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Let’s Go Walking! Join me for a virtual walking support group
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!
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That cracks me up! Does the woodshed at least have a window to look out? I can actually use the treadmill if I have something interesting to listen to and a window to look outside and see why I must be indoors!
Sue
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3 Reactions@sueinmn and all...I've never seen a 'green jay', Sue. Hope you get a good picture for us. Is it the same bird as a blue jay, just a color change? Same size, personality, etc? Amazing how marvelous Nature is with the combinations of colors and types of feathered friends. I'm not seeing any migration through here at this point. I usually have wonderful surprises on the return journey. Hope to pick up more on the way down further south.
I've spoken before of the lots of woodpeckers I'm getting. I now have a huge, beautiful Pileated Woodpecker who's become a regular. A couple of days ago, he was here and appears to have a broken beak, about halfway down the top beak, I think. It's really weird looking and I feel so sad for him. I put out a feeder of peanut butter suet balls he was really working on, in a steel tube cage. He worked so hard, turning his head to get to the position to get something inside the beak and mouth. He managed to get some, but I don't think he'll make it. Haven't seen him since. Hopefully, he'll be back today...
My feeders went empty and wet for several days the last weeks with hurricane Ian bringing so much rain and blow to our area. Then, Nicole just came through. We haven't had a hurricane in November since the 30s...even though she was only classified as a 1, we had a lot of damage. Highway A1A South down the coastline along the beach is a major attraction for seeing Eastern Florida. It was injured with IAN, as were the dune and beaches. Our damage this far north came from Nicole, a huge storm lasting several days with a bunch of beach erosion. we lost many homes into the ocean that survived Ian but structurally couldn't handle the Nicole winds. So sad to see.
The winds whipped around my condo, I'm on the end of the building with nothing protecting me from the southern/eastern winds. I had several largeish limbs fall in the front of the unit, lots of blow on the patio, and almost like tornado winds at times. So, all feeders and pots were down and protected for several days and the birds didn't get new food until Friday. Most regulars are back, but not all.
I'm sending some pics of a huge egret who was in front of my car as I waited for my son. He stayed there for several minutes, focused on his building for some reason. Huge! Then flew away...right at the end of the hood...Love it.
Hope all are well. I'll be out walking soon. I'm fighting iron and b12 anemia issues for the last couple of months. Had a few days in the hospital thinking it was a stroke, but it may well be anemia. I've had issues with this for years. Last year got 2 infusions that were fantastic. But, it does appear I can't absorb iron and get it to the organs. Also, having trouble with oxygen absorption, so working on that, too.
Be well and be blessed...elizabeth
Can't believe you've had 90 temps! We've been in the mid '80s for weeks, 70 now with 50 nights.
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3 Reactions@gingerw, and all...What a hoot! I'm with you, mostly, Ginger. I love the outside, but since I don't breathe so well in our humidity and outside walking can be challenging for me due to balance and uneven surfaces, I do love walking inside. But, I prefer the inside, not the woodshed! Don't think I've ever been in a woodshed, actually, Maybe he's telling you something you shouldn't ignore...Does the poor fellow need to go to the woodshed?
Doubtful, but funny thought.
Enjoy the walks...ESS
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2 ReactionsNo @sueinmn, no windows. Just the sliding barn door. We placed screened-in vents near the roofline to allow for ventilation. He told me he thought a treadmill might be more conducive for me getting out and walking, also, because I wouldn't be so concerned with uneven surfaces with my stability issues. I use walking sticks every time, and put on my lightweight hiking shoes for good support. Getting outside, I like to look around, and listen to the world. I figure when the weather turns bad with rain or snow, I can "gerbil walk" in the house! At least we have windows!
Ginger
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3 ReactionsI think the ‘old fashioned’ indoor malls were great for winter walking. Now, they’re all open so everyone freezes. But it seems that malls are a thing of last century. It’s sunny today, but cold, so maybe i can sneak out without the dog!
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2 ReactionsHow do I join and what do I do?
@lidiana Walking is a great exercise for everyone. I included the starting conversation for this group because it has a link to Mayo Clinic’s 12 week walking schedule. If you’re not already a walker, start with Mayo Clinic’s schedule.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lets-go-walking-join-me-for-a-virtual-walking-support-group/
Do you have a favorite place to go walking?
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2 ReactionsI thought that this is the perfect time for all the walkers, runners, and skippers, to share their safety tips for cold, icy, snowy weather walking. I always wear my “ice shoes” or, cleats when I’m out in the snow. They stretch right over my boots and can be removed when i go inside. Mine are called ‘yak’s tracks”. But, if it looks very icy, I just don’t go out. Certainly don’t want to break a hip or my leg!
Has anyone got some more great tips?
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3 ReactionsI like to walk on the sand at the beach 🏝️ ❤️ it helps strengthen my balance and muscles even if it’s now very difficult because of the POTS Dysautonomia or the HSD. Also, it’s just beautiful imagery in my personal opinion 🌼
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2 Reactions@becsbuddy I am not ready to think about ice but what brand or what are "ice shoes"? I need something to walk on ice safely to go out to the car or to the barn after one of our wonderful ice storms. I hope they keep your feet really warm. Also thanks for 12 week walking schedule, I might have to try it.
@ess77, @gingerw I wish I had a place to put a treadmill but it is certainly not the barn (too cold and dirty). I need to start walking more since my balance is getting better using only a cane occ. Getting outside really helps lift your spirits to start the day. We got 1/2" of snow the other night which was gone by 0900. Then this morning we had a couple of hours of snow furries.
Hope you all are fine and staying healthy. KLH
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