Walking/Jogging/Running concerns
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3athlt
Posts: 131 Member
I've been looking at a lot of folk's diaries and I'm impressed and concerned all at the same time. You people (you know who you are) are really working hard and I'm SO proud of you! I've seen some people really ramp up their walking volume and speed and really don't know what to think.
On one hand, it's VERY inspiring! Think of where you were at one month ago compared to now and the progress you've made! You MUST be feeling VERY good about yourselves! I'm proud of EVERYONE! :drinker:
On the other hand, I'm a little concerned. People, in the past I've had my share of injuries and I don't want to see anyone's lifestyle change get sidetracked due to injury. It's SO easy to get injured. Again, I'm no expert or anything - but I've learned what NOT to do and I think that knowing what NOT to do is pretty valuable information - take what I say with a grain of salt. But...
Please do not try to increase your mileage too quick, too soon. Your body will fight you on this, and it's probably the easiest way to get injured. The old guideline is never to increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%. The newer guidelines (I'm learning new things all the time) want to further decrease that weekly mileage. Please, if you're only walking 30 minutes a day - don't go out and try to walk 60 minutes a day because you want to burn more calories. If you MUST increase your mileage over the recommended levels, at least try to split up your walks by a few hours. This will give your body some chance to recover.
Folks - we're all big people (but getting smaller!) and we all want to drop this weight. But, we can drop our weight and be smart about how we're doing it. Just how it's important not to starve yourself, it's important not to increase your mileage too soon. We didn't become obese overnight, we're not going to lose our weight overnight.
Just please be careful as you're trying to increase your walking volume. The last thing that any of us need is to get hurt. If we get hurt - we can't walk, and it's going to be that much tougher to drop our weight.
One last thing. It's VERY important to stretch before and after you walk, try to make this a habit. When you stretch, hold your stretches - don't bounce. Try to hold each stretch for at least 20 seconds. Here's a link to some basic stretches that will benefit anyone that's walking on a regular basis: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1565
Good luck, everyone! Keep walking off those calories! :happy:
On one hand, it's VERY inspiring! Think of where you were at one month ago compared to now and the progress you've made! You MUST be feeling VERY good about yourselves! I'm proud of EVERYONE! :drinker:
On the other hand, I'm a little concerned. People, in the past I've had my share of injuries and I don't want to see anyone's lifestyle change get sidetracked due to injury. It's SO easy to get injured. Again, I'm no expert or anything - but I've learned what NOT to do and I think that knowing what NOT to do is pretty valuable information - take what I say with a grain of salt. But...
Please do not try to increase your mileage too quick, too soon. Your body will fight you on this, and it's probably the easiest way to get injured. The old guideline is never to increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%. The newer guidelines (I'm learning new things all the time) want to further decrease that weekly mileage. Please, if you're only walking 30 minutes a day - don't go out and try to walk 60 minutes a day because you want to burn more calories. If you MUST increase your mileage over the recommended levels, at least try to split up your walks by a few hours. This will give your body some chance to recover.
Folks - we're all big people (but getting smaller!) and we all want to drop this weight. But, we can drop our weight and be smart about how we're doing it. Just how it's important not to starve yourself, it's important not to increase your mileage too soon. We didn't become obese overnight, we're not going to lose our weight overnight.
Just please be careful as you're trying to increase your walking volume. The last thing that any of us need is to get hurt. If we get hurt - we can't walk, and it's going to be that much tougher to drop our weight.
One last thing. It's VERY important to stretch before and after you walk, try to make this a habit. When you stretch, hold your stretches - don't bounce. Try to hold each stretch for at least 20 seconds. Here's a link to some basic stretches that will benefit anyone that's walking on a regular basis: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1565
Good luck, everyone! Keep walking off those calories! :happy:
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Replies
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Thanks for that comment!!!!
Yes, we are a bunch of not so light yet people. Most of us have spend way too much time on the couch eating way too much (I have spend about 30 years like that). I for one had to remind myself that I am not a teenager anymore and it has been over 32 years since I regularly exercised. Please keep in mind that we are carrying a bunch of extra weight and that is though on the joints. For people with joint issues maybe try swimming or water aerobics, if possible. My hubby’s neurosurgeon suggested that to him after a neck fusion surgery, a shoulder surgery and with arthritis in all major joints.
When my hubby and I started we went to the Army wellness center on Fort Hood for some weight loss classes that included exercise and nutrition as well as a check of the patient’s metabolism….. One of the things stuck in my mind was the rule of 10% increase per week when it comes to exercise. The other most important things were: watch what you are drinking (soda etc) and MFP…….
I started walking around 45 min/2.3 miles a day in March. I am now up to 60-90 min and anywhere from 3.5 miles to 5 miles……I judge it by how I feel (mostly my legs) and how the heat is affecting me ….I try and to go out before 9 am or after 7 pm (and yes I have walked with a flashlight before, lol)…..another tip is to drink, drink and drink some more water!!!!!! On the bike I started in April and again with a 30 min at a fairly low resistance (on the bike I started out level 5 out of 20). By now I can do anywhere from 60-90 min, working myself slowly up to a level 10 after stretching….. There are days when I did not get enough sleep the night before and things are harder than on other days. Sometimes once I get going it becomes easier so keep on trucking, but other days I just my 60 min and call it a day……LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!!!!!!
Also I like to do some alternate exercises like swimming, hiking, going out dancing, water aerobics to give my ‘bike muscles’ a break…….
Have a happy and safe Laborday weekend0
