Walking

I used to love to walk. In fact, there was a time when I was walking about four miles a day. Then we moved, and I never have been able to find a route that is safe to walk where we now live. This is another thing good about moving; I can try and find a place that is "walker friendly".

When I was walking, I had a few things that made each outing a little more pleasurable. First and foremost is a great playlist on my MP3. I always listened to songs that were up beat and fun. I found that the slower the song, the slower I walked, and the faster the song, the more bounce there was in every step I took.

Second was a great pair of walking sneakers. I just read this article titled Walk It Off, where they talk about how having the right pair of shoes for walking can make all the difference. I can not agree with this more. I started walking with an old pair of sneakers I had had for years, and my feet would start hurting about halfway through my walk. I finally talked Junior into buying me a shoe specifically designed for walking, and my feet quit hurting. Coincidence? I don't think so. Right now you can get free shipping at The Walking Company, so it's the perfect time to invest in a good pair of walking shoes.

The third thing I did was dress in layers. Even when it was cold out, I would end up taking off my jacket and walking in just a tshirt. No matter how cold it was outside, I knew that I would warm up as soon as I started walking, so wearing a long sleeved shirt didn't make sense. I also preferred walking in the morning. I don't know why, it was just easier for me, and it set the tone for the rest of my day.

I am really looking forward to getting back into the habit of walking every day. I think it will help with losing some of this weight, too.

BeeWell Again

Remember about a month ago where I wrote all about BeeWell Miles? I shared how Bumble Bee Foods will donate $.15 per mile that you log on their sites to help Breast Cancer Network of Strength provide emotional support to those who can't wait for tomorrow's cure. I was so excited to be a part of this, and I still am. Luckily, you can still sign up. We all have until October 31, 2009 to log as many miles as we can.

I wish I could say that I have been faithfully wearing my pedometer everyday, and logging every step I take. Unfortunately, I have not been doing my best. I have logged 44 miles so far, making my donation from Bumble Bee Foods $6.60. I know I can do better, and I really am going to try. I have won a couple of downloads on the days I have logged my miles, and that is pretty cool.

Since April first, walkers have logged 46035 miles, for a total of $6,905.25. Now that is awesome! It is so easy to join, so what are you waiting for? If you are like me, this can be the jump start you need to better health. We all know how good walking is for your heart, and if you are overweight, it is a very simple way to get your exercise in each day. So what are you waiting for? Go join!

My user name is elephantlady777, and I'd love to be your buddy when you sign up!

Loving It

I am at my sister's house, spending some time with my nephew. I took him for a walk...wearing my pedometer. Hopefully I can get another walk in before I leave. Her neighborhood is a lot more walker friendly than mine. I love having this incentive to walk more.

My Journey

For those of you keeping track...lol...I have opened my journey blog back up. Since I signed up for the beewellmiles, I wanted a place to keep track of things, besides on their site.

I redid the theme, and think it's pretty cute, if I do say so myself.

Now, if you want to sign up for the beewellmile, it's easy. All you need is a pedometer, and somewhere to walk. That's it. Easy peasy.

So go, check out the new digs, then go sign up. Let's all walk for a good cause!

BeeWell Miles

I can not begin to tell you how excited I am to be participating in BeeWell Mile. As most of you know, I have been struggling for a long time with my weight. Just check out the picture over there on the right, and you'll see why. It was a big step for me to post that, but I wanted to take a "before" picture of me setting out on my first walk. Of course I had my MP3 and pedometer with me; two essentials for successful walking. I always walk faster when I am listening to my favorite tunes. It's puts a little bounce in my step. I also had my walking sneakers on. I never thought buying a pair of shoes specifically for walking would make such a difference, but they do. You see, I am a seasoned walker. I love to get out in the fresh air, especially in the mornings. Since we moved, however, I have not had a chance to find a new route to walk. Okay, I guess I should say I have been too lazy to find a new route. But that changed today.

Why today, you ask? Well, because I signed up to be a part of BeeWellMiles. I went to the website, signed up, and filled out a brief profile. I can now go there and log the number steps I take every day. This site has so much information about living a healthy lifestyle. I can fill out what I eat, and based on how much I have walked, it can calculate how many calories I burned. They have a really cool meter that can show the balance between my eating and my exercise, helping me to see how to keep them in balance with each other.

The best part of this program is that between now and October 31, for every mile I log, Bumble Bee Foods will donate $.15 to the Breast Cancer Network of Strength (up to $200,00), who provide emotional support to those who can't wait for tomorrow's cure. How amazing is that? Not only will I be getting healthier myself, but I will be helping a worthwhile cause. You all know I have had my own scare with my breast last year, so I was eager to be a part of this. You can be a part of this, too. Just head to BeeWellMiles.com and sign up. My goal is to walk my way to losing 30 pounds between now and October. I am looking forward to seeing how much money I alone will have contributed. Do you have a weight loss goal, or will you join in just to support a great cause?