The Senior Walking Fitness Blog

 Hello Everybody,

Walking is easy, you just do it. Right? Wrong. You should look at what you wear and make sure it is suitable. Here are five things to get right when you go walking.

Socks: You should always wear socks which absorb moisture and which fit well. Cotton socks are not good as they can retain sweat which can result in blisters. Modern walking socks are often made of synthetic looped material with extra comfort round toes and heels. In winter wear warm socks, but these should not be so thick that they make your boots tight and uncomfortable.

Shoes: It depends where you are walking. Keep heavy hiking boots for just that - where you need a heavy sole and good ankle support. For general walking you need a lighter shoe with a flexible sole. Do not wear trainers, they get wet and are just not suitable for Senior Walking

Hat: Always carry a hat. In winter I use a woolly hat which I can put in my pocket. If it rains I pull my anorak hood over it, so that my head is warm and dry. In the summer a light hat can be worn, or folded and put in a pocket.

Clothes: Never wear too many clothes. In the summer light clothes are the obvious choice, but you should always use sunscreen on whatever parts of you are uncovered. After a while cover up as much as is comfortable, Sunscreen needs renewal and we sometimes forget. Sunburn can ruin your week, not just your day and don‘t forget you can still burn through a light shirt. So try to remember to take sensible precautions.

In the winter don‘t wear so many clothes that you can hardly move. Temperatures vary, but most of us are not crossing Alaska in December - and even then you can still overdress.

Three layers are quite enough. Inner wear should be of synthetic material capable of breathing and removing moisture from the skin quickly. Over this wear a woollen jumper or a fleece. Outer wear should be a good quality waterproof (not shower proof) breathable anorak with a hood and big pockets. I like at least one pocket to have a zip for valuables. I prefer an attached hood which can be folded into the collar. There is a compromise here, as the hood then cannot be very big or it won’t fold away. But trying to clip on a detachable hood at the back of ones neck in a blizzard can be a nightmare.

Tracksuit bottoms or jeans are no good for country walking. They hold water and can chafe the legs and more vulnerable parts. Synthetic walking trousers are lightweight have pockets and are quick drying. They are the best things to wear.

Rucksacks. These should be light. You should carry just what you need and no more. The size of rucksack will depend on the length of you trip. Of course you will need more for a five day hike than for an afternoon’s stroll in the country. The choice is enormous and the only way to decide is to go to a good shop, look, try one on and find what you feel happy with.

So that is five things to consider for your Senior Walking program. Buy proper equipment and you will be warm and comfortable in the country.

 See you soon,

Peter Stockwell 

Technorati Tags: fitness walking, senior walking, senior walking exercise, Senior walking fitness, walk fit, walking fitness

 Hello Everybody,

There is one thing that makes people stop their fitness program. That is hitting a plateau. You work hard at it for a few weeks, lose some weight and feel better for it. Then next time you weigh yourself you are the same or even - shock, horror - your weight has gone up. Stuck on a plateau you despair and give it all up. Soon you are back to your original weight and another fitness program has failed.

But there are reasons, and matters can be resolved.

Maybe at this time you are still taking in more calories than you burn off. Inevitably there are variations in what you eat and you may have had a bad week. The answer is to eat less or walk more and you will start losing weight again. If you can increase your walking that will help a lot. I recommend a mile a day, but if you can do two miles a day, maybe one in the morning and one in the evening, you will see a big difference.

You must get the calorie count about right. It’s a bore to check everything, but do so for a couple of days and any problems will become obvious. A man needs at least 1500 calories a day, a woman 1200 calories a day. You may even be under eating. This will make you body think you are starving and save what it can as fat to be used at a future date.

Try eating fewer carbohydrates and more proteins every day. Carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, pasta, brown rice and legumes should form 55 per cent to 75 per cent of an adult’s diet. So there is room for a decrease if you are eating a lot. Then you can eat more protein rich food like meat, eggs and dairy products. But not too many dairy products. It is also be a good idea not to mix proteins and carbohydrates. Leave 2-3 hours between differing meals.

You may be building muscle through exercise and it will take a while for the balance of more muscle, less fat, to work its way through your body.

Motivation is important. It can be hard keeping to a walking fitness and weight loss program by yourself, with nobody to praise your successes and share the hard times. If you can get a buddy to walk with, or join an exercise club this will help a lot.

So there are a lot of reasons for hitting a plateau and it doesn’t mean you will never lose weight. You will become fit and slim. Just keep at it, look at the reasons why your weight loss has slowed down and make any changes necessary. Soon you will be losing weight once again.

See you soon,

Peter Stockwell

Technorati Tags: fitness walking, senior walking, senior walking excercise, senior walking exercise, Senior walking fitness, walking fitness

 Hello Everybody,   

Have you ever thought that this may be the first generation in which parents had a longer life expectancy than their children? Obesity is not a problem of the few, it is now a problem of the many. Once the fat jolly Pickwickian figure was a delight. These days we see obese parents with their obese children waddling into McDonald’s to top up the calories left over from their fried breakfast. Not a pretty sight and something to be avoided if we value our health. I do not see anyone being fat and fit. I do see people being fat and a burden to everybody including themselves in later life. If they have a later life. These people should do something about it. Although it is an individual decision whether to lose weight or not nobody can really want to see their quality of life to plummet at a comparatively early age. So if you are overweight do look at ways of losing some pounds.Walking is the best general exercise I know but diet must be considered, as for the obese just walking is not enough.

 A good way of losing weight is to subscribe to Jon Benson’s free 10 day weight loss program. Jon was overweight himself once and knows all the problems and pitfalls. He has put together his 10 day weight loss program to share experience in a practical way and to help others achieve what he has achieved himself. When you sign up you receive an email every day and just follow the advice until the end. Then you check the scales and find you are pounds lighter. Just like that.

See you soon,

Peter Stockwell

To join Jon Benson’s free 10 day weight loss program just CLICK HERE Do it now, you will be taken to Jon’s website and you will start the spring fitter and slimmer than ever before.

Technorati Tags: fitness walking, heart health, over fifties, senior walking, senior walking exercise, Senior walking fitness, senior weight loss, walking fitness

 Hello Everybody,

 Want to live longer? Most of us do. Well, here is some good news. Swedish researchers at the University of Uppsala have monitored over 2,200 men from the age of 50 years. Those who increased activity levels from the age of 50 to 60 lived as long as those already exercising regularly in middle age. So it’s never too late to begin.

The research began in the early 1970s when the men were aged 50. They were put into three groups. High levels of activity - those who did at least 3 hours sport or heavy gardening each week. Moderate levels of activity - those who did several hours of fitness walking or cycling. Sedentary - those who spent most of their free time watching TV or similar activities.

Exercise habits were looked at again when the men were 60 years old. Those doing high levels of activity lived 2.3 years longer than those doing medium levels of activity and 1.1 years longer than those doing medium levels of activity. These figures were adjusted to take into account smoking, alcohol consumption and weight.

Those in the two lower groups who increased their activity levels from the age of 50 to 60 also lived longest. The impact on lifespan of increasing exercise was the same as giving up smoking. This research applies at present only to men, but there is no reason to believe that women would be fundamentally different.

 If you want to join the high activity group and have no interest in sports, gardening is the way to go. If you continue a fitness walking program and add to it an hour or so gardening a day you will feel the benefit. Gardening can influence whole-body bone mineral density because it includes weight-bearing motions such as pushing a mower, digging holes, pulling weeds, carrying soil, and other tasks which exercise muscle groups in the entire body.

Another advantage of gardening is that it results in improvement of mental health and fights off depression. Working outdoors to make a garden grow can improve your state of mind as well as your physical health. You must balance the time spent gardening with your walking exercise. There are times of year when you will be working hard in the garden and will need less fitness walking. Other times you can have a good walk, come home and just enjoy the flowers.

We do, of course, know that living a healthy life can reduce the risk of dying from heart and circulatory disease. By not smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation and eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, plus fitness walking or gardening we can all improve our chances of living longer. The really good news is it’s never too late.

See you soon,

Peter Stockwell

Technorati Tags: fitness tips, fitness walking, heart health, over fifties, walking, walking fitness, weightloss

Hello Everybody,

 Have you put on weight over winter? I hope you are keeping up your fitness walking these lovely spring days. There is nothing like snowdrops and crocus to lift the spirits. Winter is not quite behind us, but even now we can stride into the countryside enjoying the warmer weather. It would be understandable if you are not as fit as you were four months ago. Walking in snow is not always a delight, particularly when the days are short, and sometimes it is better to stay home. Then there was the little matter of Christmas to test the resolve. So it is quite likely that you have put on weight and are feeling mildly guilty about it. But no matter, a new year a new beginning.

All you need to do is reduce your calorie intake and increase your fitness walking and over time you will become fit and slim again. But you may feel that you’d like to lose some weight before you start your walking program once more.

There are a few easy exercises you can do to get your muscles into shape. I do half an hour every day whether I am walking or not, but as ever I suggest you start slow. Try these three exercises to begin with.

Stand upright. Put one arm alongside your leg and bend sideways as far as you can go. Do this five times and repeat on the other side.

Put both your hands on the rear of your waist and stretch backwards. Do this five times.

Put both arms in the air and then touch your toes five times.

That’s enough to begin with, do five repeats for a week and then do a few more. Stick with whatever you feel comfortable with.

It is natural to feel a little out of breath if you are not used to these exercises. If you get really breathless stop and tell your doctor. You won’t burn off a lot of calories and lose much weight, but you will tone your muscles and help reduce your waistline.

If you do want to lose more pounds quickly it is quite possible without pills or violent exercise. All you do is sign up for Jon Benson’s free 10 day weight loss program. Jon was overweight himself once and knows all the problems and pitfalls. He has put together his 10 day weight loss program to share his experience in a practical way and to help others achieve what he has achieved himself. When you sign up you receive an email every day and just follow the advice until the end. Then you check the scales and find you are pounds lighter. Just like that.

To join Jon Benson’s free 10 day weight loss program just CLICK HERE.  Do it now, you will be taken to Jon’s website and you will start the spring fitter and slimmer than ever before.

See you soon,

Technorati Tags: fitness tips, fitness walking, heart health, lifetime fitness, over fifties, walking, walking fitness, weightloss