Gym and More Gym

I have nothing to say except that I hurt a lot!
My new training regime has kicked in and I am sore but happy.
Three gym sessions a week at The Recreation Centre, Blackwood. This involves Interval Training on the bike and stair running as well as weights and core work. I think I am getting stronger and fitter and I will have to put that to the test soon because I need to get out and walk before the daily temperatures gets back into the high 30's which is way too hot for me to walk any distance.

It has been reported that I woke up one morning recently and said, "I found these big lumps on my legs today, I have never noticed them before. OMG I think they might be muscles" So obviously, something is working. 

But I do have days when I can't face exercising! Do you  have days like this?

4 Ways to Keep Yourself Motivated

1. 1. Wear a pedometer. Bit by bit, increase your daily steps. Keep it up until you reach 10,000 steps a day.
2. 2. Keep a walking journal. Whether you journal online or with pen and paper, it's motivating to see your progress. 
3. 3. Get a walking partner. "A walking or gym buddy provides accountability. Neither wants to let the other person down."
4. 4. Sign up for a race or charity walk. An upcoming event gives you a goal to aim for, which may motivate you to stick with a program.

After not losing weight, well it's a bit hard when I keep experimenting with cake recipes - (check out www.postcardstofrance.blogspot.com.au if you want to read my other blog) I have decided to cut out a lot of carbs and to try and add more protein to my diet - thats hard when you are vegetarian.

Introducing soy and coconut milk smoothies with added vegan protein powder and a variety of fruit is a great source of protein. It helps to fill you up, and is useful after a gym work out or long walk. 

I am trying hard to get my weight to what I consider is me! I actually saw a book in the library today called "Think Yourself Thin" If only that worked for me : ) 

I have added the phone app Couch to 5k. Evidently if you follow the program to a tee it enables you to build up to be able to run 5 kms in a short amount of time. I might end up walking most of it but I am giving it a try tomorrow. My longest walk last week was 14kms. I hurt quite a lot after that but with some good stretching I pulled up quite well after it.

I am way behind my training schedule, but yesterday I bought goggles and a kick board, so it is off to the pool for some leg strengthening exercises next week. if you see a mildly crazy woman in the local pool, powering out laps with a wee blue kick board - get out of the way, I mean business!

Happy walking!

A Facelift for Your Feet

How much time and money do you spend on your feet? By that I am referring to pampering rather than how much you spend on shoes.

If you think about how much work our feet do, it is surprising how little attention we pay to them. Advice from my Podiatrist has been invaluable.  Here's a summary;

He believes that all walkers will at some time get an ingrowing toe nail, so keep your toe nails short and in good condition.

Wear breathable socks that have good padding, not too thick and not too thin.

Make sure you have good quality, well fitting shoes. Go to a reputable retailer and get them to fit your shoes properly for you.

Important to have days wearing different shoes to give your feet a rest and to change the pressure points.

Stretching after walking while you are still warm will prevent injuries - yes you need to stretch your feet as well as the rest of your body.

I also asked my Podiatrist to check out how I walk to make sure that my gait was not going to impact more on my knees and hips. We did this by using a treadmill and checking my heel strike and stance over a 10 minute period. He was good enough to pick up that my walking gait was only slightly off and after questioning has put this down to my back problems. However, there were no changes needed and agreed that my walk was not impacting on anything else.

So that's a few pointers worth thinking about before you start.

These are the shoes I bought for walking on and off road Brooks Adrenaline 14 and they are like walking on clouds. A definite good buy!

I have walked a fair distance in them and so far have had no issues. They are still feeling comfy when walking on rough trails or normal city footpaths. As you can see I haven't cleaned them since my last walk in the park 2 days ago! It was rather wet underfoot so I have waited for them to dry off before giving them a good brush.