| Week of March 11, 2001 |
Weight:
233.75
Total Loss: 96.75 |
PLEASE SIGN THE GUESTBOOK
On a positive note, I made a milestone ... I have LESS THAN 50 LBS TO GO!! And that it is a GOOD thing!
Assuming I'm still alive tomorrow, we participate in a 5K walk. I had planned to walk/jog it, but I think I'll just walk. I bought a heart rate monitor to go with my SportBrain. I'll hook it up and post the results of the race late tomorrow.
Stay tuned ...
2001.03.10 WALKING TIPS ...
typed from: Natural Health Shopper March 2001 page 5
Walk Like A Pro Now!
----------------------------
You've had plenty of practice walking, but how do you take it to the next
level and turn it into a real cardiovascular workout? "To walk efficiently,
you want to feel as if you almost have wheels on your feet," says Therese
Iknoian, a veteran walking instructor and author of Fitness Walking. Here
are her tips for increasing your speed and efficiency:
Stand tall: Keep your abdomen tight and your chin level with the ground;
good posture will not only protect your back, but will also help you breathe
easier.
Bend your arms: Bending your arms 90 degrees at the elbows helps in two
ways. Your fingers won't swell, and you'll be able to walk faster (a long
straight arm can throw off your stride because it cant' swing as quickly as
a bent arm)
Walk heel to toe: Hit the ground squarely on your heel with your toes high
in the air; roll through with your foot and push off with your big toe at
the end of your step. This motion helps your legs get maximum propulsion
from each step.
Watch your stride: To go faster don't increase the length of your stride;
instead, move your feet faster. A stride that is too long uses more energy
and strains your hips and knees. If you feel yourself bouncing up and down
when you walk, your stride is probably too long.
---
God Bless You,
Lori ~~~~~
owner/moderator: WalkItOff@yahoogroups.com
2001.03.11 NEW 5K MARK ...
Vicki & I participated in the San Jose Mercury New Press Run 5K Walk this morning, along with her sister. The event also
included a 10K run, drawing about 10,000 people. We waited patiently as they lined up the 10K runners and
launched them on their way. A significant number of people were remaining to do the 5K walk. We
filed into the street and the announcer called, "They're OFF!!". From that point in time, it still
took a couple of minutes to reach the start line. After that, it took about 5 minutes to wind
through the pack, dodging the slower walkers, kids and strollers.
I thought I was doing pretty well, when about 1/3 of the way through the race I looked ahead and there was Vicki & her sister! They had obviously found faster ways to get through the crowd. We wound our way through the streets - at one point a man was standing outside his home with a cardboard sign and noisemaker, cheering us on. As we approached the finish line, a group of Scottish bagpipe players were belting out tunes as runners and walkers passed by.
I wore my new SportBrain heart rate monitor. The BOTTOM chart shows
my walking pace for the race, and to the light rail afterwards.
The top chart is my corresponding heart rate.
The noise spikes prior to the race, and at the very end, are most likely caused by cell phones. I'm still
getting used to the measurements it makes. Hi-tech toys are cool!
I finished the race in 42:30, Vicki was only a couple of minutes behind. The weather was slightly overcast and cool - a perfect day for a race. When done, we got our T-Shirts and caught the Light Rail back to the car. We finished the morning by treating ourselves to breakfast at Denny's, where I thoroughly enjoyed a Slim Slam.
Our next race is the Spokane Lilac Bloomsday 12K race. (Where?? .. you ask) Spokane, Washington is on the eastern side of the state. Gonna run it with my mother-in-law :O)
2001.03.13 WALKING ... I found this little gem on the CyberDiet Walk Talk Discussion board. It was part of an employee incentive package to start walking, sponsored by State Farm.Walking is...
... the exercise that needs no gym;
... the prescription without medicine;
... the weight control without a diet;
... the cosmetic found in no drug store;
... the tranquilizer without a pill;
... the therapy without a psychoanalyst;
... the fountain of youth that is no legend.
Sweet, simple and so true!!
2001.03.14 TIME ... I was asked by a co-worker today, after he made mention of my weight loss, how I did it. I supplied the stock reply, "Sensible eating and exercise". He asked what kind of exercise. My reply, "Walking". He was a little surprised, and asked how much, to which I replied, "About 10 hours a week, plus or minus". He gave me an Oh, that's quite a bit, no wonder ... type of look.Well, hell! Let's think about this, boys and girls. I walk the dog for about 30 minutes first thing in the morning. No big deal, right? I walk her again around 9pm for a half an hour. I give up 30 lousy minutes of the tube to give the pup a potty break ... again, no big deal. I do that every day. That adds up to about seven hours/week right there, and I haven't strained my schedule ... and I doubt that it would many people.
On the weekends, Vicki & I usually take a 60 - 90 minute walk. We do that on Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. And the total doesn't count the walking at the mall, the walking as part of my work, etc.
So anyone that thinks 10 hours a week is a big commitment, just isn't thinking! Once your get into the routine, it becomes habit. Besides, the dog comes to EXPECT the walks morning and evening. (You can't get out of them :O) And I have yet to find a TV program that was more important than my health .. that I could either do without, or could record for later viewing.
ANYONE CAN DO THIS!! Notice that I did not mention any mileage. The important thing is to get out and walk .. move!! Take as many breaks as is necessary, but move ... for 30 minutes. You will build up to faster and longer (distance) walks as time goes on. Need help, advice?? There is an excellent collection of information about walking on the About.com web site.
Enjoy the Spring weather. This is the perfect time of year to get out and get started.
Thank You for Visiting!!
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Author: VernTallman( VTallman@aol.com ) Home page: http://members.aol.com/vtallman/index.html