How to Begin an Effective Walking Program (Part 1)

Want to get started on an exercise program but haven’t done any exercising for a while, or ever?

Try walking!

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of a walking program, like—

Social benefits
Brain health
Heart health
Toning and weight loss
and, best of all, Mental health—Getting Outside in Nature and Fresh Air!

We’ll cover the benefits in more detail in future posts. But today we’ll look at how to get a walking program started.

First things first—

If you’re just starting a walking program, what do you think you first need to consider?

If you said your conditioning level, you’d be partially correct. But we’ll cover that point next week.

The first things you need to consider are:

Where you’ll be walking; and
What equipment you’ll need.

Equipment? Yup. Those shoes you’ll put on your walking feet.

One of my specialties in sports medicine was the biomechanics of the lower extremities. A fancy title for how the hips, thighs, knees, legs, ankles and feet work together when moving, or ambulating, to be exact, on a surface. I would observe you walking across a floor or on a treadmill and discern where you had a biomechanical problem in any of those areas that might cause injuries in a particular joint or body part.

One of the courses sparking my interest in this area was the conference “When Your Foot Hits the Ground, Everything Changes!” And it’s so true! Your gait can cause a chain reaction that spreads clear up to the spine, trunk and shoulders. And neck and head.

I can’t stop evaluating people’s movements. It’s automatic for me to mentally assess everyone I see out on the road running or walking. I cringe when I see people running (or some version you’d try to describe as running) and know they’d be better off physically and efficiency-wise walking rather than doing what they’re doing. It makes me shudder to see them move. And my brain automatically compiles a list of all of the physical problems they must have, or will likely have from their efforts.

First—What’s your training surface?

This is one of the first things a knowledgeable sales person will ask you. What do you plan to use your shoes for? Running, walking, cross-training, etc.

And you need to know what kind of surface you plan to train on.

Will it be asphalt, packed dirt, a combination, inside track, treadmill? Your surface will decide the shoe tread and style.

For example, I’m training to walk the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage path in France and Spain. It covers a range of surfaces, including asphalt, hard packed dirt and other assorted surfaces, if I wander off the main path. My first choice would be trail running/walking shoes. Why? Because they have great, nubby soles that grip uneven surfaces. They’re good for day hikes on mountain paths and trail running.

But those great little grabby nubbies will quickly break down on asphalt. For asphalt, I’d need a road shoe. So I may carry both with me.

Sound indulgent? For me, it’s critical. My feet are so beaten up and broken down from gymnastics and dance that I need shoes that will go the distance (and surface) for me. And because of my flat feet, plantar fasciitis and pronation-supination problems, I have to be really picky. My shoe choice is an Altra.

I fell in love with my Altra trail shoes, with their wide toe boxes that let my toes splay out, wiggle and breathe. I violated my own rules with them, though, and wore them everywhere, so they broke down quickly, and I have to buy another pair. This time, though, I’ll be buying both the trail and road models. And I’m also training in Keen hiking boots that have a lower ankle profile, since I don’t like the high ankle style. It’s too constricting for me. My older son swears by the higher ankle, though. The takeaway?

Get the type of shoes you need and feel comfortable in!

FYI: I DO NOT get any money from Altra shoes for recommending them. There are a lot of good shoes out there. Do your research, go to a good store, a store focused on runners and walkers and outdoor enthusiasts is best, although I wouldn’t recommend Big 5. While I have purchased shoes there (they often sell last year’s models at reduced prices), I know what I’m looking for. But I have my doubts about whether their sales staff is knowledgeable enough about shoes to make a good recommendation, or fit you properly.

I’m a REI shopper. Their staff is knowledgeable and helpful! Summit Hut would be another great place to go too. But in either case, I do not recommend purchasing shoes online, unless you’ve already tried them on in a store, or you’re re-ordering a shoe you know works for you!

Then—what shoes to buy!

When a patient came in to see me, one of the first things I did was evaluate their shoes.

Were they wearing running shoes or shoes made for walking or tennis, or just casual strolling?
What did the wear patterns on the bottom of their shoes tell me about their gate or issues they might have?
Did they need orthotics or “posting” in their shoes to help alleviate stressors?

And the big question?

Had they outworn their shoes? Had their shoes broken down to a point where they needed to be trashed and new shoes purchased. Take Note! A typical exercise shoe, if worn daily, will last you only 3 -5 months (although some manufacturers claim a longer period). Ask the sales person how many miles you could expect to put on the shoe before having to replace it. That will give you a better idea of how long they’ll last. But don’t balk at buying an expensive shoe. This piece of equipment is critical to your physical health! A fact most people never think about.

What shoe is right for you?

Shoes are usually built on what is called a last—a mechanical form having the same shape or form as a human foot. Back when I was in practice, most shoes were built on a man’s last, meaning everyone—male and female—had shoes built primarily for a man, with only minor modifications made. Yuck!

Today, women’s shoes are built on a women’s last (thank goodness!). And you have a wide variety from which to choose! (That can be a challenge just by itself!)

So the first thing you need to do is buy the right shoes! And to buy the right shoes, you need to make a few notes about what kind you need.

First, decide whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, advanced or extreme exerciser. Your answer will help in selecting the shoe that’s best for your ability level.

And PLEASE don’t plan to wear the shoes you’ve had in your closet for years, or the ones you use to clean up the backyard. Your feet change over the years, and you need shoes that accommodate that change. Do you have flat feet that need more support? Do you have high arches that need a ton of support? Do your feet roll inward when you walk? Does your forefoot roll outward when you push off?

Spend some time watching yourself walk, by walking toward a big mirror at a gym or at home. Watch your feet, how they move. Have someone stand behind you and watch you walk forward. What do they see? Write it down. Then take that information with you to a GOOD shoe store, one where the sales staff understands shoes and styles and customer needs, and don’t just try to sell you the “latest and greatest” and priciest model.

Try them on with the socks you plan to wear. Run around the floor with them on. Jump up and down. Don’t pick out the cheapest just because they’re cheap. Plan to spend some money and pick out comfortable shoes that do what you need them to do.

Your feet—and the rest of your body—will be so happy you did!

And take care of those shoes!

You’ll make a big investment in your footwear, so take care of your shoes so they can take care of you.

Lace them correctly!
Unlace them when removing them, instead of stepping on them with the opposite foot to yank them off. You’ll break down the back of the shoe.
Remove the liners/arch supports, if they come with them, to air out.
Keep them clean and remove the rocks and pebbles that might lodge in the treads.
Know how your shoes should be cleaned and clean them properly.
Don’t squash them in your bag or suitcase. Make sure they have room so they won’t get broken down when packed.

For those of you who would like to get a jumpstart on researching shoes, here’s a link to a great article in “The Strategist.” It lists some of what they think are the best running, training and workout shoes available for women and why. (They even have tips for beginners.) You can find good shoe recommendations for men on their site too.

Have fun shoe shopping!

http://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-running-shoes-workout-shoes-women.html

NEXT WEEK—we’ll talk about the progression of a good (effective) walking program and how to get the most benefit from it. I’ll give you some tips to avoid injuries and even cover why a walking program may not be good for you.

Until then,

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

How to Forgive What You Can NEVER Forget

“On the day I forgave my father, my life began.”

—Pat Conroy

Do you find it hard to forgive what you can’t forget? Do you think you need to forget in order to fully forgive? Do you think you must automatically trust and reconcile once you’ve forgiven someone?

These are just some of the hard questions Dr. David Stoop covers in his priceless little book Forgiving What You’ll NEVER Forget. I picked it up in the Midway airport in Chicago while suffering through a ten-hour flight delay. (Now I’m sort of thankful for the delay!)

For those of you unfamiliar with Dr. Stoop, he is a clinical psychologist who can be regularly heard on New Life Live radio program. He founded the Center for Family Therapy in Newport Beach, California and is an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary.

The back cover blurb says:

“Forgiveness is an essential part of being a Christian, but that doesn’t make it easy. What do we do when confronted with the unforgivable—an act that shakes our moral foundations to their roots, often committed by someone trusted and loved? Murder, sexual, abuse, adultery—all leave lifelong wounds. Thankfully, they are all trespasses that, through the grace of God, can be forgiven.

“Dr. David Stoop compassionately guides you down a biblical road, from the pain of bitter hurt to the peace found only in heartfelt forgiveness, even for the worst of offenses. In doing so, he opens up the way for you to experience the freedom that forgiveness brings.”

So just how do you forgive the unforgivable?

I think most of us have asked ourselves that question at one point, or many, in our lives. If you’re a follower of Christ, you feel obligated or moved by compassion and love of our Savior to forgive. If you’re not a believer, you might be more moved to get even or stay angry. Forever.

The 160-page, almost pocket-sized book contains chapters on—

Apology Not Accepted—including the definition of forgiveness, the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, and when it’s difficult to consider forgiveness
Myths and Truths about Forgiveness—this chapter includes some great questions to determine where you fall on the forgiveness spectrum and understanding common fallacies and myths about forgiveness
A Radical Forgiveness—this covers the history of God’s forgiving nature throughout Scripture, including the Old Testament and a comparison of Jewish and Christian teachings on forgiveness; and Christians’ tendency toward conditional forgiveness.
Choosing to Forgive—Stoop discusses the false paths of denial and bitterness we sometimes take. He also covers self-blame, obsession with the event, depression and shame along with seeking revenge and withdrawing. And he talks about the potential dangers of denial.
The Path of Forgiveness—Interestingly enough, forgiving often involves a path that looks like the five stages of grief, with grief, anger, sadness, action steps to achieve forgiveness, exploring the possibility of reconciliation, and then learning to trust again, which can be a huge obstacle for some to overcome.
Forgiving Ourselves—This issue can be tough for a couple of reasons: sometimes we don’t think about doing it; and, sometimes our standards are higher than God’s.
A Step Beyond Forgiveness—This chapter contains some amazing stories on the power of forgiveness and prayer—to move toward forgiving someone who really doesn’t deserve it, binding and loosening sins, and being freed from bitterness. It’s about stepping out beyond what you thought, and knew, were humanly possible to see God’s power work in and through you to change lives.
The Benefits of Forgiveness—There are numerous benefits received when you forgive, including physical, emotional, relational and spiritual benefits.

Dr. Stoop wraps up the book by addressing some of the most common questions asked about forgiveness.

This little gem is a short read, but not necessarily an easy one. It could rekindle some pain and bitter memories you wanted to keep dormant. It could challenge your beliefs and behavior. It could move you to positive action. But if you work through the questions at the end of each chapter, and put into practice what the author counsels, I know you’ll feel free!

Forgiving What You’ll NEVER Forget is available on Amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle editions and on barnesandnoble.com.

Until next week,

May your heart and mind be lightened by forgiveness!

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Why Knowing Your Resting and Exercise Heart Rate is Critical to Good Health

What do you know about your resting and exercise heart rate? What should you know? Were you able to get an idea of what your normal resting heart rate is when you established some baselines for your vitals a couple of weeks ago? (See April 4^th’s post: Welcome to Workout Wednesdays! http://andreaarthurowan.com/2018/04/04/welcome-to-workout-wednesdays/admin/ )

Before we get too far down the road with a discussion about heart rate, let’s start with the basics, so we can continue laying those important health and fitness tip brick foundations!

Heart Rate basics—

While you probably know what your resting heart rate measures—how many times your heart beats in a minute—do you know what that number actually tells you about your heart and your health?

Simply put, resting heart rate tells you just how hard your heart is working while at rest to supply your body’s oxygen needs. Just how many times does it have to contract in a minute to squirt blood through the pipes to get your body oxygenated for plain old activities of daily living, or sleeping, or sitting in a chair watching television?

Two more things your resting heart rate can tell you—

Reveal your risk for heart attack, and
Reveal your aerobic capacity—the amount of oxygen your body is able to consume, or the heart’s ability to pump oxygenated blood to your muscles.

As your oxygen supply needs change throughout the day, your heart will speed up or slow down to accommodate those needs. Or at least it should. What is “normal” for you, though, will depend upon your age, gender, and fitness level.

According to a Harvard Women’s Health Watch on-line article titled “What Your Heart Rate is Telling You,” says a 2010 Women’s Health Initiative study report indicated that a lower heart rate in post-menopausal women might protect against heart attacks. Those having a resting heart rate of 76 beats per minute (bpm) or greater were 26% more likely to have a heart attack or die than those having a resting heart rate of 62 bpm or lower.

They recommended having a chat with your doctor if your resting heart rate hovers consistently above 80 bpm. (For further reading, see the link at the bottom of this post.)

It’s also a good idea to take your resting heart occasionally (don’t just rely on a one-time measurement) so you can determine how, and if it’s changing. If you see a sudden change from what’s “normal” for you, it’s a good idea to discuss this with your physician. It may be a symptom or indicator of something going on with your heart or vascular health.

What you need to know about maximum heart rate in exercise—

Your heart rate usually rises during intense workouts, prolonged long-distance (aerobic) exercise workouts, stress and illness. Your heart’s maximum heart rate is the rate at which your heart is working at its hardest to supply oxygen to your body. In exercise, this is the rate that can only be sustained for several minutes.

Your maximum heart rate is a function of that aerobic capacity we already mentioned. When an exercise physiologist measures it, she’ll write in terms of VO₂ max and actually measure the volume of oxygen you move through your lungs during exercise. To get an exact measurement, it’s a complicated, messy process of actually breathing into a tube during exercise, collecting your breath in a bag and then analyzing that volume through a special machine. The more conditioned you are, the higher your VO₂ max usually is.

How do you calculate your maximum exercise heart rate?

Ever go to the gym, hop on a treadmill or stationary bike and see the maximum heart rate formula and exercise intensity graph to indicate where you should be exercising for your age?

The basic formula is: 220 – your age x 50 – 70%

Start with the number 220 and then subtract your age from that. If you’re 40 years old, it will be 180 bpm. So what does that tell you? It tells you that 180 bpm is the highest heart rate number you should obtain while exercising at your maximum level. But you’ve already seen that the maximum level can only be, and should only be, sustained for no more than several minutes.

So, unless you’re planning to exercise for just two to three minutes, how do you decide what heart rate you should be exercising at?

Well, it really depends upon what you’re trying to achieve. We’ll delve into those specifics in a future post, but, in general, you could aim for 50- 70 or 80% of 180. So the formula would look like:

Max HR formula: 220 minus your age multiplied by .50, .60, .70, or .80

If you’re aiming for middle-of-the-road, new exerciser level, that number would come in around 90 bpm. Doesn’t sound very high, does it? But it can be a sound level to aim for if you’re an exercise newbie, or just getting back into the swing of things following an illness.

HOWEVER, that formula is NOT the most accurate or desirable formula if:

—You are in good physical condition.

—You have a low resting heart rate.

So what is the most desirable formula? We’ll explore that in next week’s post, when I’ll give you that critical formula to help you better judge and develop your personal exercise intensity. *

One more (GREAT) reason to strive for a lower heart rate—

If lowering your risk of having or dying of a heart attack isn’t enough, maybe this other finding noted in Harvard’s article might give you a nudge to lower your heart rate.

“… a small controlled trial demonstrated that men and women with mild cognitive impairment who raised their aerobic capacity also improved their performance on tests of memory and reasoning.”

In later posts, you’ll learn more about how physical exercise doesn’t just help the body but improves brain function! And who doesn’t want to have a better, sharper brain?

Trivia Question?

Which athletes are notorious for boasting the highest VO₂ maximum measurements? (You’ll learn the answer next Wednesday!)

Until next time,

Blessings for prosperity in all things—emotional, physical and spiritual!

Andrea

*You should always check with your doctor about what your target heart rate should be if you’re taking medication for a heart condition.

Link: Harvard Health article “What Your Heart Rate is Telling You https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/what-your-heart-rate-is-telling-you

Photos courtesy of Google Images

Welcome to Free-for-All Fridays!

Becoming What You Read, Watch and Hear—It’s All About Worldview

What will you be reading, watching and listening to this weekend? What magazines do you subscribe to? What Book of the Month Club or Goodreads selections do you make? What television shows, or movies, are on your must-watch list?

Does it matter?

I proclaim a resounding “Yes!” It does matter. Very much.

What you read, watch and listen to are just as vital as the spiritual and physical components of a well-balanced life. Why? There are several reasons.

The brain functions like a big camera with permanent film and cataloging capacity. The images you show it are imprinted on the brain. And those images can produce chemicals that cause mood changes, stimulation, and brain chemical alterations. That’s one reason pornography is so insidious and addictive. The images get imprinted and can flashback at any time. And, if responded to, can cause the need for more and more stimulation. Like a drug.

Along the same lines, the brain also functions like a big memory bank for words and music. Music is a powerful one that can alter brain chemistry at the moment of listening. That memory is stored. When the music is heard again, sometime later, those chemicals are dumped into the system again, and the reaction is repeated. That’s one of the reasons music can trigger so many past memories and emotional reactions (like melancholy). Scientists know that repeated, methodical drumming and pounding can change the brain, for the worse. That kind of music really is brain-deadening.

Reading triggers complex thoughts and brain chemical reactions too. What woman hasn’t read a revealing romance novel without having some kind of physical and emotional response during the sex scenes? One thing leads to another, and soon she’s lamenting how her husband isn’t as manly or romantic as the character. Then resentment might creep in, resentment severe enough to affect how she treats her spouse.

In many ways, because women are so word and speech-oriented, I don’t think romance novels or graphic erotica novels are much different for women than pornography is for men, who are visually oriented. Women can replay that detailed, written sex scene in their minds and get the same chemical response as when they first read it.

Taking stock of spent time and how you’re feeding yourself—

Don’t think twice about spending $10 of your hard-earned money to watch an hour and a half of a lame movie, or one rife with sex scenes that would have garnered an X rating thirty years ago? If so, have you ever considered that you’re really just paying someone (the theater, and production company) to be a legal voyeur? A Peeping Tom? If you sneaked a look into someone’s bedroom while they were enjoying intimate relations, you’d be arrested. Why do we think it’s okay, and gratifying, to pay to do it? And sit there with a bunch of strangers watching at the same time?

How many hours do you waste reading magazines about famous people? What they’re doing, how they’re living and treating themselves and one another? Why do we care so much, anyway? Are we that bored with our own lives? Are we trying to live vicariously through them, keep up with them, be like them?

Really why it all matters—

The core reason all this matters is because everything you read, watch or listen to shapes your worldview. And your worldview specifically affects how you live your life—the decisions you make, the way you interpret life and world events. (If you’re unfamiliar with what worldview is, you’ll want to keep reading my blog because we’ll be getting into that specifically in a Meditation Mondays post this month.)

There’s a reason the Apostle Paul wrote:

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9, NKJV).

I LOVE how Eugene Peterson puts this in The Message.

“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work into his most excellent harmonies.”

Sadly, I think one of our greatest problems is that we’ve compromised so much with our lives, given others way too much of our precious, priceless time. We have become so willing to allow ourselves to be fed ugly, worst, un-praiseworthy things that we’ve become immune to the ugly and forgotten what the beautiful is.

Weekend Challenge

Make a deliberate, conscious decision to be really selective about what you read, watch and listen to this weekend. Try turning off the political radio talk shows and turn on some good music.
Better yet, shut off your phone, television and radio and go outside to listen to and watch nature. It’s amazingly entertaining and invigorating. Good for brain, emotional, physical and spiritual health.
Close the magazines and do the above. Don’t even ruffle through the ones at the store checkout lane.
Start counting the hours you read this kind of stuff, in print or on line. You may be surprised at how much of your precious time it steals.

A final word

Before I sign off, I’d like to leave you with a quote from the author Annie Dillard, found in her book The Writing Life.

“The writer…is careful of what he reads, for that is what he will write. He is careful of what he learns, because that is what he will know” (page 68).

Isn’t that true for all of us, no matter what our profession or status. We will know what we have learned, and we will write what we’ve read about.

Choose the best, and watch your life change for the better!

Have a great, inspiring weekend!

Leave a comment on the blog page and let me know how you spent it.

Blessings,

Andrea

May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2).