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.

@pollyanne

Yes, it was a great idea especially for those that are not very self motivated. Sometimes it is an effort. I could not find any energy yesterday. I have been having a lot of trouble with my lack of energy lately but I know that a lot of it is my medication. I am walking this morning come hell or highwater.

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@pollyanne I really find that having an activity tracker helps to keep me motivated. My husband makes fun of me for that, but we are all different. I really attempt to make sure I get in a workout a day of at least 30 minutes. That can be walking, my indoor cycle, or any type of exercise.
I have been pushing myself to walk outside but now I realize the impact of walking on pavement is bothering my knees and thighs. I can go for much longer on a treadmill with no after-effects.

@jude07 I did get my biking in last night. My goal is generally 8 miles which I do in 40 minutes. Last night I quit at 35 minutes though.
We are in NH, so the temps are varying from about 40 to in the 70s! One day when it was 50° there was a teenaged girl in her front yard doing gymnastics IN A BIKINI! I got cold just seeing her.

@jakedduck1 I would ship a little loaf to you but it would be stale by the time you got it. I am finding shipping times have gotten a lot longer when I send even a card to my son in CO, it was the same when he was in CA.

@colleenyoung Your mom is doing fabulously. You are like my son is with me. He is so happy that I get exercise now because when he was growing up I did not.
I generally maintain the same pace when I am walking but maybe I should try varying it like that. @retiredteacher made me conscious of that when she started the walking group based on Mayo recommendations but I tend to always want to keep it as fast as I can. Yes, it was I who mentioned reading that for seniors 5000 steps is a more realistic goa.
JK

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Can't join you daily, but I am with you in Spirit. Tried to post a photo of my dog laying by a lake on the golf course. Golfers are gone. Heron is fishing. Canadian geese feeling this would be a great place to hang out! No walkers either. Pax tibi

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Keep your spirit and body strong!

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@jakedduck1

@becsbuddy
I thought you lived in cold weather. What do you consider gorgeous weather, what temperature?
It’s only 56° here and we had about six or eight drops of what they call rain. Tomorrow there’s a flood warning get that.
In this drought ridden desert, get real. A preschooler could give a better weather report.
Jake

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Gee, great weather report, @jakedduck1 . Trying to distract us from our talking about walking, are you? You mentioned chocolate chip cookies for breakfast. If I walk 2 miles tomorrow, will you send me a cookie? And, if you walk, I’ll send you a cookie! Good idea?

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@mayofeb2020

I used to take the number of steps very seriously but then I realized that mileage is more important. I am a petite 5'2 so it would take me more steps than a 6' tall person with a longer stride to walk a mile. I can only use steps to set my goal but in the end my goal is 2.5 to 3 miles a day.

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@mayofeb2020 Granted, a taller person will walk further with the same number of steps, but I have a hunch that the shorter person is exerting an equivalent amount of energy in each step as the taller person, so that is why steps matter. I used to walk the indoor track at my health club and people would pass me who didn't seem to be walking very fast and then I realized that each of their strides was much longer than mine - I am currently 5'2.5". The taller person is probably exerting more energy because they have a larger mass to move but that becomes relative.
The worst part about being short is that it takes far fewer calories to maintain a healthy weight. I envy my 5"10" daughter-in-law.
JK

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@contentandwell

@mayofeb2020 Granted, a taller person will walk further with the same number of steps, but I have a hunch that the shorter person is exerting an equivalent amount of energy in each step as the taller person, so that is why steps matter. I used to walk the indoor track at my health club and people would pass me who didn't seem to be walking very fast and then I realized that each of their strides was much longer than mine - I am currently 5'2.5". The taller person is probably exerting more energy because they have a larger mass to move but that becomes relative.
The worst part about being short is that it takes far fewer calories to maintain a healthy weight. I envy my 5"10" daughter-in-law.
JK

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@contentandwell
“IN A BIKINI” WOW, really! I don’t suppose you took her picture? I wonder if she’d like to move to California?🤞
”I would ship a little loaf to you but it would be stale by the time you got it.”
Actually I'm okay with ”stale” but nowadays we have other options available besides wagon trains.
Well, I made the gruesome decision to go for the dreaded walk today and it took all the courage I had to make that decision. But I’ll go and I’m shooting for 1000 steps and hopefully more and Becky you mentioned if you walked 2 miles I’d send you a cookie but you didn't mention any specific distance I was required to walk to get my prize so @becsbuddy get that cookie in the mail! Sad to have to bribe someone to walk huh?
Jake

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@jakedduck1

@contentandwell
“IN A BIKINI” WOW, really! I don’t suppose you took her picture? I wonder if she’d like to move to California?🤞
”I would ship a little loaf to you but it would be stale by the time you got it.”
Actually I'm okay with ”stale” but nowadays we have other options available besides wagon trains.
Well, I made the gruesome decision to go for the dreaded walk today and it took all the courage I had to make that decision. But I’ll go and I’m shooting for 1000 steps and hopefully more and Becky you mentioned if you walked 2 miles I’d send you a cookie but you didn't mention any specific distance I was required to walk to get my prize so @becsbuddy get that cookie in the mail! Sad to have to bribe someone to walk huh?
Jake

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Hi jakedduck1,
Are you related to Daisy Duck?
Good thing Walt Disney does not see your posts. He would die again.
Did you know he passed away from lung cancer? Your jokes could of killed him sooner.
Just kidding

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@jakedduck1

@contentandwell
“IN A BIKINI” WOW, really! I don’t suppose you took her picture? I wonder if she’d like to move to California?🤞
”I would ship a little loaf to you but it would be stale by the time you got it.”
Actually I'm okay with ”stale” but nowadays we have other options available besides wagon trains.
Well, I made the gruesome decision to go for the dreaded walk today and it took all the courage I had to make that decision. But I’ll go and I’m shooting for 1000 steps and hopefully more and Becky you mentioned if you walked 2 miles I’d send you a cookie but you didn't mention any specific distance I was required to walk to get my prize so @becsbuddy get that cookie in the mail! Sad to have to bribe someone to walk huh?
Jake

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@jakedduck1 Guess, you’ll need to go to this site for your reward—that’s where we talk about food!! https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/recipes-food-tips-healthy-eating-more/
I walked 2.2 miles today! Where is my prize?

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@jakedduck1

@contentandwell
“IN A BIKINI” WOW, really! I don’t suppose you took her picture? I wonder if she’d like to move to California?🤞
”I would ship a little loaf to you but it would be stale by the time you got it.”
Actually I'm okay with ”stale” but nowadays we have other options available besides wagon trains.
Well, I made the gruesome decision to go for the dreaded walk today and it took all the courage I had to make that decision. But I’ll go and I’m shooting for 1000 steps and hopefully more and Becky you mentioned if you walked 2 miles I’d send you a cookie but you didn't mention any specific distance I was required to walk to get my prize so @becsbuddy get that cookie in the mail! Sad to have to bribe someone to walk huh?
Jake

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@jakedduck1 I have found in sending things to my son, it takes about five days often! When my son first moved to CA he wanted me to send him my “famous” ham and cheese braid! I had to explained to him that it would need to be packed in dry ice and shipped express, very prohibitive.
The young woman doing yoga was about 15, Jake. Don’t be a D.O.M.
JK

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@contentandwell

@jakedduck1 I have found in sending things to my son, it takes about five days often! When my son first moved to CA he wanted me to send him my “famous” ham and cheese braid! I had to explained to him that it would need to be packed in dry ice and shipped express, very prohibitive.
The young woman doing yoga was about 15, Jake. Don’t be a D.O.M.
JK

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Wow, that looks so yummmmy!!! No wonder your son wants it. I wish i could bake but flour is a rare commodity here. Yes, Jake, please keep it PG 😊

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