Fitness Friday

This Week

Saturday 4 miles

Sunday 4 miles

Monday 4 miles

Tuesday 2 miles

Wednesday 4 miles

Thursday 2 miles 

Friday  3 miles

This week 23 miles

Total in 2011: 563

This Week

Saturday 4 miles

Sunday 4 miles

Monday 5 miles

Tuesday 4  miles

Wednesday 3 miles

Thursday 5miles 

Friday  0 miles

This week 25 miles

Total in 2011: 540

Fitness Friday...hit 500

Last week
Saturday 9 miles

Sunday 1 miles

Monday 2 miles

Tuesday 2  miles

Wednesday 5 miles

Thursday 4 miles 

Friday  5 miles
Total last week:: 28 miles



This Week
Saturday3 miles

Sunday 3 miles

Monday 3 miles

Tuesday 2  miles

Wednesday 2 miles

Thursday 4 miles 

Friday  5 miles

This week 22 miles
Total in 2011: 515

Passed 500, sort of a good achievement in my walking goals.  And its June so we're halfway through the year.  Good news is my heel is all healed up.  So in addition to walking I may be able to get the running a bit back in.  In the summer it's easy to add walking into our days.  I used my double jogger and walk to playgrounds, the library, friends homes and the farmers market.  At our vacation spot we walk back and forth to the beach a couple times a day which is a great way to keep up the miles.  But what I forget with all the staying up late is to get up early enough to walk alone as exercise.  So in the upcoming months and this beautiful walker friendly weather I need to make the time to walk by myself.

Fitness Friday

So it's been a few weeks since I have posted fitness.  My walking slowed down to just a few miles each day because of a sore heel.  Then while we were on vacation we walked 10 miles a day easily.  So let me just give you some totals and I can get back on track as of this week.

Total in 2011:: 445 miles

Some of the good news in my quest is that I"m almost half way there!  Go me!  In addition my main reason for walking was to keep in shape to keep up with the kids.  I can report that on our fabulous trip I had no problem walking at any speed.  I also wasn't totally exhausted at the end of the day.  It was fabulous to feel energy that walking provides.  A side great benefit of feeling good is that my clothes are fitting well.  I am closer than ever to reaching my long term fitness and life goals.  Insert applause here!

Saturday 3miles

Sunday 3 miles

Monday 5 miles

Tuesday 2  miles

Wednesday 5 miles

Thursday 2 miles 

Friday  2 miles

Total this week:: 22 miles

Total in 2011:: 319 miles

 

Fitness Friday...what's new

Saturday 5 miles

Sunday 5 miles

Monday 5 miles

Tuesday 5  miles

Wednesday 5 miles

Thursday 5 miles 

Friday  5 miles
Total this week:: 35 miles
Total in 2011:: 297 miles

What's new is all the things I've been walking with lately.  When I step outside the door I am greeted by the sweet sounds of birds chirping. On my walks I saw bunnies hopping in lots of yards. This is especially motivating because I know warm weather is coming.  The main reason I walk and try to be fit is so I can keep up with our active family in the warm months.  Between biking, hiking, swimming, walking, playing and all the other ways we spend our outdoor time...I need to be able to keep up.  So this week I stepped it up.  I tried to walk faster at the beginning of my walks and walk a bit longer.  Only a few weeks until the warm weather should be here to stay.

Fitness Friday

Saturday 5 miles

Sunday 5 miles

Monday 5 miles

Tuesday 3  miles

Wednesday 3 miles

Thursday 2 miles 

Friday  5 miles
Total this week:: 28 miles
Total in 2011:: 262 miles

This week I had pretty good walking week.  

This was in part that we had a fun trip away over the weekend.  With museum visits and walking around town I clocked lots of miles!

Saturday 1 miles

Sunday 2 miles

Monday 1 miles

Tuesday 6  miles

Wednesday 1miles

Thursday 2 miles 

Friday  2 miles

Total this week 15  miles 
Total last week 10 miles
Total in 2011 234 miles this year

Fitness Friday...a playlist

Saturday  5 miles

Sunday  6 miles

Monday 3 miles

Tuesday  5 miles

Wednesday   2 miles

Thursday 3 miles 

Friday 5 miles

Total this week 29  miles 
Total in 2011 209 miles this year

Have you been dying to know what is on my play list as I walk the streets of King of Prussia?  I sort of consider my tunes as the soundtrack to a good movie.  I change them every so often.  Some friends I know change theirs for almost every workout.  I'm not that good, but aspire to be someday.  Here is what is in the file known as "walking" on my phone


Take a chance on me ABBA
King of Anything Sara Bareilles
Stacy's Mom Fountains of Wayne
Dream a little dream of me Michael Buble
Stuck like Glue Sugarland
Kiss a Girl Keith Urban
Around the way Girl  LL Cool J
Lisztomania Pheonix
Friends in low places Garth Brooks
Shake it Metro Station
Upside Down Jack Johnson
She's Country Jason Aldean
Toes Zac Brown Band
Gives you Hell The All- American Rejects
Boom Boom Pow Black Eyed Peas
Out Last Night Kenny Chesney
New York Groove Ace Frehley

Fitness Friday...low numbers

Saturday  0 miles

Sunday 1 mile

Monday 2 miles

Tuesday 2 miles

Wednesday 1 mile

Thursday  0 miles 

Friday 2 miles

Total this week  10 miles 
Total in 2011 180 miles this year

Boo!  How did I only walk 12 miles this week?  Well, to be honest, every time my early alarm went off, I didn't get up. This week none of my walks were in the morning.  I either went for a walk after Chris got home or I snuck some walks in during outings.  This is fine, but I'm not getting the quiet alone benefits of my previous weeks.  And guess what?  I notice the difference...not in how my clothes fit or on the scale.  But in how my body and mind feel.  Usually with a full week of walking I have a nice gentle sore feeling in my legs.  I love that feeling.  On my early morning walks, I have time to clear my head.  Which, in turn, makes me more ready to face the day.  This week felt a bit like the movie Groundhog's Day.  Each morning G would wake up before the second alarm would go off.  I'd drag myself to the shower, always wishing I had walked.  I'd rush through getting ready before my kids got out of their rooms.  But what was more tangible was my feeling.  I was in general annoyed with something the kids had done by 8:00 am.  

I am happy to have this blog, because it made me sit down and write out how this week was different.  With so many negatives, I am going to try to get back on track.  When my first alarm goes off, I'm hoping to get out and on the street!  Walking is one of the ways I take good care of myself.  When I don't do it, I suffer.  My mother had a sign that said "When Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."  How true and fitting for this week.

Fitness Friday

Saturday 4 miles

Sunday 2 miles

Monday 0miles

Tuesday 2 miles

Wednesday  2 miles

Thursday  5miles 

Friday 5 miles

Total this week  20 miles 
Total in 2011 148 miles this year

Fitness Friday

Saturday 4 miles

Sunday 4 miles

Monday 9 miles

Tuesday 2 miles

Wednesday  4 miles

Thursday  4 miles 

Friday  2 miles

Total this week  29 miles 
Total in 2011 128 miles this year

Fitness Friday...Mental Health

Saturday 4 miles

Sunday 3 miles

Monday 4 miles

Tuesday 4 walk

Wednesday 2 miles

Thursday 2 miles 

Friday 0 miles

Total Last week 20 miles

Total this week  19 miles 
Total in 2011 99 miles this year

Yippee...so close to 100.  Maybe tomorrow!

This week my husband's sweet grandmother passed away.  It has been a sad week.  She has been on my mind all week during my walks, and daily activities.  So that got me thinking about how much stuff I really work through mentally and process on my walks.  Walking has been good to me physically, but what about mentally?
Truth be told, I get more out of walking than I ever imagined.  It seemed like a fun goal to make.  Yet over the past few weeks, I've worked through some heavy stuff that has been on my mind.  If I leave the house for my walk with a problem, I come back with some solutions.  If I leave not really thinking about much, I come back with menu plans or great ideas of things for my family.  And to put this in perspective to our week...If I leave the house saddened by Grandma's passing, I come back realizing how lucky I was to have her.

Fitness Friday...tough week to walk

Saturday 6miles

Sunday 2miles

Monday 5miles

Tuesday no walk

Wednesday 2miles

Thursday sick day

Friday sick day

Total this week 15 miles this week

Total in 2011 60.5miles this year



So this week  was a snowy, rainy, icy week.  In fact I got out only two days for great long walks.  The other two days I was able to walk, I did extra laps and walking in stores and indoors.  Then my kids got sick and of course because they are generous to a fault....they shared.  So as I type this post I am pretty darn sick myself...ew.  I had plans of taking lots of photos of my walks around town.  But because of the limited amount I got out, there are only a few pics to share.  

Here is the view from the top of a nearby hill.  It's hard to see, but the view is really cool!  It is even better at night, but those pics never turn out from my phone.

The Rooster, it's sort of an icon around here.  It makes me smile when I walk past it!

 

The last photo is this little river that runs through this area.  I pass over it several times on my long walks.  This is a great example of how pretty it looks in the winter.

Fitness Friday...Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Saturday 3.5

Sunday 2miles

Monday 5miles

Tuesday 2 miles

Wednesday 2 miles

Thursday 2 miles

Friday 3 mile

Total this week 19.5 miles this week

Total in 2011 45.5miles this year

For several years whenever winter hits, I sort of go into a funk.  I dislike being cooped up with the kiddies.  It's a pain to put on and take off so many layers every day.  My skin gets dry, my lips get chapped.  My favorite produce isn't really in season...so winter changes our menus.  Gosh there was very little I liked about winter.  In fact last year I begged my husband to consider moving us all south.  Somehow winter turned into spring and I was once again happy to get out and about.  But I made a vow to really change my feelings about winter.

I decided I needed to make a big attitude adjustment toward the cold.  So this year I got everyone boots, hats, snowsuits, sweater, jackets and slippers.   We weren't going to walk around inside or outside freezing...we would be warm (and a bit stylish..ha) I stocked up on lotion and chapstick and prepared for the worst.  But what made the biggest difference is I decided to embrace the weather change.  I wasn't going to join a gym this year, I wasn't going to hibernate....I was going to appreciate...winter!  yes, winter.

Well it worked!  I now am a winter time fan.  Love the quietness that comes with a snow storm.  We enjoy getting layered up to spend time outside several times a week.  I love seeing the discoveries that C and G make with the cold weather here.  And let me say it here first....I love walking in freezing temps (with the right gear on of course).  It's invigorating and a really nice change of pace.  If you get the winter blahs too, I hope this inspired you to try to enjoy the season.

Fitness Friday...why the ugly shoes

Saturday 6.5 miles

Sunday 4 miles

Monday 4 miles

Tuesday 3 miles

Wednesday 2 miles

Thursday 2 miles

Friday 2.5 mile

Total this week 24 miles this week

Total in 2011 24miles this year

Why are walking shoes so ugly?  My old running shoes have quite a few miles on them.  But they are in good condition and I didn't use them to train for any races, so I thought they'd be good for walking.  But after the first few days my feet hurt.  The pain was in the balls of my feet.  So I thought, okay time to get some new shoes.  

Places like Famous Footwear or DSW are what I like to refer to as DIY shoe sales.  I really dislike waiting for a salesperson holding a lone shoe.  Most times I feel like they come back with the wrong color or shoe or they tell you they are out of your size.  So DSW is my favorite place to shoe shop. It doesn't hurt that is a mile from my house. The best part is that  before  I even getting excited about owning a shoe, I can see if it's in my size and the color I prefer.  No sales people are waiting for my answer, I can mull over the decision.  I can try on tons and tons of pairs and buy none if I want.  Love DSW..but I digress.

Moving along, DSW's athletic sneaker section is divided into areas.  One section of shoes is running shoes.  This is where you can find loads of brands.  The shoes are super cool in the running area.  Bright colors, cool laces, fun gadgets and logos.  There is also a  big section of casual athletic shoes.  Want cute sneaks that you can wear any day while running errands?  Look in that section.

 

Then there are 5 to 10 pair of walking shoes.  They were either totally white or totally black. The logos aren't in fun colors, no fancy doo dads and you guessed it, all white laces.  So what gives?  Why is is the runners get awesome, cool, fun shoes and walkers get...well let's be honest...senior citizen shoes.  I have nothing against the seniors, just saying at the ripe old age of 35 I don't want to wear totally white shoes. I want to walk and be cute at the same time.   So my quest is on to find a new pair of walking shoes that are comfy and COOL!

I will walk 1,000 miles

But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the gal who walked 1,000 miles

To fall down at your door!

Do you know that song?  I am a big fan and it gave me a big idea for a fantastic resolution idea.  Am I really going  try to walk 1,000 miles in 2011?  You betcha! 

I've been a runner since high school.  I used to enjoy the feeling of lacing up and getting extra sweaty on a jaunt around my neighborhood.  I continued to enjoy running sporadically in college.  Then I grew a bit more into running after college.  After my babies were born, it was a great way to get in an excellent workout in just a short amount of time.  Fast forward to April 2010,  I sustained a small injury to my right upper calf and back of my right knee during a very fun 5 miler in Valley Forge Park.  It was at this time I realized that being able to take care of my children meant more to me than my athletic goals of being a runner.  After my leg healed, I began walking...just to move a bit.  Guess what?  I love walking!  It clears my mind, makes my lungs feel amazing and I enjoy every moment.  So I began walking once or twice a week for my own sanity.What  a cheap hobby walking is...just shoes and some clothing and gear I already owned made me ready for any weather.   My addiction grew and I got a serious walkers' high every time I went.  So I upped my walking to five times a week.  Each morning I'd wake up earlier than my household.  The time walking helped me clear my head, destress and set my goals for the day.  Still loving it, I was looking for a walking goal that would keep me motivated. Then it came to me while I was listening to that great Proclaimers song.  Why not shoot for a goal to walk as many miles as I can in 2010?  I'm hoping to get to a thousand, but I'll be happy just to keep moving and walking!

Wanna hear some stats?

1,000 miles / 365 days = 2.7 miles a day

1,000 miles/ 52 weeks =  19 miles a week

1,000 miles/12 months = 83 miles a month

Anyone want to join me? Most Fridays I will do a Fitness Friday Check In on my blog.  I"ll detail how many miles I"m up to and then talk a bit about how this goal is making me feel!!!  If you're interested in walking "with me"  just comment on how you did this week.