Walking Shoes - Walking and Other 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......

[Starwolf]

Hi Shelley,

So glad you didn't regret venturing out last night...thanks for sharing the experience. I was there with you for a while and thoroughly enjoyed the unfamiliar space, smells and sounds. Exoticism doesn't require air travel. Mind travel is free, no visas, no endless airport queues, customs inspections etc...

Like you, I am not a bat fan. I had a couple caught up in my hair on separate occasions.  Difficult to get the little critters untangled without being bitten, particularly when no one else is around to help and the only way to figure what you're doing is to feel...

Like you I like investigating other people's rejects when I can get a chance. A much more  exciting way to shop around. Many of those discarded treasures could not be found in a shop anyway.

And ah!, the magic of clear night skies...

Well done for getting out and about. The rewards make it all worthwhile.

Hugs to you.

[Elizabeth CP]

Sorry Shelley for the late reply, I haven't been too good lately. no particular reason except being tired & I was pushing myself hard to finish some things which never seems to work.

You asked about my chart. I was drawing one up each week in an exercise book but have now done it on the computer using tables so I can just adjust it each week & print it. I have a list of all the regular jobs needing doing which I can tick when I've done them in the week. I then have a table with a list of my daily goals on one side and across the top as the headings for the column are the initials for each day of the week so I can tick each thing off that I do.

I have another table with the days of the week down the side. The 2nd column is any appointments or things on that particular day. 3rd column I leave blank & fill it each day with things I've done, Last column is the list of jobs or tasks I want to get done. Each evening I review & fill in the printed chart. Ticking things off is helpful to keep on track & filling in the blank column each day helps to remind me what I acheived rather than focusing on what is still to be done.  I hope this makes sense. I guess it is trying things & adjusting it over time to work out what suits you

I haven't walked today. I have too much on & I didn't sleep well last night worrying about yesterday when things kept going wrong & worrying if Ill cope today. Í thought attempting to walk would add more stress. Tomorrow I'm going to do the 1000 steps in the Dandenongs with my daughter. Don't know how i'll go. Í certainly won't be keeping up with her!!! Tonight I have 18 people for dinner mainly my husbands family & many of them have not visited us since we moved here so I'm worried about getting the house looking OK and getting the food cooked OK. I never feel good enough in these situations. Everyone else is better than me.

[Guest_5218]

Hi Starwolf. In answer to your first question, no I had hardly any sleep again last night.  Today I have felt just so tired. Had to work today and I didnt get home until around 3pm, so a longer day than normal for me due to a management meeting at 9.30am.  I could barely keep my eyes open at the meeting.  Now there's an option! Take my pillow next time to a meeting - it could be my best chance of getting some sleep. Although I expect it wouldnt go down so well with my boss.  ( - :

Yes Holly is a great motivator to go walking.  Well usually she is anyway.  If it wasnt for her, I probably just wouldnt even bother trying.  But unfortunately its not going to happen today.  The effort is beyond me.  So I fed her a lamb neck chop for her dinner out on the back lawn a little while ago.  And then I sat watching her gnaw into it and demolish it in no time.  So she's a happy little girl now, and content to sit with me on the lounge for a cuddle.

Your nearby rock pool along the creek sounds really nice.  And I do love the sound of water.  Very calming.  I hope you enjoy it this evening, with no unwanted visits from snakes, or quolls!

Hey Shelley, your walk last night sounds good.  And you were utilising all your senses - perfect.  I'm sorry I couldnt bring myself to do anything today.  Its very slack of me, and I feel guilty.  But I just cant today.  Maybe tomorrow.  In the meantime, I will have to rely on reading about Yours, Starwolf's and Elizabeth's walks.

Elizabeth - You have a couple of very busy days ahead of you.  I hope tonights dinner goes well.  Tackling quite a lot with so many people attending!  I'm sure you will do great.  And tomorrows walk in the Dandenongs with your daughter - wow, I look forward to hearing more about how that goes.  You'll be able to take the rest of us mere mortals on a virtual walk with you!  ( - :   Enjoy.

Sherie xx

[Doolhof]

Hi All,

There have been so many posts here since I included my little story about the virtual walk along the creek. It is great to see.

Today I did not have time for a longer walk but have managed three shorter ones.

This morning I had time for a 20 minute walk and wandered around the town we live in. Apparently this used to be a meeting area for Aboriginals, so I tried to imagine whet the countryside may have looked like before the Europeans arrived.

We have a little creek wandering through our ton. Unfortunately it has been dry for years now. It would have been so pretty when it had water in it.

Between clients I had time for two 15 minute walks around different parks. I enjoyed them both. In one back I couldn't stop smelling something like pickled onions, so I have no idea where that smell came from!

I would take you all on another virtual walk now, but I am rather tired and feel like going to sleep instead.

I'm pleased I decided to go walking today, even if the exercise was staggered, I was still out and about in the fresh air.

Cheers all from Dools

[blondguy]

Hey Nice People

Took my Burmese Mountain Dog/Shep Cross for his/my 30min walk this morning.......omg he cracks me up....

He saw a cat sunbaking from approx 2meters away...he stopped...stared at it...didnt know what it was and kept walking..lol

Then the classic....A horse and cart went by...(it really did by the way and stop laughing Shell&Sherie)...he saw the Clydesdale and started to growl at it....Never heard him growl at anything before...and no the horse couldnt care less...anyway...had to be there..

Sleep.....'to anticipate a good sleep is fine...to try to sleep isnt'

Hugs

Paul

[Guest_1055]

Hello Dools

That pickled onion scent, that you smelt on your walk, do you think it may have been left over cooked onion on a BBQ hot plate or something like that?

Shell xx

[Guest_5218]

Sounds like an interesting walk Paul.  Clydesdale and cart, lucky you.  What a big brave dog you have.  I guess that means he is making progress then?  All these exporatory walks are helping him, as well as you.  Good news.

Sherie xx

[Guest_1055]

Hugs to all that would like one.....

 Hey Elizabeth

Thankyou so much for the instructions about how you do your chart . I pretty much understood what you said. My challenge tomorrow will be to draw one out on some paper. I will just follow along with what you suggested, and see how it looks. Then if it works, I will do it on the computer too.

I too am interested about you walking up the 1000 steps, in the Dandenongs. I have never been there. So I have no picture of what it looks like. So after I finish this post, I am going to "google" it. For you have got me curious.. ...Well have a special time with your daughter tomorrow. Sending out a hug, in case you would like one.

Hey Starwolf

Oh my Gosh, a bat in your hair. You did well to get it out. Truthfully I couldn't handle that at all. I would definitely freak out and it would gross me out completely. But I guess if you are alone with no one to help. You would have to learn to be self sufficient or self reliant pretty quick. Are you going out walking and tracking with the dogs tomorrow? 

Hey Sherie

Reading about our walks is a good idea, I think. Also I think we can be a bit hard on ourselves sometimes, and think we have to get it right all the time. But being human.....well I don't think we can get it right all the time. Maybe we have to be more kind to ourselves, or something...... Well those are just my thoughts.

I am not sure what else to say. So I am sending you a hug, because I do know you are struggling and like hugs.

With much love to you all

Shell xx

[Guest_1055]

Hey Paul

I would love to see a horse and cart, like you did on your walk. What was it doing there anyway? Maybe you live in a tourist sort of area. I didn't laugh Paul, but I did smile. So thanks for helping me to smile.

Well folks..... I ended up walking again this evening , the same way I did yesterday. It was a bit of a struggle for me. And I will tell you why, it is because I ate chocolate, just before. Chocolate makes me feel just yucky actually. But when I feel sad or I am trying to cope with some emotional distress, I run to chocolate. It also gives me a headache as well and my body just feels heavy and lethargic. So it is harder to walk, because I am carrying around this physical yucky heavy feeling.

But I did go and for about half of the walk, I was thinking about each one of you. You were all in my heart, as well as some other members here on BB. So that is way good....

It was pretty breezy again, so that was good. I definitely smelt the same seafood truck again. Ah.... I don't think I liked that smell that much. I don't think the owner of the truck does either, as he or she leaves the door on the back of the truck wide open. Ha ha... Oh I did see a black animal dart right across the road, most likely a cat. Well that is about it for my walk. Still thankful I went.

With thankfulness to you all

Shell xx

[Elizabeth CP]

Hi, Glad you did your walk Shelley. I can relate to the chocolate, Why do we do things we know makes us worse!!!!Paul Your walk sounds interesting.

Well I made it 70% up the 1000 steps according to the marker. My daughter was very supportive: encouraging but not pressuring me. It was raining. It was hard work given my level of unfitness. Unfortunately my immobiliser wouldn't work on my car so we couldn't drive home. I am now drenched. About to return in my daughters car with the other set of keys hoping they work otherwise long wait to get RACV to help. I survived last night. I found it really stressful getting everything ready for dinner & wanted the house to look good as most of Dave's family haven't visited since we moved 3 years ago so I didn't want them thinking I was living in a dump.

Need to go bye