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

Another "yard walking" day - only 8500 steps, but I finished setting up the teepee for the beans and cucumbers to climb (and the kids to play under.) Then I set a few more pavers around the pond, and began leveling the ground and setting the decorative stone. One more session ought to do the trick.
Tomorrow my Texas "bestie" is coming to play & stay - she only lives 30 miles away in summer, but we do sleepovers so nobody needs to drive after dark (or an adult beverage or two) - we'll walk, visit, eat out and have a day at the lake on Sunday with my husband and daughter for Father's day. The paddleboards, lawn chairs and grill are ready to load into the car. The county park has miles of walking trails too.

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@sueinmn. Kudos to you for another great 'yard walking" day. You are a busy beaver. Have a great time with friends and family. I drove my sister around to many locations today and got some walking and talking in. Also went to PT.

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@becsbuddy

@cb3. Be sure to tell her about this group and what goal, YOU as a member, want to set. So, how many minutes do you think that you are capable of?

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@becsbuddy. I told my PT about this group but she is concentrating on helping me get out of pain. I need to go back to Leslie Sansones and her Miracle Miles walking plans. I have her DVDs and I have bookmarked several Youtube walking routines of hers. Her timing is impeccable and I love her routines. If I can make it through a mile with Leslie, I'll try walking outside. But it's getting in the triple digits here and I'll need to walk very early in the morning. It's a plan that's in my thoughts. I'm getting there.

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@sueinmn
ONLY 8,500 steps? I'm ashamed to admit how long it takes me to walk that far. Since getting out of the hospital and old folks home I've been having PT 5 days a week but I need to get out and walk but I need to be motivated.
Take care,
Jake

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Thanks for this walking group!
I heard about this the other day. You?
FLANEURING-google it! (I initially included a link, but my message was rejected because of the link). It's a French term for mindful, meditative walking.

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On January 1, 2023 I set a daily goal of walking at least 8,000 steps. This year my daily count has been around 8,400 steps. I live in Southern Arizona and our daily temps have been over a 100 degrees for the last couple of weeks. It’s dry heat, I know, but I can only last a few minutes under the blazing sun. Luckily, I work on a university campus and have a building next to where my office is where I can walk during my lunch hour. This building has several floors of study rooms, so it’s quiet and doesn’t have too many students this time of the year to slow down my walks. I have to bring a sweater to keep myself from freezing - the AC is always running there. I am so grateful that I can get my steps in even when it’s so hot outside!

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@jakedduck1

@sueinmn
ONLY 8,500 steps? I'm ashamed to admit how long it takes me to walk that far. Since getting out of the hospital and old folks home I've been having PT 5 days a week but I need to get out and walk but I need to be motivated.
Take care,
Jake

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Leonard, I wouldn't say this to just anyone, but you do have a weird sense of humor like mine.
Hire someone to chase you!
😂

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@shan2400

Thanks for this walking group!
I heard about this the other day. You?
FLANEURING-google it! (I initially included a link, but my message was rejected because of the link). It's a French term for mindful, meditative walking.

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@shan2400 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! Glad that you joined our walking group. I like your term ‘flaneuring’. Are you French? If you aren’t used to lots of walking, I included Mayo Clinic’s get started program.
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/get-walking-with-this-12-week-walking-schedule/. If you’re a long time walker, just join in the conversations with the others.

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I approve. count me in 🙂 walking/exercise in general has significant mental health benefits too!!

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@sueinmn
That's hilarious. There's probably lots of people that would gladly chase me if they knew where I was in hopes they would catch me which wouldn't be hard. I couldn't beat a snail. It's 9:30 pm but I’m going to go for a walk now but it won't be as impressive as your 8,500. I need to borrow your grandkids. I'm sure that would put the steps on quickly.
Thanks for the laugh!
Jake

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Let me add a suggestion to daily walking program @becsbuddy suggestion. Pick up some litter.

I try to walk every day at a nearby park, I wear gloves and take a plastic bag with to pick up litter during walk.
Might be candy wrappers, fast food bags, plastic bottles, anything that does not belong there.

I like to think it makes a small difference to the next person who uses the park.

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