Walking and Exercise

[Guest_1055]

Hey to anyone reading this.

Last night I had an idea about starting a new thread about exercise especially walking. I am aware that walking is very beneficial for our mental, emotional and physical well being. And by actually doing it....well it can make a huge difference to how we cope with the storms that we face in life.

OK, I am not real good at disciplining myself to walk, and have to really push myself to do it. And sometimes it is even hard to leave this bedroom. Anyway I am not a beginner walker, as I have stuck to sort of a plan before. So I know that it does make me feel somewhat better. But I only stayed on the plan for a couple of months, then gave up.....for whatever reason. So here I am again wanting desperately to not fail this time.

So I guess this thread is for anyone that does walk, anyone that is struggling to walk because of depression or anxiety issues. And anyone else really......

I am unsure of the outcome of all this. But my ideas included: Sharing about things we have found out about exercise especially about walking. Writing down the reasons that one would chose to walk ( like something to help motivate). Being accountable in same way. Sharing about the places where we actually do walk, like the beach, gym, around the block, with the dog, out to the clothesline and back. And any other useful tips that could help others. So here we go......

[Shell4]

I went for a bit of a walk up near mums. Along a breakwall of sorts over some sand dunes towards the ocean. I was there for just a little I looked at the waves and felt the fresh blowy air. I was not expecting the sand dunes to be in that position they were in. The sand had been blown around quite a bit.

I have done only one different exercise this week. 

[Shell4]

Today is Sunday, I went walking yesterday and the day before along the beach up near mums place.

Both times it was me and runner/sniffer dog. She absolutely loves running and exploring on the beach.

Yesterday I ended up walking quite a distance on this beach. I could feel the breeze on me and some sunshine. 

[Shell4]

I have been up at mums on my own with sniffer/runner dog for 1 week. I went walking on the beach with her most days. I day we walked around an area called the marina. 

When it was safe to do so I unclipped her leash and sometimes she shaked her whole little body and sometimes not. I came to realise this little dog finds the beach her happy place. She even liked it when the wind was blowing very hard. And the sand was blowing in her face. She would shake again when the sand was blowing and run again more. These windy days bits of fine seaweed and other vegetation would blow past her and of she goes chasing it with excitement in her little face. 

I liked walking on this beach too. Perhaps not so much liking the sand blowing strong at me like she did. But I like the feeling of fresh ocean air on me. Some of the days there was plenty of sunshine. And it felt healing to me just walking in it. On the way back to the car I walked along a breakwall,this breakwall doesn't look like the one I normally walk on back down where I live. As there sort of are lagoons on both sides of the wall. A few times I heard fish jumping out of the water. Sniffer/ runner dog likes it on here as well. I let her run here too unless lots of people come along or big dogs. She isn't fond of really big dogs but says hello to little ones her size. If she is a while behind me and you guessed it sniffing rocks, sniffing plants that like the ocean air, sniffing sand, sniffing pepples near the bigger rocks. I call her and the other part of her personality bolts towards me. The excitement of running free on her little face. This process happens several times before we reach the end of this particular breakwall.

Walking around the marina has its own adventure. It is a concrete pathway set out it like a circular way. On the right are rows of houses with fenced in backyards. To the left there is water, maybe from the river that flows into the ocean here. A challenge to describe. Some of this area has gardens all very well kept. In another section are private wharfs with boats attached. It was pretty quite mostly here too. I walked a way around this . I found an old timber boat, just a small like run about one. Inside it were vegetables growing. They all looked so green and healthy.

I did enjoy these walks. And I found it easier to focus on the present as I had this little runner/ sniffer dog who was an energetic ball of fur. And I watched the excitement in her as she found delight in whatever she found delight in.

[Shell4]

The last time I walked was on the weekend just passed. I was planning on doing different forms of exercises each week. But apart from going on an exercise bike my plan sort of fizzled out. Perhaps it was too much .I don't know. Not to worry I am out here just about to walk on the breakwall back where I live 

[Shell4]

Just sitting in my car after my walk here. Watched a couple load a pram with a small toddler and the mumma with her tiny baby into one of those sling things that hangs off her.

I walked along the breakwall taking note of two types of coloured flowers growing on the bank. One was a dark pink/ purple flower the plant and narrow thick leaves. The other was a yellow flower that looked a bit like a gazania. The breeze was a bit strong so my hair was blowing across my face as I walked. But it felt nice and coolish. 

I walked along to the end and turn back getting off at the steep path that led to the beach. I just wanted to feel the sand beneath my feet and the water. And I did. I walked along and somewhere I heard the bark of a dog reminding me of sniffer/ runner dog. A bit later he was walking behind me and I had the urge to say " come on' and then run a little. Then thought no better not it was not my dog was it.

Anyways I kept on going seeing some blue bottles and every now and then feeling the cool water on my feet.

I walked as far as I could go then walked up the concrete ramp that starts at the surf living saving place. Up onto the path that goes around more ocean. I followed that up to the ocean baths. I turned around there and walked back

[Shell4]

Hello today I went to the gym and walked on the treadmill for about 30minutes. A few minutes on 3.0 speed and 4.0 .Then up to 5.0km/hour. Then cool down 4.0 then 3.0.

I do like walking outside in fresh hair and sunshine but I think the gym does have some advantages. I can listen to music in my headphones so it zones me out more. Outside I like to hear all around me.  

[Shell4]

Hi, I so much enjoyed walking out on the breakwall today. And thankful I did.

I parked in another carpark because being the weekend the one closer was full. To get to the breakwall I walked through the park, I happened to look down and spotted tiny purple flowers growing up through the grass. Then near that on the other side of me a bunch of white butterflies came out of the grass and fluttered up. Sort of pretty.

As I started to walk on the breakwall on the right of me was a packed beach. There were lots and lots of people and umbrellas. And surf live

Saving people. I walked to the end of the breakwall this included going up lighthouse hill. It was so very breezy up there. 

[Shell4]

Exercise bike about 15 minutes and dance to this song

https://youtu.be/oFJYHkopZWM?si=CTVm3ZzSQm4F3qkH