| 4.0 NOW YOU’RE ON YOUR WAY -
WALKING.
This is what you’ve been waiting for. Again be kind to
your muscles, ligaments and tendons. Warm up gently and stretch before you get going and
then cool down and stretch when you finish.
If you haven’t been doing regular exercise then reward
yourself for each achievement, I mean it, be generous to yourself because the new habits
you are creating are going to be generous to you for the rest of your life. Generous to
you by accessing more energy and vitality, less illness, freedom to really express
yourself and enjoy life to the fullest, you may as well. Be responsible in your generosity
… lunch out with a friend at a good food restaurant, buy yourself a new sports top or
walking shoes, enjoy a relaxing massage or facial, book a holiday at a health retreat or
spa. Remember to find it @ www.yourhealthyplanet.com .
I want you to realise you are investing in your
future health and wellbeing … every dollar you spend on preventative
health for you and your family can save up to $100 in health costs.
So the distinctions to focus on in your walking program are:
Walk EVERY MORNING for the next 30 days to
create the HABIT. Get support from a friend, relative or invest in a coach. Relate to it
as if your life depends on it. It probably does. Have your 30 day chart posted in a
conspicuous place to ensure your comments are recorded everyday.
Walk AT A PACE that has you GENTLY PUFFING YET ALLOWS
YOU TO TALK. There is no need to measure heart rate unless you really want to. If
you are puffing too much to talk comfortably then just slow down. You will develop a real
sense of knowing when you are working fast enough, so keep the pace up and back off when
your puffing too much, then pick up the pace a bit until you feel its right. Walk with a
friend or friends of similar fitness level if you can. Form your own local group or call
FTW & T to contact a neighbourhood group. Remember this is for your health and
wellbeing, not your dogs, your mums or anyone else’s.
Walk for a MINIMUM OF 20 - 30 MINUTES.
Remember you are creating the habit of healthy lifestyle … your not in a race to get
anywhere, there are no prises for walking 50 minutes on your second day except the
possibility of sore muscles. Trust me, that’s no prize!
COOL DOWN & STRETCH
This is another part of being kind to your muscles, ligaments
and tendons. For the last 3 to 5 minutes of your walk slow down and ‘shake it out a
bit’. When you arrive back home or to the start point stretch again. Flexibility is
as important a part of fitness as your oxygen uptake level. Always stretch to start and at
the finish. If time is critical on a particular day shorten the walk rather than deleting
the stretches. |
