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......

[Elizabeth CP]

I went to the lake & met up with my daughter & grandsons. I did a very short walk while waiting for them & did a short swim with my daughter while hsb stayed with the kids. I did another short walk to the playground with my son & his 2 year old in the afternoon. I spent a while cleaning all the living areas after everyone left. Most of the toys were picked up & the dishes moved to the kitchen but I felt like I needed to wipe over, sweep & mop everything It feels much cleaner & nicer now. It didn't cool down til late so I'm not doing a decent walk today. My grandsons loved throwing rocks in the water so the 1 year old wanted to copy. After falling face first into the lake after losing his balance trying to pick up the rocks from the bottom he decided it was better to get me to pick them up for him. He could throw far but he had fun. They were all good about throwing the rocks away from everyone so it was fun. Later the 6 year old found a sandcastle left by someone & decided it was the enemy castle so he had to attack it until he decided he had thrown out the enemy so he could take over and rebuild. They have a good imagination!!!

[velvetfaerie]

Hehehe kids!!! Sounds like fun Elizabeth!!!

I went crazy on the exercise today. An hour power walk + an hour step class + an hour weights class. Trying to snap myself out of the funk I've been in for weeks.

On the note of kids - a small crew of them gathered and watched a bit of the step class lol. They were fascinated !!

Kids are fun.

C.

[Guest_1055]

Hi Simona,

How nice to see you pop in here. I have been reading your thread for a while, but I just sit and listen. Anyway know that I am hearing your heart there. And I care so much about you and have been praying for you. So for you to say you have been reading the bible, well it encourages me and makes me happy and tears are about to fall. Also it's great you are still walking, I was aware you have done a lot of that over the years. And don't you love it when older ladies call you love?

Hug for you big time.

Shell xx

[Guest_1055]

Wow Chae, you must really love going to the gym. Did it help you then ?I am here in the gym at the moment, waiting for someone to finish doing their weights. I have been on the rowing machine for 20 minutes. Its my first time. All I can say about the seat is it needs some softness. As that part of my body is not used to sitting on one. Have you been on one? I also did 30 minutes on the treadmill. That is about it for me. I feel so much better though. Incredible! And thanks heaps for hearing me the other day. You helped me just by hearing. Good on you .

Hugs xx

[velvetfaerie]

Hey Shell!!!

Yes helps me lots... I did 2 hours today lol.

Im a mean rower. I can usually bash out 2km in 15-17 mins. Hurts lol.

I hear / read a lot. I just don't have much to offer at the moment regarding helpful comments as my brains a bit of a mess.

C.

[Guest_1055]

Hi Chae,

Yeah sometimes ones brain just gets scrambled. And it is a challenge to sort of put words together or something like that. But please be reassured, that you helped me by acknowledging that you heard. I felt like I mattered and like someone important. So one doesn't always need to give advice to actually help someone else. So in my eyes you offered me a lot.....

Anyway thank you......

[Guest_1055]

Aw your grandson that was awarded the plastic lizard is so cute Elizabeth......All your grandchildren that you described sound cute actually and you sound like you are super proud of them.

​You did a variety of active things there over the last couple of days mostly with loved ones. Is that the same lake you have said here that you have swam in before?

That suggestion you mentioned in regards to eating sounds a bit like mindful eating. Like one really thinks beforehand in a logical manner whether there body actually needs that particular food. Sometimes in me the craving for something sweet just seems to overpower logic at the time.

Shell xx

[Elizabeth CP]

Hi Shell, Yes it is the same lake but it felt different going in the morning than late in the day The light was quite different. My grandsons are cute except when in a bad mood when they become feral.

The idea of the eating was to avoid the guilt by giving yourself permission to eat when you want but allowing time to taste the food and enjoy it rather than labelling food good or bad. Trying to stop ourselves from eating & feeling guilty just lead to more stress which leads to more mindless eating & guilt. Today I walked to the park with my son & his family. I'm still struggling with tiredness.

[Guest_1055]

I hear you Elizabeth, I also feel tired, but more so in the brain this time. So much so I am having issues comprehending a lot of what you said about the eating. I do know one thing and that is I don't feel guilty when I eat junk. I mostly feel disappointed in myself and a bit like a failure. Like I have let myself down again. So this in turn makes me feel sad, so then I may comfort eat. Perhaps it is sort of what you were saying ?? I don't know...... I shall read your post again later.

And good on you for going for a walk with you son and family. Wish I had some clear answers to help you with your tiredness. There must be an answer somewhere???

Shell xxx

Hope you have a good day tomorrow.

[Guest_1055]

Hello Elizabeth, Chae and anyone reading,

If you have done any exercise today, what did you choose to do? It seems like a good day for walking outside where I live. But I didn't walk outside today, except from the service station to the place where you pay and out back to the car.

I actually went to the gym, one of the reasons I go is because the person who is my hubby asked me to come along with him at the end of last year. So this is the person who I go with, though I do go by myself at times as well.

Today I was trying to adhere to this formal fitness program I now have. It was day 1 today. First up I went on the cross trainer for 20 minutes. I definitely can last longer on these cardio type equipment then when I first started. I don't know if that means my body is fitter or not?? But I feel encouraged that I seem to have more endurance or something. After the cross trainer, I walked over to the "circuit", well I think it is called that. Anyway my hubby showed me how to do work on three different types of equipment.. I am now reading them off this sheet, I have in front of me ( the fitness program). They were a leg press, leg curl and leg extension. I cannot explain exactly what they do or how they work. But I do know how many I need to do and what weights to set them on. Anyway I had did those. They do feel a little foreign, but I am guessing I will get used to them.

I finished of on the treadmill this time. The program said to walk on an incline. So yeah I have been walking on flat mostly before. As I was walking away, I was watching and listening to a guy on YouTube talking about healthy eating and watching him make a smoothie. I am going to make that smoothie one day, it looked delicious. It had the flesh and coconut water/ juice of a young Thai coconut, frozen berries and 1 frozen banana. Yummy looking colour.....a deep pink.

Feel a bit tired, but still glad I went, plus it seems to make my hubby happy if I go along with him. He likes it.

Shell xx