Lupa walks 4 miles a day!  From what I can tell she just up and started one day.

I walk about 3 a day but I do it fast and incorporate varied (steep) terrain. It does wonders for your ass you know.

 Anyone else?

I started with 2 miles because I hadn't been doing anything.  Started because you were talking about walking.  I've kept doing it because I love the trail near my house and because my body felt better immediately.  Up to 4 miles as of a few nights ago. 

I'm SO glad you inspired me!  

Lupa, just imagine. You are walking 25-30 miles a week!  It's a FEAT!  I am so happy for you.

I walk a ton because of my work and I live in the city, up and down subway stairs. It's great if you go fast but doesn't do much for my body if I'm just strollin'.

No idea how many miles I walk a day - maybe I should get one of those thingies that measures that. Now I'm curious.

My weight stays the same though unless I REALLY increase the walking -- I eat a lot of bread, etc.

By the way, wish I had an ass that needed help. I've always felt ass-deprived!

I'm amazed at how easy it is.  And the instant gratification was a surprise too.  I had a million reasons not to do it.  It's HOT in Georgia even in the evenings.  The trail is very close to my house so I never would drive over to walk it.  But the road is awful here.  It's a narrow two lane paved road with no sidewalks.  Speed limit is 30 but people fly past our house.  If two cars are passing from opposite directions a pedestrian would have to get way off the road to be safe.  In some places that would be tricky and with kids and/or a dog really treacherous. 

But guess what?  I have a car.  No matter how ridiculous it seems to me to drive a 1/2 mile to walk 3 or 4, that's what I have to do to be safe.  And the heat?  Turns out I don't really mind sweating a little.  It's completely bearable once the sun is down past the tree line.  The entire trail is shady almost all of the time especially late afternoon/evening. 

The biggest excuse I had for not walking was that I work a very physically demanding job and I'm tired and in pain much of the time.  That has proven to be the best reason TO walk because I am energized and relaxed at the same time when I walk.  

And my motivation to continue... 

A border collie as big as texas who loves the playground at one end of the trail.  And at the other this amazing wetland space.

Jeez I'm such an atttention whore.  *laugh*  But aren't those great pictures.  :)

Love the pics, Lupa.  I live in a small town in Oregon. There is a 12 mile stretch of woodland trails within 3 blocks from my door!  You can forget there even is a town when hiking along the creek bed or up to the lookout.  Have any of you heard of the Digi-Walker?  It's a pedometer that measures steps, miles, calories burned - very light weight and silent.  You can order one from Amazon on Elsa's site.  It's gratifying to know when I've walked over 5 miles.  Early morning works best in the summer and I like evenings, too.  Sometimes I'll walk a couple of times a day instead of all at once.  When I drop wheat and dairy products from my diet and walk everyday, my body tones right up and pounds melt away.  (I don't have a scale but I can see and feel the difference every time.) Sometimes I listen to my favorite music on iPod and that helps with the pace.  I love the smell of wet earth and pine needles in the sun along with the visual of fir, pine, madrone, wild flowers.  My favorite thing in the world is to walk in the forest.  Rain forests are especially cool as are the redwoods.  My cherokee blood resonates.  

I walk to my heart's content :) I used to have a monthly pass for public transportation when I was employed. A month since the layoff, when I can no longer renew my pass,I started walking (or cycling, occasionally) everywhere :) 

Cherie my husband works at an electronics store so I asked him to check there for a pedometer me but if they don't have one I may look into the one you've suggested.  Luckily my trail has several markers posted so I can add up the distances between points and figure out how far I'm walking. 

 Lunalie, I wish the rest of my town was more conducive to walking and cycling.  I live only a little over a mile from where I work as the crow flies but the roads are terrible and would at least double the distance.  When I went to Ireland with John I was pleased to find how easy it was for the two of us to walk where ever we wanted to go.  We walked regardless of the weather and I loved it.  I know when it starts to cool off or get rainy here I will just get appropriate gear so I can keep walking. 

 Atlanta and the surrounding areas are just terrible for pedestrians, though I think there are more walking paths than there used to be. 

Lupa:

I heard a lot about Atlanta and some US cities not being particularly pedestrian-friendly. It's really too bad a lot of North American cities are very helpful in promoting healthier modes of transportation such as walking and cycling. I almost always feel the world would be a much happier place because everyone's healthy and happy :)

I heard much about Ireland and the rest of Europe where you can just walk regardless the circumstances. I think North American culture needs to slow down - A LOT. I mean look at all the stress-related illnesses we all suffer!

... hahah... and I am just saying this now because I've finally seen the light :P 

I think I've said this already, but my mum started walking about 5 years ago and it provided her with enough confidence to change her life. She now goes every day, rain or shine for 2 hours and she loves it.

I got my love of walking from my dad...he used to take us on walks at night. When I visit them I walk with both of them. Dad's a bit slower now that he's in his 80s but we still go for hours on end. 

Kashmiri I couldn't remember who it was that said that about their mom.  I remember that story and that's one of the things that got me up off my ass.  :) Thank you for sharing it in the first place and reminding me here.  

:)

the thing about walking..it's probably the most natural movement for humans to make, it's what we have done for eons. maybe that's why it feels so life-affirming

After missing two days on the trail I got to walk again tonight.  4 1/2 miles!  My friend took my daughter to help with her 4 little kids while her husband is away so I made her take my 7 year old and went on my walk a little early.  I do not like sharing the trail with so many people!  A woman on a bike nearly took out my dog.  I guess she didn't get the memo about not sucking today.  And it was SO much hotter just an hour earlier. 

But I did it and walked a little further than I had before and I feel SO good.  :)

Lupa, I was thinking of you today, you said I inspired you and I have some tips.

Vary your stride. Take longer strides and keep it up as long as you can. Pay attention to the different feeling in your legs and butt. Notice it's different muscles. Get to know your body - make friends with it.

Watch your posture. Hold your shoulders back (not rolled over) and keep your chin up,

Hold your stomach in when you walk to support your back. These tweaks (to the extent you can apply them) will change things and improve them.

Goddess recommended these flipflops called FitFlops and it supposedly tones your legs while walking. She attests to it working as she mentioned she was sore afterward! I think it's worth checking out! I walk a lot and I've worn flipflops since childhood ( I was born and raised in a tropical country). I think it would be worthwhile to invest on a pair of those!

This is the site:

http://www.fitflop.com/ 

Thanks Elsa.  Tonight I walked at a more leisurely pace because I really just needed to get out there.  The last time I walked before that I was trying to beat my time but tonight I allowed myself plenty of time and the result was I beat my distance. 

I see people walking hunched over or with their faces contorted and their shoulders pulled up.  I am especially paying attention to my neck and shoulders so I will add your suggestions to my awareness.  I loop the dog's leash around my waist so my arms are free.  He's gotten very good at matching my pace.  

 I really appreciate your advice.  

Your shoulders back is a big one - it improves your confidence.  That other stuff is if you are feeling ambitious!

Does anyone know how to foxwalk?

PS - Carriage, poise and grace, big with Saturn in Libra... ;-)

(tips from the goat)

See this is my plan (that I made after I started walking and thought about it).  We're going to have to work at being beautiful with Saturn in Libra, right?  :) 

I felt really good about how important it was to me to get back out there tonight.  I think it's sticking and this is a huge deal for me where excercise is concerned.  I have never gotten to that point before in my life.  It may be something dealing with chronic pain has taught me.  If something gives relief it's worth the effort.

We were designed for exercise / work.

I took a boot camp class that started in May for 6 weeks. When I started I couldn't run a full lap around the track. I can now run for 14 minutes straight, walk a minute and repeat. I am following the "From Couch to 5K" running program. I know you are all talking about walking and walking is awesome. Everyone makes fun of me because I am such a fast walker. :) I have been running now for awhile and I love it. I am hooked on it like a drug. LOL! I did a 5K this past weekend with a co-worker. She's not a runner, not even much of a walker... I stayed with her for most of the walk but ran from the 2 mile marker to the finish line. I finished in 41 minutes. No land speed record but it was fun. :)

"We were designed for exercise / work."

I completely agree and I have never been afraid of hard work.  There have been times in my life I've been much more active.  My favorite job before I learned to groom dogs was waiting tables.  I just haven't ever been able to get myself to a gym on a regular basis or do an excercise program.  I'm being very careful not to trigger my t-square and hurt something. 

My goal right now is to feel better in my body and have more energy.  That's it. 

Lorielle, I have a sister in law who did that.  Just started running a few  years ago and now runs marathons.  

Lorielle:

Congrats on finishing a 5K! I have been running here and there since my 3rd year in university though formally pursued it 2 years ago. I stopped a year later due to a severe asthma resurgence. Since getting laid off, I started running again and it feels great - I just can't run during the cold weather due to asthma. I used to run in the dead of winter otherwise.

Keep it up! 

I've been a walker all my life. I've always loved to walk walk walk. 

But it was only last year, in the spring, that I got into *fitness* walking. Whole different ball game. I combined that with weight lifting (which I also used to do when I was younger), stretching and chi gong. It was the first time in my life that I attained and maintained (for about six months) a true fitness regimen. Then I had health issues that pretty much shut me down. I am only now getting back (gradually) into the swing of things. I'm hoping to get back to where I was before I got sick, because it felt so damn good! I felt power in me like never before. I want that back!

Like this kind of topic~~~simple and to the point. I love walking...I love Leslie Sansone (DVD's)~~~have been walking 2 miles everyday no matter what for about 2.5 yrs now~~~now that outta college, may do more (if were actually motivated to not get ass kicked)! lol...bit out of shape right now to say least, but has helped cardiovascular system lots and oxygen in brain to think much clearer & relaxed! ;-)

I just found this :-D

I walk about three miles a day in addition to my dance classes.  Probably 15-20 miles a week, depending on how energetic I get on the weekends.  But I set it up so I get the bus half a mile from my house and get off the bus almost a mile from work.

And then at lunch I do that almost-mile down and back.

It all adds up to about 2.8ish miles just getting back and forth to work and walking at lunch.  When I wear a pedometer it says I walk closer to four, so I'll claim three and the extra is extra.

When I started walking probably 10 years ago I was so heavy and in such bad health  that getting to the end of my driveway was painful and slow.  But I walked the driveway.  Then a week later I went to the end of the block and back.  And a couple weeks later I managed around the block.  You see how it goes - a couple months later I was doing three miles three times a week.

The awesome thing is, it's great for my depression too.  I'm convinced the dance classes keep me off the antidepressants, so you know.  Not bad for a girl with jacked up legs.  <3

Last night:

"I didn't walk today," I said.

"P, you walk enough for 20 motherfuckers."

P snorts and dissolves to laughter.

Not bad at all, Shannon!  Way to go!

 Elsa, the Soldier sure does keep you laughing. He's good for your health. 

I have tried to take a walk everyday this summer.

But if It was so great as you all say it makes you feel; we would all do it everyday!

At least I would.

I don't understand how one is supposed to get that euphoric feeling???

(what kind of aspects do you need?)

I have never gotten that feeling. No matter how much I exercise or little. It's always = I can take it or leave it.

P.S. Just ordered the fitflops from the UK.

Tipi - here is what I know about it:

There is a point where endorphins kick in. For me, when i first came back to excecise after discovered (for the 2nd time in my life) I had become obese, it took about 25 -28 minutes which is a long damned time!

This means is I had to push and force myself to exercise for that amount of time and then the endorphins kicked in making me feel I could go forever. 

Once you get conditioned, the endorphins kick in much quicker (3 minutes???)

I've never really noticed the endorphin thing before but this time I immediately felt relief from tight muscles in my neck and shoulders and everywhere really.  I walked almost two miles the first time and am up to 4.5 miles as of Saturday.  I hate missing my walk now and feel great after so I suppose I'm hooked on the endorphins at this point.  :)

I don't get much exercise and so far don't enjoy it. BUT my intention for this new moon (falls in my sixth house) is to start walking. And, since I am impatient for results (a mars thing) I will strap a bunch of weights to myself too (saturn about to transit my pluto).

I learned a very important lesson tonight about chubby thighs and the wrong pants on a 4.5 mile walk.  Ouchie! 

I know when I started walking it was sheer torture.  I lived in Florida, it was a humid summer, and getting out of bed just hurt.

I always had to sort of trick myself into it.  Just get up and put on your shoes.  OK now my shoes are on, I might as well walk around the house a bit,see what I can pick up.  OK I'm standing, the driveway's not going anywhere.  Out the house I'd go and then I'd struggle for the five or so minutes it took to get to the end of the driveway, and the five or so minutes back.

But you know what? I always felt like at least I did something, and that made me feel good enough to tackle it the next day. And the next, and the next until walking to the end of the driveway didn't kill me.

Initially, though, that feeling of accomplishment was the only damn thing I had going.  So I used it as much as I could til I started feeling good about the walking.

Now?  Heck, now if I don't get my walk in I feel like crap.  So there you have it.

oh Lupa I know that feeling *hugs*  But hey 4.5 miles, WOOHOO!!

i drive about once a month, maybe...otherwise i walk everywhere, work, school, grocery store, friends houses, fishing... and sometimes i stop and do some mini leg lifts standing... imagine to pinch a penny with your butt cheeks!!! and shoulders back to carry everything in the front!!! hahaha! cap rising

Lupa - how long does it take you to walk 4.5 miles? I am trying to estimate how far I am walking... thanks. :)

It's taking about an hour and twenty minutes or so.  A little more  or a little less depending on who is with me and how energetic we are.  I'll pay closer attention the next few nights and report back.  :)