Running and Powerwalking!

Running and Powerwalking!
Get fit with me!

Monday, October 29, 2012

More photos from Kenya





















Track your activity level simply by walking!



Walking is a great activity. It's inexpensive, fairly easy (depending on previous or current injuries) and a convenient way to improve your overall health and well being. It can also enhance your quality of life!

Some people chose to walk as a way to meditate and clear their minds while others like to socialize and spend time with their family and friends.  Either way, increasing your physical activity through walking can help with:

Reducing body fat
Decreasing blood pressure
Decreasing blood glucose levels
Reducing high cholesterol
Bone density
Flexibility
Reducing the risk of heart disease
Osteoarthritis
Improving your mood

It's also a safe activity for pregnant women to do throughout all nine months of pregnancy because there is no jarring of the knees and ankles. It's also a great activity for postpartum mom's to ease back into being more physically active while losing their baby weight.

With all these great benefits, why not incorporate a walking program into your daily routine? You can even make this more fun and less "work" simply by adding a pedometer into your daily walks.

So what is a pedometer and what does it do?

A pedometer is a device that tracks number of steps taken. Some pedometers only measure steps while other pedometers track distance walked and calories burned.

A pedometer provides

a. Immediate feedback on number of steps taken
b. Measures current activity level
c. Assists in tracking and setting goals over time to help increase physical activity.   This is where you can make walking more fun. Partner up with a family member, friend or colleague and track who takes the most steps each day (or weekly) and who walks the most distance on a daily or weekly basis!


How to get start a walking program using a pedometer

a. Purchase a pedometer of your choice.
b. Test pedometer by walking 20 steps, stop and check pedometer for accuracy
c. Wear a pedometer for one week
d. Track and record step count at the end of each day
e. After seven days, add daily steps and divide total number of steps from that week by seven
This number is the baseline number of steps needed for a walking program that is realistic for you!

So, what are the recommended number of daily steps to be considered physically active?

According to the Government of Ontario, Active 2010 (2005) "Using your pedometer", the average sedentary North American averages approximately 3500-5000 steps per day. Research suggests that in general the average North American should increase their daily walking activity to approximately 7,000-10,000 per day. *

Here's a guide that was provided in the research:

a. Under 5,000 steps per day: sedentary
b. Between 5,000-7,499 per day: low active
c. Between 7,500-9,999 per day: somewhat active
d. 12,5000 or more: highly active


What category are you? I challenge you to find out! Buy a pedometer today and track just how many steps you take on a daily and weekly basis. I'm sure you will be surprised at how little you are walking!

Stay active and anything is possible!


Monday, October 22, 2012

Everything is Perspective


Yesterday I sat wondering what I should write about for my next blog. I wanted to sum up what I learned during my holiday in Kenya. But I didn't know where to start!  Then today, I received my weekly "thought for the day" by Tim Cork and it pretty much summed up what part of my trip had the most impact on me. I hope this will impact you and how you see the simple pleasures in your own life.

Stay active and anything is possible!
Donna

Perspective …Pursue the Simple Pleasures 

“We don’t see things as they are. We see things as we are”
                                                                          -Anais Nin

A wealthy father decided to show his seven year old son how “poor people” lived. They drove from their big house in the city to a little farm in the country where his friend and his “poor” family lived. They spent the night with the family in their small wood-framed house. They had no television, no fancy furniture and no carpet. Since there was no entertainment in the house, this family spent a lot of time on their porch, where they sang, told stories and laughed together.  After being there for two nights, the wealthy father and his son headed back home. The father was curious to see if his son had learned his intended lesson. So, he asked how he enjoyed their adventure.

The little boy said, “Oh, Dad, I really loved it.” “Well son, do you see how poor people can be?” “Yes, Dad, I do.” “Tell me, what did you learn?” “Well, Dad, I learned that we have one dog at home and they have four. We have a swimming pool in the middle of our backyard, but they have a stream with no end. We have fancy lights on our house, but they have the stars. We watch TV by ourselves at night, but they sit around as a family play games and have fun. ” His dad shook his head, knowing that his plan had backfired. But then his son added: “Dad, thank you so much for showing me how poor we really are.”

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see”
                                                 -Henry David Thoreau

The simplest of things can be so powerful and often we miss them at work and at home …

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Are you a procrastinator?


What a great way to start off a beautiful fall morning.  I just finished training a client and now I am sitting in a lovely coffee shop watching the world wake up as the sky turns from night to day  As part of my morning routine, I love to read my weekly inspirational tips.  Below is the inspiration I received today from Tim Cork, Straight A's Inc.  This inspiration is very timely for me. One, I decided not to wait any longer to do a Full Ironman!  I've already arranged hiring a tri-athelete coach and I meet her this Thursda and the event takes place August 18th, 2013. 

Two, I'm finally getting myself in gear to organize a walking event in Toronto to bring awareness for elderly and kids.  This has been something I've wanted to do for over a year now and just yesterday, I started the research process and have a team that I'm already working with to organize this event.  So, as Napolean says, Don't Wait! 


Don’t wait. The Time will never be just right”  
                                          - Napoleon Hill
 
Excel, get great or extraordinary at what you love now. Don’t hesitate and don’t wait. Don't put it off...do it now. When we postpone things we put ourselves in the land of regret or on the edge of that territory. Don’t hold back, go all out. Whatever you want to do grab onto it with both hands and ride hard. Too often we wait it out until retirement to enjoy life to the fullest. Do it now and build on it even more when you retire. Travel now, exercise now, eat great foods now, love now, work hard now. Live in the moment and live well. Use your best China now, have a party now, visit your mother now.
 
Here is a powerful and revealing question. When was the last time you did something for the first time? What was it? Do something totally new, do something totally outside your comfort zone. Do something outrageous. Shock yourself occasionally by doing something you think isn't for you or you are scared of. Scare yourself occasionally.
 
Dream, set goals and go after what you plan for but also mix it up and step outside what you've planned. Spontaneity is a wonderful gift to give to yourself. Stop being so predictable. Stop being so bloody boring. Outrageous is powerful and memorable and a good educator. What are your limits? Push that edge occasionally.