Step Up To Spring With New Energy
Greetings < International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8. This is the month when a lot of us focus on fund raising for various causes by running and walking in special fund raising events in many parts of the world. People walk 5 km or run for 10 km or just about anything in between to support their favorite causes. Mothers, daughter, aunts, cousins, sisters, friends join in to support worthwhile fund raising events - walking to raise money for breast cancer, the Heart and Stroke foundation and local charity drives to name just a few. People come together to support a cause alongside others. It truly gives you a sense of purpose when you help others. Why not add that extra joy to your step by participating in your area of the world? Step Up to Spring With New Energy This is an exciting time of the year - especially after spending the last 3 months (or more depending on where you live) with old man winter. Spring fever is real. You can feel it! You can start planning your new walking goal for the year. Will you be hiking in the wilderness or walking in the country this summer? Maybe a walking trip further afield is in your plans. Whatever your walking pleasure, do focus on your walking fitness and agility as you ‘do your thing’. Don’t forget to follow your own Fitness Walking Program. Make sure your foot gear and outer wear is suitable for the weather and the terrain. More about the right footwear next month. Now get on with your new walking goals and revel in the feeling of spring! Your Questions Folks write to us with some very interesting questions through our Contact Us page. Often folks don't feel they want to tell a story on our Walking and Hiking Stories page just yet. SOften folks don't feel they want to tell a story on our Walking and Hiking Stories page just yet. Here is where we share some of those with you. This month we have a question from Kit:
I love your site, it's just plain good info. My only suggestion is this, I have a combination of most of the problems listed. Arthritis in 1 arch, both knees (due to corrective surgeries when I was 16 & 17 yrs old)couch potato ( because my knees hurt all the time) 2 yrs ago I was getting pretty brave and going out walking trying to build up my endurance and reinjured my left knee. Ended up in a knee brace and gained 40 lbs by eating away my depression! (it didn't work) Now I have to lose all that. I'm single so walking alone is difficult and I use that as an excuse to NOT do it. I have a small dog that doesn't really need the exercise, So I feel off the hook there. I was in an ATV accident In ‘6I - broke my right ankle and hip. After surgery and pins etc in my foot they didn't know my hip was broken, so for 9 months I walked on it broken. Then I had a full replacement there. Both my shoulders are effected with arthritis, my left one is getting so bad I can't left heavy items or do strength exercise with it effectively. So, see where I'm going here? Everyone always addresses the "lazy" problems, but very rarely do we here anything about. "we know you're falling apart and your body hurts but its Do Able”! My doctor’s answer to everything is lose the weight and walk! I'd like to hear some success stories from you that would encourage me. Hi Kit Thank you so much for contacting us at 50 Plus Fitness Walking. We appreciate your input. And as you may be aware at 50 Plus Fitness Walking we are very sensitive to the ‘your body may be falling apart but getting fit is do-able’. And you have a very smart doctor. We agree totally that walking is a great way to help you do that. You are right. Some times it can be challenging and you start to wonder if you really can do it. We know we’ve wondered that at times too. Perhaps we don’t gone into as much of the grueling and off putting parts of that process on our site. Believe me when you are in pain it is very difficult to get on with it some days. In fact as I write I am dealing with my recurring back problems (that will never fully leave me) and yes it hurts. But sitting or laying around all day just does nothing to help me or help us help others so in my case I just suck it up, go slow and remember what my physio has told me to do - and even try and do it from time to time :-) What does help too is that I remember what it feels like to not be in pain so I keep going knowing I will get to that point again some day soon. We agree that success stories can be helpful to folks. Do read some of the stories others have submitted to our Hiking and Walking Tales section. Bob is one of our favorite role models who has done a great job of getting fit, losing weight and conquering his health challenges. Stories like yours looking for inspiration from others are helpful too and show that despite a whole whack of challenges you still know it is doable and are prepared to try. At the end of the day what we have found is that we each have to work things through in our own minds in our own way. There is no magic pill or instant solution when you are in pain, only an opportunity to reach within yourself and strive to go forward. Thanks again Kit. Do stay in touch
Write and share with us some of obstacles that you've had to overcome to get back to a more healthy lifestyle. We all have obstacles at some time or another. You might have a solution that may help others overcome problems that they may find difficulties with. Help someone this month. Next month you may be the one seeking help. Let's enjoy 2010 and spring into a great time of year by caring and sharing with one another!
Yoko and Geoff
PPPS - Remember that we welcome your walking stories, hiking tales and tall tales too! Share yours with us, be published on your very own web page and maybe even win some neat prizes! PPS - Feel free to pass a copy of this newsletter on to your friends, They might enjoy it too! |
