FAQ

Find answers to some of the more frequently asked questions on the Forums.

Forums guidelines

Our guidelines keep the Forums a safe place for people to share and learn information.

Walking Shoes - Walking and Other Exercise

Guest_1055
Community Member

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......

 

4,381 Replies 4,381

Hi All,

Recently I have been driving to visit family some distance away. On the way, I select a random dirt road, park the car and go for a 1/2 hour walk, turn around and walk back to my car.

Recently I have seen some hares, a fox and kangaroos. I walked past a paddock filled with lambs and ewes all calling out to each other, there was quite a lot of sound coming from that paddock.

I was greatly enjoying one walk so kept on going. I was looking at the ruins of an old stone building, wondering who had lived there and what their lives were like. Nearby were some kangaroos. I heard a vehicle in the distance. A farmer in his ute stopped to ask if I was okay and asked what I was doing out in the middle of no where. He asked a couple of times if I was okay to get back to my car.

Each morning I try to go for a walk, it helps prepare me for the day. The sun is getting up later and latter, it is lovely to see the colours unfold in the sky.

Guest_1055
Community Member

Hoping I am posting right???

 

I have not being doing as much exercise as before. But I have still been walking at least 3 days per week.

 

I will be walking out on the breakwall very soon. I am actually looking forward to it. The fresh crisp cool air always wakes me up and I just like it I guess. Though if its super windy... Mmm not so much as the sand blows on my face and I feel that tiny sting that grits of sand gives off.

 

I do like seeing the dogs. Hey but the last few times I have walked out there. I looked for comfy rock. Which was this flattish rock on the edge of the breakwall. I used to seat there at times. Very calm like and watch the water hitting the rocks below me. But comfy rock is no longer in the same place. I can only guess it was moved by humans, or there was natural movement in the rocks or something and it fell way below???

 

Ok bye☺️

Today I walked out on the breakwater as I did yesterday as well.

 

The feeling of the crispy winter air was invigorating. I just love it. 

 

Towards the end of the wall, I heard the noise of a vehicle behind me. I turned around and saw a cement truck driving along the path. I guess the path is that wide.

 When I got to the end there was a small new building right near the way I used to get to comfy rock. Don't know what it is for. Maybe one day I will find out.

 

I did enjoy this walk. 

ecomama
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

I loved reading about your walking adventures everyone, how lovely! Thank you for sharing what you saw and how much better you felt. 

 

Each morning I get up earlier than I'd need to (lol) and walk way down to the back yard to feed my chickens in their coop. I take secateurs to cut some grass and weeds for them to eat too. Then often go up to the front garden to find all the escapees! hahaha. I can't find where those specific chickens are escaping from but they're happy to follow me back way down the back to go in to their home and have some delegated food. 

 

I work FT and have a trillion steps on our site to climb multiple times a day. Yes a trillion lol. Feels like it! 
My podiatrist actually had to train me how to step UP correctly. Quite often I forget this with my mind on other things, when I remember wow - it's more of a work out. 

 

Other than that I only walk to the soccer fields to watch my family playing soccer and go to the supermarket for food regularly. 

 

Maybe when I retire I'll take walks? Possibly I'll just work in Community gardens lol. 

 

Love reading the posts here, 

Love EM

You are taking walks Em,  walking down the back ro feed your chickens. Walking up the trillion of steps at your work is such good exercise. That is what I think anyway 

ecomama
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor

Hey Guest_1055 lol YES it is! I also walk DOWN the same steps lol. 

 

With the pressures on me of little time and drawing on my energy levels 24/7 with lots of kids pets etc... 
I can only do exercise with more purpose than exercise for its own sake. 
So if I get jobs done, like feeding the chickens... and this can mean 5 ups and downs the sloped back garden... then that's fine by me. 

 

Keep mobile is very important as we age. 
Love EM

Hello Em, exercise and or moving is all good.

Doing chores outside like you are is great. I can imagine a lot of muscles get used. Just thinking about farmers from long ago... Where they didn't use modern machinery etc. They would have got  plenty of natural exercise hey. And you with all your gardening... You would definitely be moving, lifting. 

Guest_1055
Community Member

I have been walking on the breakwall often. This morning I walked on out there around 7am. The air was still coolish and nice to simply breathe in. There is something about fresh ocean air that makes me feel better. I do miss comfy rock, which was the name I called this particular wide seat like rock. It faced the water in the port, and I would sit there and watch the movement of the waves below. Doing that often would help me feel calm. It was at the very end of the breakwall. It is no longer there, and I have yet to find another such rock.

A few days ago I walked along the coastal walk. This one has a couple of hills to walk up.

 

Yesterday I did something quite different. It was good exercise... I went on a paddle or maybe its called pedal boat. You sit in this seat and pedal this boat like a bike. Once we got on it, the guy pushed us out a bit into the lagoon. The lagoon was near a beach. It was such a beautiful sunny day out there. It felt so nice on me... all that sunshine.

 The person who I was with was steering it and pedalling the most. He has much stronger legs. 

 

We made our way towards a bridge and went right underneath it. I could constantly hear the splashing of the water behind the boat in time with the pedalling. The splash had a gentle soothing rhythm. We also made our way around the island. A very dense tree laden place and one tree had a high rope hanging from it right over the water. It was quiet around one side of the island, except for the splashing of that water. Very calm like hearing the birds, the breeze in the trees, the light bush sounds.

 

My legs did get tired and I needed to stop pedalling every now and then. And sometimes we stopped and just drifted with the movement of the water. 

I have been waking on the breakwall, walking around my place and even went to to gym and walked on the treadmill. This has been over the last week or so.

 

Today I went walking in that historical town. The one with the cobble stones outside a lot of the shops. A lot of this town reminds me of an old country English town.

 

Anyway we walked down one side... all on the main road. This road heads into farmland. Once we got to the open pastures of the farmland, we saw tons of mostly black cows. They were munching on the glossy green grass. Some looked up at us as we walked on by. Even some cute little calves. Then we saw the farmer in the paddock. He started herding the cows (if that's the right word) saying out loud commands like "come on" and " outa here". They were mooing and followed his direction. It was my first time seeing someone herding cows in real life before. We watched for a while. 

Still walking. Sometimes I have no motivation, like today. 

 

Yesterday I walked through a large park. I have driven past this park numerous times. I often see beautiful roses from the car. They bloom near the front of the park.

 

This park has a half sized basket ball court too. So we decided to be spontaneous. Which for me I like. We needed a ball though. So we walked to the nearest shopping centre and bought one from Big W. We bounced it around some in the shop to see which one bounced the best. We bought that one, walked back to the park. Which properly is 15 mins walk back. Anyway we took turns shooting the ball into the hoop. 10 goes each then swapped over. To be honest I was not that good at it. I think 3 out of 10 was my top go. Still I did like the spontaneous decision. I think it helps me mentally. Not sure how. There were many birds in that park too, as it has loads of trees and dense bush around it.