute walks per day. I could also walk faster, which is what I'll probably end up doing.

My first goal will be a specific number of walks per week. At the moment, I typically only walk when my stress levels dictate it. I'll start off aiming for 4 twenty minute walks per week. Only a seventh of the end goal, but it is a definite start!

Winter Fitness

And ...stretch those arms
Originally uploaded by dirk huijssoon

This week in Pennsylvania it has been down right freezing outside. I get cold just walking from my car to the office in the morning -- I do park at the back of the lot to fit in a little bit of exercise, but it's still not that far! So I've been using that as an excuse not to walk this week. I did stop to get gloves tonight with the hope that keeping my fingers warm will let me get back on track. Thankfully, Science Daily has some tips for getting into shape without leaving that house.

Get a Fitness Assessment I honestly don't remember seeing anyone recommend getting a personal trainer to design an at-home fitness routine before. And as always, it is a good idea to check with your doctor before starting any exercise routine.

Purchase the Right Equipment For any large purchases, I'd recommend renting the equipment first. A treadmill or eliptical might cost fifty dollars to rent per month, but if you stop using it after two months, you can return it instead of letting a large investment collect dust. For smaller purchases like resistance bands and jump ropes, just make sure you get something of quality and not a dollar store knock-off.

Be Creative Whenever I have to carry a gallon of water or tea in to the house, I take the opportunity to heft it about a bit. At eight pounds each, two in each hand is as good as fifteen pound weights.

Embrace the Outdoors It seems silly to have this on a list of tips how to get fit inside!

Maintain a Support System This is one of my biggest problems. When I don't exactly feel like exercising or eating right, I don't have anyone around me to remind me to do the right thing.

Change Up Your Routine One of my favorite things about using walking to exercise is that it can be different every time. Take a right instead of a left and you're discovering new things. A few weeks back, I found a one way road that leads to a dead end. I wonder how many people accidentally drive down it and then have to break the law to escape.

Realize that Weight Loss Won't Happen Overnight It's important to set realistic goals. You can only safely expect to lose one percent of your body weight per week. Anything beyond that is water or muscle weight, not fat.

I'll be doing my best to exercise this winter, but I can't wait for spring to come. There are a lot of places I want to walk and I also want to start the Couch-to-5K program.

Back on Track

Mt Vernon Track, Winter
Originally uploaded by Joe in MV

I need to say two things before getting to the meat and potatoes of this post:

1. I'm sorry that it's been nearly a week since I posted.
2. Thank you to Nik and Dan from 4 Feet Running for getting me back on track.

Since I baked my oatmeal bacon cookies back before Christmas, my weight has been steadily going up. It's no mystery why -- I was enjoying things like cookies, marshmallow salad and cheesecake. The further I got off my eating plan during the holidays, the less accountable I wanted to be. This included not updating my blog, food journal and exercise tracker. In fact, I was about ready to log in to Blogger and hit the delete button on this blog until just a few minutes ago.

I'm looking to get new shoes for walking and I remembered the guys at 4 Feet Running talking about getting fitted for shoes. I hopped over to their site to see if they had any information on the topic and lo and behold, there was a link to my blog! I had no idea that anyone even knew about my ramblings. But for some reason, the little gesture of someone linking to my blog has inspired me to get back on track.

I'll be posting more soon about my plans for January, but I'm not going to wait until the 1st to start eating right again. I have chicken and broccoli meals in the freezer now, ready to be microwaved and eaten in about five minutes.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

st mary's subway stop in the rain
Originally uploaded by jspad

Today was the first day since I started walking regularly that it was raining outside and while I got my walk done, it sucked. It wouldn't have been so bad if I wasn't doing my walking during my lunch break -- I ended up with wet slacks. It looks like it may be raining and snowing for at least the next week, so I dug up some useful tips for walking in the rain.

1. Visibility is reduced during the rain, so wear bright colors or reflective clothing especially if walking near or across roads.
2. Keep a change of dry clothes and a towel in a bag so that you can change immediately after walking. This will keep you from getting chilly afterwards.
3. Look in to investing in waterproof shoes. Many different types exist, from expensive waterproof boots to sealant for your current shoes. Water proof socks and gaiters are another option.
4. Layer your clothing and include a water proof jacket or poncho. Layers will allow you to avoid being too hot or too cold. Look for a jacket with underarm vents or zippers to allow perspiration to escape while keeping the rain out.