Walking.....

The first thing to be addressed is my overall shape, health and posture.  How can we be fab if we are shaped like a pear?  I have committed myself to various exercise routines over the years and quickly lost interest.  These have included assorted exercise bikes in front of the TV, and the Wii Fit.  I have to say that the exercise bikes do not work at all for me as I slow down to listen to the TV until I barely break a sweat.  The Wii was kind of fun - I ended up using the Free Run and building up to a half hour run around my basement.  So I did break a sweat, but I find it hard to make a commitment to running alone in my basement.  So then I bought a dog to walk with, but I was never walking more than a kilometer before losing interest.  (But I love my dog)

Finally I am proud to say I have started walking 6km per day with my husband.  This is great.  My husband is in great shape, so it's no challenge for him, but walking with a partner motivates me to push myself.  We have been walking together for about 4 weeks, averaging about 5 days per week.  I find the walk to be a challenge and I am quite sore afterwards and all day.  We were taking the dog, but found he was quite growly and grumpy after the walk - so it is a bit too long for him.  I know exactly how he feels.

I have not lost a pound with this walking - but I do feel that my legs and thighs are just a little firmer, so that motivates me to continue.  OK - so I am not quite at the level of my neighbour, who walks every day in her spandex, and lunges her way threateningly past my driveway, but that's cool....we'll just see how it goes.

Next on my list is to buy myself some nice but not too expensive walking shoes (my feet are killing me in my daugher's hand me down track shoes) and some flattering exercise clothes (not so spandexy - but fabulous - no baggy sweats please).

I am also motivated to continue because this exercise qualifies as weight bearing - which helps strengthen my bones.  My mother suffers from osteoporosis and has broken several bones, so her struggles motivate me to still be up and moving when I am her age (over 80).

In the book "Osteoporosis: What it is, How to Prevent it, How to Stop it" [Paperback] by  Betty and Si Kamen, http://www.amazon.com/Osteoporosis-What-How-Prevent-Stop/dp/0523433212/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281359462&sr=1-5  walking is recommended for osteoporosis prevention. An added benefit is that walking in the sunshine helps your body to absorb vitamin D.  Vitamin D is important so that our bodies can digest calcium.  Apparently about a third of the people with hip fractures are vitamin D deficient.  More on vitamin D another day - but I am taking vitamin D supplements as well.