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.

@sueinmn

But I thought you are in Duluth??? Is there more climate change than I realized, or is it "lake effect" - supposedly they can grow here in the Twin Cities, but I don't have a protected spot...
I'll walk today between (very welcome) rain showers - too warm and humid to put on a rain jacket.
Sue

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I am in Rochester, perhaps the tree was protected enough by the other ditch trees growing there.
Rain and cloudy here today, however I need to clean (not my favorite, but some steps) and then I hope to get my walk in later.

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@jude07

I am in Rochester, perhaps the tree was protected enough by the other ditch trees growing there.
Rain and cloudy here today, however I need to clean (not my favorite, but some steps) and then I hope to get my walk in later.

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Beautiful magnolia! Interesting time for such a bloom, isn't it? Of course, we have gobs of magnolias in the south and I am a southern girl, but I don't remember seeing them this close to cold weather? How far north do they grow? Is it a true magnolia tree like we have in the south? Have many? Wonderful flower, wonderful fragrance, beautiful but really messy & huge leaves, love the tree shape and fullness. Teach me more about your tree, please!

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@ess77

Beautiful magnolia! Interesting time for such a bloom, isn't it? Of course, we have gobs of magnolias in the south and I am a southern girl, but I don't remember seeing them this close to cold weather? How far north do they grow? Is it a true magnolia tree like we have in the south? Have many? Wonderful flower, wonderful fragrance, beautiful but really messy & huge leaves, love the tree shape and fullness. Teach me more about your tree, please!

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I just read that the magnolia can grow in Zone 4 and near Lake Superior. So, perhaps there are more in our region, however I might expect that it would be the exception.
Clouds and grey day here, so I won’t be waiting for the sun to take my walk. Enjoy yours!!!

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@jude07

I just read that the magnolia can grow in Zone 4 and near Lake Superior. So, perhaps there are more in our region, however I might expect that it would be the exception.
Clouds and grey day here, so I won’t be waiting for the sun to take my walk. Enjoy yours!!!

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Jude, today is a quiet day for me. Still dealing with mold toxicity and breathing issues, so staying calm....hopefully. will play with the bird feeders, put out more seed and figure out how to make the pesky squirrels happy. What fun it is!
Need to water everything, including cleaning the birdbath, so will get in a few steps.

Blessings and enjoy your walk. Elizabeth

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@ess77
Hey there Lizzy,
You hit the nail on the head about being messy. The flowers are nice but I think the underside of the leaves are ugly. Ugly brown, looks like they are dying. Wouldn't have one myself!!!
You said “today is a quiet day for me” I'm certainly not doubting the word of the fine lady you are but I do find that somewhat hard to believe.
I only walked 1.1 miles yesterday and that was mostly back and forth to the garbage can. I'm cleaning out my garage or at least attempting too so I can put my car in there. It looks like I'm a hoarder. Hopefully I can hit 2 miles or more today.
Anyone else’s neck hurt them after they walk a certain distance? Mine kills me. Even my cure-all candy doesn't help and I overdid it yesterday, I had an Uno, Hershey's, Snickers, Kit Kat, Payday, bag of Carmel M&M’s & a Reeses,(always check the bottoms for Almond moth larva) they taste horrible, so much for my unadventurous taste buds @imallears! Then I hear the ice cream truck, guess you know the end of this story.
Jake

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@jakedduck1

Hey there Willy Wonka,

Almond larva aside....there are several causes for neck pain after walking. I was taught to walk properly years ago although I am not mindful generally of how I walk (and I do almost daily).

Your stride may be off...you may be taking a longer step with one leg than the other legs and this puts the muscles in your body out of alignment.

You may be looking down at the ground too much or slouching while walking.

Try keeping your head up and shoulders back. Don’t take long strides and try to keep them even (I see people who lunge when walking). Swing your arms (that kind of comes naturally).
Be mindful of your posture and walk almost in a military style..heel first....like you have a purpose , eyes straight ahead as much as possible. It’s not casual walking...it’s exercise and you don’t have to walk fast.

I find that way of walking very energetic and I lapse into casual walking if someone comes along and starts to chat.

PS...You ate enough chocolate for a week...shaking my finger at you from across the country.

FL Mary

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@imallears

@jakedduck1

Hey there Willy Wonka,

Almond larva aside....there are several causes for neck pain after walking. I was taught to walk properly years ago although I am not mindful generally of how I walk (and I do almost daily).

Your stride may be off...you may be taking a longer step with one leg than the other legs and this puts the muscles in your body out of alignment.

You may be looking down at the ground too much or slouching while walking.

Try keeping your head up and shoulders back. Don’t take long strides and try to keep them even (I see people who lunge when walking). Swing your arms (that kind of comes naturally).
Be mindful of your posture and walk almost in a military style..heel first....like you have a purpose , eyes straight ahead as much as possible. It’s not casual walking...it’s exercise and you don’t have to walk fast.

I find that way of walking very energetic and I lapse into casual walking if someone comes along and starts to chat.

PS...You ate enough chocolate for a week...shaking my finger at you from across the country.

FL Mary

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@imallears
Jeez, I’m guilty of doing everything wrong. I guess I knew that. Since coming out of my longest coma, I've never walked right. When walking on a sidewalk I go from the yards out to the street. I always weave from side to side. I make a drunk person look sober. My arms don't swing either which my doctor thought might be a sign of a neuromuscular condition but thankfully Neuro said “no.” And my posture is atrocious. Looks like I'm doomed. The Physical Therapist said learning to walk correctly after so long is going to be a challenge, especially with numb feet if possible at all. Not very encouraging. If on a rare occasion I do walk straight or somewhat straight since everything else is off my stride probably is too. I'm still planning to go to therapy even if I can only correct one thing.
Inch by inch anything's a cinch.
Jake

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@jakedduck1

@imallears
Jeez, I’m guilty of doing everything wrong. I guess I knew that. Since coming out of my longest coma, I've never walked right. When walking on a sidewalk I go from the yards out to the street. I always weave from side to side. I make a drunk person look sober. My arms don't swing either which my doctor thought might be a sign of a neuromuscular condition but thankfully Neuro said “no.” And my posture is atrocious. Looks like I'm doomed. The Physical Therapist said learning to walk correctly after so long is going to be a challenge, especially with numb feet if possible at all. Not very encouraging. If on a rare occasion I do walk straight or somewhat straight since everything else is off my stride probably is too. I'm still planning to go to therapy even if I can only correct one thing.
Inch by inch anything's a cinch.
Jake

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@jakedduck1

That's a bummer. Ask the PT if you should continue to walk if your neck is hurting. Maybe he has a suggestion just for that or some neck exercises (which I do). Walking is so good for everything I would hate to see you stop even if you do look like a drunken sailor lol. You are not doomed.

I know you like milk chocolate and apparently there is an outfit in Maryland making chocolate covered cicadas...they are using an air fryer to make them crispy. One thing I won't eat are insects...thought you might want to order some since it IS chocolate.

Let us know how therapy if progressing when you start..I am a big fan of PT in general.

FL Mary

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@imallears

@jakedduck1

That's a bummer. Ask the PT if you should continue to walk if your neck is hurting. Maybe he has a suggestion just for that or some neck exercises (which I do). Walking is so good for everything I would hate to see you stop even if you do look like a drunken sailor lol. You are not doomed.

I know you like milk chocolate and apparently there is an outfit in Maryland making chocolate covered cicadas...they are using an air fryer to make them crispy. One thing I won't eat are insects...thought you might want to order some since it IS chocolate.

Let us know how therapy if progressing when you start..I am a big fan of PT in general.

FL Mary

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@imallears
Chocolate covered bugs? I think I'll save the cicadas for when I become a little more senile. Okay, you right, my taste buds are unadventurous. I'd have to be pretty well snockered before eating bugs although we'd be amazed how many bugs or parts we do consume in everyday foods.
I'm a big fan of PT too provided I'm not the participant. But I guess it's time to bite the bullet, I wonder if they come in chocolate, filled with Carmel and a sprinkle of salt. If I have to bite the bullet it might as well be tasty!!!
Jake

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@jakedduck1

@ess77
Hey there Lizzy,
You hit the nail on the head about being messy. The flowers are nice but I think the underside of the leaves are ugly. Ugly brown, looks like they are dying. Wouldn't have one myself!!!
You said “today is a quiet day for me” I'm certainly not doubting the word of the fine lady you are but I do find that somewhat hard to believe.
I only walked 1.1 miles yesterday and that was mostly back and forth to the garbage can. I'm cleaning out my garage or at least attempting too so I can put my car in there. It looks like I'm a hoarder. Hopefully I can hit 2 miles or more today.
Anyone else’s neck hurt them after they walk a certain distance? Mine kills me. Even my cure-all candy doesn't help and I overdid it yesterday, I had an Uno, Hershey's, Snickers, Kit Kat, Payday, bag of Carmel M&M’s & a Reeses,(always check the bottoms for Almond moth larva) they taste horrible, so much for my unadventurous taste buds @imallears! Then I hear the ice cream truck, guess you know the end of this story.
Jake

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Hey, Jake - I get a pain in my neck when walking sometimes too. It usually means I haven't stretched before I got started. If it happens, I try to stop and lean on something and do a bit of stretching.

Today my "walk" was back and forth in my daughter's newly purchased old home - taking all the woodwork out to the garage for cleaning & painting, installing locks, putting stuff together... ttomorrow may be more of the same before the deep cleaners come in, or it will be gardening in my own yard - so many choices this time of year!

I am determined to sneak in a short walk to the local eagle's nest early in the morning, though.
Sue

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