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Sunday 5 December 2010

These Feet Are Made For Walkin'

30 days to a happier, healthier me - day 3




Whenever I feel like exercising, I lie down until the feeling passes.
- Robert Hutchins

I couldn't have said it better myself, Robert, hehe.

One of our favourite, local walking tracks 


I started off well with my exercise plan about six months ago. I wore my pedometer for a few weeks to monitor how many steps I was taking. I was only shy of the 10,000 a day by around 3,000 steps, which works out to about a half an hour walk. Funnily enough, the instructions with the pedometer suggested that an average day plus a few extra steps here and there and a 30 minute walk, should do the trick. But of course, I wanted to try finding a way around it, LOL! You can read KB's tips on easy ways to reach your 10,000 steps a day here. Shame I can't take my own advice, hehe.


I was reading an interesting book about womens' health and it suggested looking at walking not as exercise, but as a chance to get out in the fresh air on your own to think and meditate on your life. Sounds much better than exercising. Changing my frame of mind about these things has helped me heaps. The funny thing is, once I get out there, I love it. Coco usually has me giggling about something within no time, I listen to embarrassing pop music (without fear of mockery from Mr Whitesnake), come up with writing ideas and inspiration for life in general
 
The reason my walking is so sporadic is because vigorous exercise brings on similar symptoms to a panic attack. In the past, when I was out on a long hike, I would experience shortness of breath, rapid heart beat etc and I thought I was going to have a heart attack, when in fact, I was fine and experiencing a panic attack. Sounds so silly when I write it down but it can be a terrifying experience. Whenever I reach for my walking shoes, there's the fear in the back of my mind of having a panic. My walking went by the way side AGAIN after I had a big panic about a month ago. Time to get back into it. Actually, walking is one of the best things I can do for myself when I feel anxious but the thought of going walking can sometimes bring on anxiety. Bit of a vicious cycle with me but I shall keep plodding on.  My plan is to go for at least one 30 min walk this week and increase by one walk per week, until I'm walking 4 times a week. I plan to walk a steep track twice a week to really get my heart pumping.
 
Wish me luck!
 
Love KB
xxx

P.S. Still on track with day 2 of my plan...I've already had one alcohol free day for the week (my week starts Thursday - don't ask) and just one tipple last night. Go me!

Read more about 30 days to a happier, healthier me here.

11 comments:

  1. Missy - I love it when you write ramblin comments like this. Your advice will really help, next time I have a bit of a panic, I will imagine you breathing into a bag as if in child birth and LOL!

    Love ya
    x

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  2. I need to get out and exercise. I use the weather as my excuse. It is too hot. It is too cold. It is too wet.

    It is too far away from the keyboard, that's what it is!

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  3. I need to do so much more exercise myself but it is difficult to remain focussed and motivated and if you were to throw in a fear with that, it would become almost impossible. Panic attacks can be very frightening & the symptoms very scary. I have experienced them myself when my son was very sick and although I have not had any for many years, I do remember what they feel like.
    Maybe adding another purpose to you walking, such as photography & driving to different destinations for your walk will alleviate some of the anxiety from your walk.I don't know, it's just and idea.

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  4. KB: Michelangelo looked at a large block of marble, saw a statue inside, and chipped away at the stuff that did not belong. It is not a bad plan for all aspects of life.

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  5. Good luck with your exercise plan.

    I'm having difficulty visiting you because there seems to be something on your blog which shuts my laptop down, sorry. :(

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  6. Best of luck my friend:)

    cheers

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  7. Quilly - sounds familiar.

    Katherine - I listened to your advice and took my camera with me. I had fun!

    JJ - small steps.

    Ake - sorry to hear that. I wonder why that is?

    David - it's already done. Yay!

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  8. Babe you are truly a Diamond Geezer......XXXX

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  9. Missy - hehe.

    WS - thanks babe xxxx

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  10. Good luck you can do it.
    I imagine the panic as the devil on your shoulder trying to put you down and to conquer him you must ignore him and show him you can do it :O)

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  11. That's a good way to think of it.

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