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.

@callalloo

I haven't seen any posts on this thread for a bit so am reporting in, as it were. I'm in Florida for annual medical stuff and cardiologist noted a best-ever HDL level despite still-high total cholesterol that I'm working on. She thinks just adding the walking is the reason for better HDL tho' I'm also working on dietary changes.

Current walks include those along the Atlantic Coast as I love to see where the Gulf Stream is with respect to the shore (I'm a sailor) and the color change between ocean blue and Gulf Stream indigo or, on some days, lovely deep cobalt.

I have a formerky-stray cat who's willing to walk on a leash so am working with her on sloooow walks interrupted by frequent distractions and detours when butterflies or squirrels catch her attention. They're not exactly aerobic exercise walks but I'm counting them as part of my resolution anyway as even small things can add up to continued improvement. I hope. I also hope everyone else is doing well and seeing new things to appreciate on daily walks. Anyone else checking in?

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My husband has taken to walking to the post office then taking "the long way home" returning. That makes it .9 miles round trip. Yep, a small town. He has been meeting neighbors he otherwise wouldn't, like the older couple with a car issue, who pays him in homemade pies. I am getting about a half mile a day in.
Ginger

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@callalloo

I haven't seen any posts on this thread for a bit so am reporting in, as it were. I'm in Florida for annual medical stuff and cardiologist noted a best-ever HDL level despite still-high total cholesterol that I'm working on. She thinks just adding the walking is the reason for better HDL tho' I'm also working on dietary changes.

Current walks include those along the Atlantic Coast as I love to see where the Gulf Stream is with respect to the shore (I'm a sailor) and the color change between ocean blue and Gulf Stream indigo or, on some days, lovely deep cobalt.

I have a formerky-stray cat who's willing to walk on a leash so am working with her on sloooow walks interrupted by frequent distractions and detours when butterflies or squirrels catch her attention. They're not exactly aerobic exercise walks but I'm counting them as part of my resolution anyway as even small things can add up to continued improvement. I hope. I also hope everyone else is doing well and seeing new things to appreciate on daily walks. Anyone else checking in?

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My walks in this season are around & through my gardens and those the Master Gardeners maintain for the public - digging, bending, reaching, hauling... the last 3 days I have easily done 4-5 miles - and my body is aware of the labor aspect. On the plus side, my 3 yo grandson loves to help - is learning to use a limb pruner (supervised) then loves to show off his strength hauling branches to the yard waste bin. He also helped Auntie move all the decorative rocks around the pond so we can cover it for winter. In the Spring, the boys get to arrange them again in a pleasing pattern - never the same two years running!
We migrate soon, then we begin our 8 am walks through our bird sanctuary, followed by chair yoga or coffee, depending on the day.

I have fun shoes now that measure my steps!
Sue

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Uh, oh, I have shoe envy now, lol. Am doing my daily wanderings in bright lemon-yellow Crocs. They are also my deck shoe of choice for sailing as they have far superior non-skid qualities to every real deck shoe I've tried. And, if I go overboard, crew can look for bright yellow Croc being waved from the ocean...a lesser consideration that fellow sailor once wryly observed.

Kids call them my ducky feet, ;-).

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I got a dog in the beginning of the year, so I walk with her in the morning five days a week. Today we are taking two international students we are hosting on a hike in the mountains. There is a scenic trail that I like. I can only do part of it before it becomes very difficult for me to climb, so my husband and I will come back. My son will take our international students all the way to the end of the trail. I have three sets of walking sticks for all of us to share to make the hike more manageable.

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@alive

I got a dog in the beginning of the year, so I walk with her in the morning five days a week. Today we are taking two international students we are hosting on a hike in the mountains. There is a scenic trail that I like. I can only do part of it before it becomes very difficult for me to climb, so my husband and I will come back. My son will take our international students all the way to the end of the trail. I have three sets of walking sticks for all of us to share to make the hike more manageable.

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Oh my, yes, the walking sticks - need to pull them out of the trunk of my Prius and put them back in circulation. That walk ,ooks lovely, I hope you enjoy your day.
Sue

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I used to be a race walker. I believe all those years of race walking have helped me now that I am older. Finally my right hip gave out and I had to have it replaced. Not quite back to walking very far yet, but I will get there. By the way, Just had my 88th birthday. Still independent.

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@thisismarilynb

I used to be a race walker. I believe all those years of race walking have helped me now that I am older. Finally my right hip gave out and I had to have it replaced. Not quite back to walking very far yet, but I will get there. By the way, Just had my 88th birthday. Still independent.

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Independent at 88 is wonderful to read about. Kudos to you for whatever you're doing right and your ancestors for likely passing on good genes too.

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@callalloo

Independent at 88 is wonderful to read about. Kudos to you for whatever you're doing right and your ancestors for likely passing on good genes too.

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Thank you very much. Your comment makes me feel very good.

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I’m so happy that I decided to walk today!
Here is a late autumn bonus! Weather is expected to change this weekend.

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So, how is the walking going? The weather is finally palatable here in Georgia and I need the motivation to get moving. Still walking @becsbuddy ?

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