Let’s Go Walking! Join me for a virtual walking support group

Posted by Becky, Volunteer Mentor @becsbuddy, Feb 19, 2020

Many of you living with cancer or an autoimmune disease, like me, deal with daily fatigue. You know that exercise is so important to your health, but it’s so hard. There’s always an excuse: it’s too cold or hot, it’s going to rain or it’s raining, or it’s snowy and icy, or I just don’t want to. I, too, have all these excuses, but I have a new rescue dog who wants to go out and who doesn’t care about my excuses! And I’ve got traction devices for my boots.Now I just need a walking group who will keep me accountable. People who say, ‘let’s go for a walk.'

And I thought: What about my virtual friends on MayoClinicConnect?

Mayo Clinic has an easy 12-week walking program to get us started! Here’s the link:
- Get walking with this 12-week walking schedule https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/get-walking-with-this-12-week-walking-schedule/

So let’s form a virtual walking group. We can agree to walk every day and encourage each other through Connect. We can walk outdoors, in a mall, or in the red center, or in the hallways of our apartment building.

Who’s in? Who’s going to join me?

Come on, Let’s Go Walking!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Jane | @darlingtondoll | Apr 9, 2020

In reply to @jakedduck1 "@funcountess Remember the beanie baby craze? That’s where my user name came from the duck was..." + (show)

I didn’t know that these had any value. Hmmm... This is my sea otter. I used to do research on sea otters for the Monterey Bay Aquarium in the 1980s and a friend bought me this sea otter beanie.

mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | Apr 9, 2020

Many moons ago during the prime of beanie babies days, there was a promotional open house in the shopping center where I worked. I won a raffle (only $1.00) and won a dozen beanie babies! Somebody offered me alot of money for them then but they were so cute I didn't want to sell them. Now that I have a grandchild, I'll give them to him.

Leonard | @jakedduck1 | Apr 9, 2020

@becsbuddy
Oops, We got derailed again. Becky & Colleen are going to have our heads. Sorry kids, I keep forgetting what thread I’m in which is easy to do once we get off topic.
I think I’ll take the day off from walking, I don’t want to risk becoming obsessive compulsive.
Jake

pollyanne | @pollyanne | Apr 9, 2020

In reply to @fiesty76 "OMGoodness, Pollyanne!! You can do the splits????? I'm in total Awe." + (show)

@fiesty76 Well it isn't as easy as it used to be but I checked again yesterday after my walk and I could still do them.
By the way for whoever it was that was asking about stretching, it is best to stretch after you have exercised or at least after a warm up. You are in more danger of pulling or injuring something if you stretch without warming up first. I do a routine after I walk each day.

Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Apr 9, 2020

Behind on my walking today - just a short walk after the weekly 6:30am grocery run, then it got too hot. Will go out this evening and do some more.
Sue

fiesty76 | @fiesty76 | Apr 9, 2020

In reply to @jakedduck1 "@becsbuddy Oops, We got derailed again. Becky & Colleen are going to have our heads. Sorry..." + (show)

Jake, I've heard of and given some pretty outlandish excuses but becoming ocd from too much walking??? Lets both take a day off to discuss it! LOL

pollyanne | @pollyanne | Apr 9, 2020

Me too @sueinmn I am going in a minute. I had energy yesterday but today my energy is down. It feels good once I get going. I like the peace without TV or my husband. We are all having to spend so much time together. I'm sure there will be more divorces at the end of this.

imallears | @imallears | Apr 9, 2020

In reply to @pollyanne "@fiesty76 Well it isn't as easy as it used to be but I checked again yesterday..." + (show)

@polllyanne
Hi,
I will have to disagree with you about stretching if you, as I am, are in the habit of stretching every single day...walk or not. Stretching is a big part of my gym class and I stretch throughout the day and first thing in the morning routinely. If you are not use to walking, I would still advise light gentle stretching. I think this will make you more flexible when you start the walk. and may reduce any injury. Runners do it all the time. Each person is different and it depends on what shape you are in.
The emphasis is on gentle stretching which not everyone knows how to do properly. Once you get use to doing it the right way (you shouldn't be feeling any pain) you can increase the intensity.

FL Mary

imallears | @imallears | Apr 9, 2020

In reply to @pollyanne "Me too @sueinmn I am going in a minute. I had energy yesterday but today my..." + (show)

@pollyanne
More divorces and probably more babies too lol. The humidity is back here in Fl which really puts a drag on a good brisk walk. I left at 7:25 this morning and was so glad to be back in the AC 45 minutes later. I also think a lot of this staying home and sitting more actually makes you more tired some days. I know the heat here can be a killer for me. I'll probably leave earlier and earlier until this is over. This is the time of year I usually opt for a gym treadmill on days I don't have classes or before a class. I'm a NY transplant and miss the seasons. We only have 3 seasons...hot....coolish and occasionally cold.

FL Mary