Category: Movement

KISS: Keep it Simple, Silly!

Debbie Hatch | Family & F.I.T. 

Walking

 

Tonight’s blog is simple, intentionally.  Things don’t always have to be complicated or “just perfect”.  Wow!!!  I really must be recovering from being a perfectionist if I actually just wrote that last sentence!!  Sometimes a plan is what we need.  Sometimes all we need to do is keep it simple, silly!!

Did you know that one of the easiest ways to boost your overall health is by walking?  Yup, walking!!  Simple, right?  I can hear the fanatics now…”that is such a waste of time.”

Calm down!

I’m not saying you’ll get shredded, or competition lean by merely walking.  I’m just saying you can get healthier.  You could lower your blood pressure, improve your diabetes, sleep better, feel less stressed, enjoy better digestion, and, yes, you can even lose fat if that’s your goal.

 

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but there is a huge movement afoot in the fitness industry preaching hard-core training. “If exercise is good, super hard exercise must be better!”  If “some exercise is good, more exercise must be fantastic!”  I hear people refer to working out as “doing battle”. I see posts on my newsfeed of trainers saying such things as, “I made two people puke in class today!!” and those students responding, “it was awesome!”…like this is a badge of honor.

In reality, it’s very sad.

Vomiting is a sign that your body is in distress. That’s not what you should (ever) be trying to achieve with your workout. Trust me, I have worked out VERY hard.  I have left bootcamp and boxing sessions dripping in sweat.  I have done enough repetitions weight training that it was hard for me to use the toilet, get in my car, or raise my arms.  I push myself.  When I’m working out, I’m working out.  I completely get that part.

I can tell you, though, I have never puked.  Guess what else, I never plan to.

It’s not necessary.

No matter whether your goal is to lose fat, or get better at a particular sport.

Vomiting provides zero benefit.  It’s absolutely not necessary.

 

And exercise doesn’t have to be hard-core to provide benefits.  Walking works!  The American Heart Association, Diabetes Association, and dozens of other health care associations preach its benefits.  30 minutes a day can help you reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Walking has numerous cognitive benefits and helps to alleviate stress.  It aids in digestion when you walk after eating.

It’s simple but it’s very good for you, silly!

 

While walking itself can be easy to do, getting started with a plan to do it (or any kind of exercise at all, for that matter) on a regular basis can be a bit more challenging.

Here are three challenges that I frequently hear, and suggestions for how you might address each one.

 

1.  I don’t have enough time.

Who does? You have to make exercise a priority. The thing is, few of us have an extended time to workout every day.  Maybe you can’t fit in 30 minutes.

Do what you can!

If you can only walk for 5 minutes, do it for 5 minutes. If you only have an extra 10 minutes, do it for 10 minutes.

Is this going to provide an optimal level of cardiovascular exercise for health or fitness? No. Is this 5 or 10 more minutes than you would have done otherwise? YES!!

 

2.  It’s cold (or hot), raining, snowing, or too humid (or too dry).

I’ve lived in Maine and Nevada so I know about extreme weather!  We can’t control it.  Sometimes it doesn’t even seem like we can accurately predict it.

Is there a way you can work with the weather?  Could you walk earlier or later (when it might not be as hot)? Can you carry an umbrella and learn to enjoy a walk in the rain?

Can you walk somewhere inside?  Could you walk at the gym, in the mall, or even in your office building? The Baltimore Airport actually has a marked out fitness loop right inside the airport! I’ve walked more than a few flights of stairs at my hotel.

 

3.  I don’t know how to get started and I can’t walk very far at this point.

Just do it. Don’t worry about how long or how fast you’re walking in the beginning. Do what you can, when you can, where you are right now.

Walk at a pace that is comfortable for you. Walk as far as you can, or for as long as you have. As time goes on, push yourself a little – either walk a little faster, a littler further, or both.

 

References:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/17-reasons-to-walk-more-this-year/#axzz3fpEhfYWb

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2013/06/03/dc13-0084.abstract

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0081098

 

Fit for the Road Series: Part I. Sunday in the Park.

Debbie Hatch | Family & F.I.T.

Running

For the past decade – actually, going on 11 years now – I’ve spent 200+ days a year on the road. I’ve been in just about every state in the US and many locations throughout Spain, Portugal, Germany, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Staying healthy while traveling that much can be challenging.

 

I plan to share several of my road-warrior tested tricks in this series. Chances are, even if you don’t travel as much as I do, there are times you’re going to be away from home. If you’re on vacation, vacation. Relax. Enjoy the local culture and food. Get your exercise by walking around and taking in the sights. If you’re on the road more than that week or so vacation, though, you may want to have a few of these tips in your back pocket.

 

Many hotels have improved their fitness centers with the addition of free weights, and the occasional universal machine. For the most part they remain cardio-centric with a treadmill, recumbent cycle and/or stepper. I’ll provide some hotel exercises, and tips for finding a gym while traveling, in one of the future pieces of the series.

 

To stay fit while traveling, bodyweight exercises are a super convenient option. I mean, you need nothing except your body.

 

I travel as a single female so I have to consider my safety when I travel. My preference is a good balance between too many people (so that it’s crowded) and too few. If I’m outside, local parks can provide the perfect location. For example, three of my favorites are:

Minuteman Park in Concord, Massachusetts. This is trail running at its best, not to mention the history! I ran there last year on the 4th of July – it was kind of cool to be there on that day.

Altus City Reservoir in Altus, Oklahoma. The downside of this location is that it’s just a loop. The upsides include geese, ducks, benches by the water, beautiful sunsets, and pull-up bars. It was here that I did my first EVER pull-up three years ago. You’re also free to do walking lunges and skip here, without anyone giving you so much as a second look.

Chimney Rock State Park, Chimney Rock, North Carolina. Stairs. Lots of stairs. There are also numerous picturesque trails.

 

Today I spent a little time at Leesylvania State Park in Woodbridge, Virginia. It’s going on my top 10 list, too. Not only were there running trails but also a “fit trail” consisting of several bodyweight workout stations. Here’s how you can use the park.

 

Warm up with balance squats, high knees, toe touch rotations, and jogging.

Balance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Station:  Push-ups & Pull-ups

Pushups

 

 

 

 

 

Pullups

 

Jog to Second Station:  Crunches & Ab Rotations (straight legs, up & over, rotating right and then left.

Abrotations

Crunches

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jog to Third Station: Monkey Bar Shuffles

Hangs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jog to Fourth Station: Dips & Inverted RowDips

 

Jog to the Fifth Station:  Press-ups

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A quick Google, Yelp or Trip Advisor search can provide you with locations, and feedback, of local parks.

If you’re on Yelp (Debbie H) or Trip Advisor (ChprChk), look me up.  I am a top contributor on both sites and have LOADS of evaluations posted.

Top 10 Things that Riding my Dirtbike Reminded me About Life

  1. 75342_1571305235064_7896641_n Skills you don’t use continually get rusty.

As humbling as it may be, if you don’t do something for a while, you’re probably going to have to take a few steps backwards, initially.

 

  1. Sometimes you might need to ask for help.

This is an area I’m continually struggling with. I love to give help but I’m not good at asking for it. The fact is, sometimes you just can’t do it al by yourself.

 

  1. You’re going to get messy.   IMG_5281

If you hope to get anywhere worth going to, you’re going to get a little messy. At least sweaty from the effort, but more than likely a little mud too.

 

  1. It’s important to dance.

Fighting against the bike does nothing but make you tired. Allowing it to dance under you; relaxing, and dancing with it, gets you were you want to go.

 

  1. If you don’t face your fear, you’re going nowhere.

Ride within your ability but remember that you can do more than you give yourself credit for. Sometimes you don’t realize that until you find yourself smack dab in the middle of what you didn’t think you could do…

 

  1. You can’t only specialize in the things that you’re good at.

As much as you like climbing up hills, at some point, you ARE going to have to come down.

 

  1. Prepare for what you can but remember that a lot is out of your control.

Every now and again, you are going to run over a sharp rock or a slippery root. It will happen and there’s nothing you can do about it.

 

  1. Once you pick a line, commit to it 100%.

Changing your mind mid-rut is incredibly difficult and indecision is dangerous. Pick one line – stick to that one until you get to the top.

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  1. Look ahead, and plan for the nearest obstacles, but don’t look TOO far ahead.

It’s also important to watch those who have gone before you but make your own decisions.

 

  1. Sometimes you’ve just got to say F*& it and grab some throttle!

85% of the time, acceleration is the right answer. 10% of the time, it’s using your clutch and changing gears; only 5% of the time, is the correct answer to squeeze your brake.

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