Tag: walking

Getting Outside on More Walking Trails

May 2, 2021 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

I never realized how many walking trails that there are about 5 to 10 miles from my house. This spring I’ve been taking advantage of them and getting more minutes than I was last year. Several reasons for my increased walking:

A new dog in my household
Now that I’m vaccinated, I’m not as worried about the pandemic
I’m using walking as one of the stress relievers in my life
Even with juggling obligations, it’s easier to fit in than other exercise

Last week I mentioned some of the walking trails that Peanut and I have ventured on and I thought I’d do an update this week. She already knows when we are getting ready to go and gets excited to be walking trails.

This past week we walked in four new places to her: Veterans Parkway, Baseball Fields, the Towpath, and Barlow Farm Park

Two early morning miles at the Barlow Farm Park

Walking trails around the baseball field near my niece’s house.

Morning walk at the Towpath Trail with Peanut

Enjoying the sandy path at the Veterans Park.

I’ve definitely upped my activity the past few weeks and I’m happy about that since it is one of my keywords for 2021. I also managed to get two bike rides squeezed in during the last few weeks.

Although I’m still not as active as I would like, I’m glad that I’m finding more opportunity to fit in the activity. The better weather is really helping too. I’m taking the opportunity to squeeze in more steps and more activity whenever I can.

How about you? Are you finding it easier or harder to be active? Why or why not?

Walking the Dog Adds Lots of Steps

December 3, 2020 / Jill McCauslin / 2 Comments

I just realized that walking the dog adds lots of steps to my daily totals. I knew that, of course, but when I looked at my Fitbit numbers, there was the proof.

Remember when I got my puppy, Penny? I wrote about her last summer when she was a baby. Now Penny is about six months old so still a puppy but she’s more like a pre-teen these days. She keeps me very busy with taking things out of her mouth and stopping her from chewing on things.

My expensive She Fits sports bra no longer zips because Penny chewed the zipper. She also got the back of my newest pair (and most expensive) pair of running shoes. Fortunately, I caught her with the shoe early enough to save the shoe.

Walking the Dog Adds Lots of Steps

As Penny has gotten older, her ability to walk has obviously increased so she requires longer walks. Besides chewing on things, she also requires more exercise. I’ve noticed that my daily steps increased once Penny came into the house. Penny became a member of the household in mid July of this year and you can see that my monthly steps have consistently increased as she’s gotten older.

The thing about having a dog is that she has to go out for a walk regardless of the weather. We had our first real snowfall recently and Penny was enchanted. She loved the snow and frolicked the whole time we were out walking. It actually made having to be out walking in the snow a lot more enjoyable. I would not have gone out first thing in the morning for a walk in the snow.

Walking in the cold is not great but I make a point to carry gloves and a hat so that if it’s colder than I expect, I’m prepared. This comes from not being prepared when it was cold and wet.

I’m hoping that Penny will eventually be able to run with me. I know that’s going to take some training but it would be fun to have a running companion.

Life with Penny is turning out to be a lot of fun and a lot of steps.

Doubling Up with a Walk and Talk

June 29, 2019 / Chris Brown / 1 Comment

Jill and I are having so much fun building the community of Becoming Elli, interviewing guests for our Fit Strong Women Over 50 Podcast and developing resources that women like us would want (like our Fitness Foods downloadable recipe booklet.)

As you can imagine, it takes a little coordination and planning. It was really sunny last Friday. Rather than sit in a meeting in front of our computers, we decided to do a “walk and talk.”

I love when we do that. We catch up on what is happening. So often the sentences start with – “Oh! Yeah! I wanted to tell you about …” or “I found something that I think would work for…”

Walking, while we talk, helps keep the blood circulating in the brain and we rarely have a moment when we say something like “hmm, there was something I needed to tell you, but I can’t remember now.”

Sometimes I’ll bring a little notebook to jot things down, but more often, I just use my phone to keep a reminder note.

This was the first day since all that rain we’d been having in Ohio. We had more than 7 inches in June, which is unusual for around here. There was an enormous amount of water running in the Cuyahoga River. This river was in the news recently for the 50th anniversary of the clean-up efforts. In the 1970’s this river became famous because it caught fire in Cleveland with all the oil and pollution in it. With a lot of work and legislation it has been resorted. You can see it is healthy now thanks to all the focus on it.

Jill and I met at Fred Fuller Park near the trail. One side of the trail was closed. We didn’t walk even half a mile and the other direction was closed for flooding as well. So we drove a little farther up the trail to Brady’s Leap and continued our walk and talk.

Take a look at the rushing water where the Cuyahoga River goes under Main Street in Kent, Ohio! It’s usually pretty calm right through here. Kayakers have been warned to not try to enjoy the river until it goes down. A few kayakers even had to be rescued when their kayaks got caught in trees that were hanging.

I’m not sure how far we walked, but I ended up with a total of 6.4 miles for the day. I guessestimate that we walked was just under 5 miles. That’s what I call doubling up!

What a pleasant way to enjoy a meeting!

Do you ever double up to get work done and exercise at the same time?

Ten Ways to Avoid the Gym

January 28, 2018 / Jill McCauslin / 2 Comments

So, let’s say your idea of fun is not going to the gym and working out but you know you need to get some exercise to stay healthy. How do you avoid gym? Whether it’s because you don’t have a gym nearby, you don’t want to spend the money on gym membership, or you just don’t like gyms, you still need to get some exercise, right? We all know that fitness depends on moving our bodies. What should you do? I have some ideas to share.

Get a Fitbit and count your steps. We all hear this, get 10,000 steps a day. Well, get a Fitbit or some other step counter (pedometer, Apple Watch, Garmin watch) and see how many steps you get in a day. I was shocked when I first started to track my steps. Working in an office was not conducive to walking. If you’re only walking 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day, you probably shouldn’t make your first goal 10,000 steps. Instead, add 1,000 steps to what you walk normally and see if you can get that. Continue to bump up your goal until you get to the level you want and can meet it frequently.I adjust my goal for steps depending on what’s going on in my life. These days, I try not to lower my goal below 10,000 steps but if I’m in a period where I can walk a lot, I’ll bump my goal up. Then, if I know that I’m entering a period where just getting the 10,000 steps is a challenge, I’ll reset my goal.
The important thing to remember is that you get to control those goals.

Nunu on a hike.
Continuing with the walking theme, join a hiking club and get in some lengthy walks and enjoy nature. This can be an excellent way to meet people and to enjoy some exercise without having to really think about it being exercise. If you have a dog who likes to walk, take him along with you. Dogs make great hiking companions.
There are other kinds of clubs you can join. There are biking clubs and skiing clubs. All of these are a great way to combine social activities with fitness. Ride your bike, go skiing, do whatever appeals to you and that you can find a club. I just recently learned of a mountain climbing club near me. I’m in Ohio and there’s not a lot of mountain climbing here but it turns out, this group meets at a local wilderness supply store and uses their climbing wall.
Think about the things that you enjoyed as a kid or teenager. If you loved playing sports, look for some adult leagues for baseball or softball, basketball, soccer, or touch football. Many recreation departments in different towns offer sport activities for adults. If you think you want to do this, check out the team and make sure that they play at the level you’re looking for. Don’t forget bowling. The last time I went bowling, I was shocked at how much I had to use my arms. That’s a serious arm workout.
Maybe you loved dance as a kid. If so, many dance studios and rec departments offer dance classes for adults. You can find all types of dance available to you. Whether it’s ballet, tap, or ballroom dancing, put on your dancing shoes and enjoy!
Dance
Don’t forget sports such as golf and tennis. These can be great ways to get fit. Look for local leagues to join.
Check out yoga studios or yoga classes offered through rec departments or churches. You’ll often find places that offer yoga classes that are reasonably priced and set up for those of us who are as flexible as we once were. A lot of barre places have opened. These are a combination of ballet, yoga, and Pilates and uses a ballet barre for balance. This might be a good option for you.
In the same vein, Jazzercise classes or similar types of classes are offered in a variety of locations. This might be a good solution to doing something without having to join a gym. I just recently saw a place that is offering a class called Blessercise. It’s a religious based fitness class and was housed in a small retail area. You just pay by the class or pay for a monthly membership.
Let’s not forget the favorites of running and bicycling. Neither require a membership to anything and you can do both without a lot of preparation. A good pair of running shoes is the minimum requirement for running and a bike and helmet works for bicycling.
Chris Running
If you really want to just do a workout in the comfort of your home, check out what’s available online for help. Many women enjoy Leslie Sansone. You can buy a DVD or borrow one from your local library or check her out on YouTube. You can get some exercise equipment to use at home. Many people enjoy rebounders at home. Rebounders are like mini-trampolines. Others like to have some dumb bells at home for workouts. Don’t forget simple things like jump ropes. You can invest more money and get a treadmill or elliptical or even a Pilates Reformer machine. If you don’t want to invest in any equipment, do body weight exercises like pushups, lunges, and squats.
Jump rope

I’m sure there are lots of ways that I’ve not thought of to get exercise without joining a gym. Feel free to share what you do. We all need help on our way to becoming like Elli.

Grabbing a Quick Walk

December 20, 2017 / Chris Brown / 0 Comments

This time of year I often feel the stress of not enough time. With only 5 days until Christmas, it feels like a count down for all the things I have to get done. Taking time exercise seems harder to squeeze in when there is so much to do — parties, gifts, decorating and reconnecting with family and friends.

Even when there is “NO TIME”, I am trying squeeze in some fresh air and a walk. I’m trying to get a little exercise at every opportunity. By getting a few more steps in and keeping my metabolism burning, I’m trying not to end up gaining weight during the month of December!

After I mailed a package to my sister at the local post office tonight after work, I took the opportunity for a quick walk around the pond at the park across the street.

It didn’t take long, but definitely left me feeling energized. Maybe it was the cold air? I don’t know, but I find that getting out and taking a quick walk makes a good difference in how I feel.