Fitness Friday: Walking Paths

It's Friday, and the weather in my neck of the woods has been incredibly unseasonably cooler than normal. So, that means it's perfect weather for walking.

There are some amazing walking paths near where I live. Some of them connect bike paths and other park paths, along some main thoroughfares. Others are more tucked away in park-like settings.

If your town has any paths like these, or even anything close, take advantage of them. Get out and walk, run, bicycle, or skip. It's a great way to take in some great scenery, take time to reflect or pray while walking, and just relax while working your body's muscles - Is that even possible?  Why, yes. yes, it is!

One path that I have always enjoyed is one at our local community college. For some reason, the idea of a fountain in the center focal part of a circular path is quite appealing. I guess it's refreshing when I catch some of the spray, but it's also very relaxing and allows me to make believe I am walking along a beach, by the ocean.

Unfortunately, I was struck with a summertime cold that has knocked the socks off of me, so I haven't been enjoying the outside walking.

Still, it's there to be enjoyed by those who can. That is, of course, until the heat and humidity return tonight and over the weekend. At which point, a pool sounds like the better choice.

Find more fitness motivation at the following bloggers that are hosting Fitness Friday:

The Healthy Moms.net
Chandra Sullivan at Spark Your Motivation
Danielle Nabozny at Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
Lisa Belanger at Inspire Me Well
Maryann Mitchell at It's Not Food, It's Me
Angela Barnets at Fit Personified
Wendi Barker at Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker at Love Lacey 365
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Fitness Friday: Jogging, Running v. Walking

Are you a runner?  Perhaps you jog?  Or, is walking more your speed?  Stop beating yourself up when you see all of your friends signing up for that half marathon, or you see that marathon bumper sticker on someone's car.  Perhaps, walking is just as good - If not better - For your overall fitness.  At least, that's what I hope.

Jogging, running, anything at super fast speed is really not me. As a kid, when I would run around the track, my side would hurt.  I'm still not sure what's up with that. I'm not sure if the side aches stopped as I grew or I juts no longer experience the pains when I run - Well, because I never run anymore unless it's to chase after a child who has found him or herself in danger.

I prefer walking.  Yes, walking is my favorite exercise. But, is it as good as jogging?

According to one article, from the University of Rochester Medical Center, both have their benefits and their issues of concern. Summing it up, jogging or running seems to be better at fat burning, while walking is a great low-impact overall fitness activity that causes less overall injury.

I didn't want to settle for just one study's word for it, so I looked further into the question and found fitness expert Jenny Sugar suggests that jogging or running provides a better aerobic exercise. However, a brisk walk can be just as good.

One last source I discovered was from an article in the Huffington Post that bottom lined the question to say that running isn't for everyone and that running burns more calories, but walking has plenty of benefits as well. It continues with a really nice slideshow about the health benefits of walking that's worth a look.



My conclusion:

I'm still not a runner, though I am impressed with those who have the stamina and dedication. Even though it is at a slower pace, I will continue to love my preferred mode of walking over running.

Which one do you prefer?

See what other Fitness Friday bloggers have to say about staying fit and eating healthy:

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Link Up Here!

Find more fitness motivation at the following bloggers that are hosting Fitness Friday:

The Healthy Moms.net
Chandra Sullivan at Spark Your Motivation
Danielle Nabozny at Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
Lisa Belanger at Inspire Me Well
Maryann Mitchell at It's Not Food, It's Me
Angela Barnets at Fit Personified
Wendi Barker at Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker at Love Lacey 365
Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Fitness Friday: In Sickness and In Health - Well, Maybe

I started using the pedometer a couple weeks ago. The goal is to get 10,000 steps in each day. Apparently, 10,000 steps is equal to walking about 5 miles.

I saw a statistic that said that sedentary people tend to get approximately 3,000 steps a day. So, I put the pedometer to the test and discovered that it was a struggle for me to get in 3,000 steps at my typical "sit-by-the-computer" and work lifestyle.

So - I made a concerted effort to get up and move every hour or so.

Then, I got sick.  Whew!  I am rarely nailed and brought to my bed by any illness, but this one really got me down. It started with a sinus-style headache and escalated to runny nose, etc.  During my 4 days of feeling ill, I really, really tried to get up and get some steps in. And, this was even more work when my body wanted to just rest. But, I did it.  I only made between 5,000-6,000 steps on the two good days and struggled to reach 3,000 on the worse days. But, I gave myself a break and picked up where I left off as soon as I could.

Then, my child got sick. Though, I still managed to get in my 10,000 steps - It was a struggle.  But, I did it!

I am now waiting to measure myself, maybe next week, to see if these 10,000-a-day steps have made a difference. I will say that I feel it in my muscles, so I hope it has made a dent. The day my overzealous padding around my mid-section starts to shrink is the day I will say it was a success.

LINK UP HERE!!!

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Link Up Here!

Find more fitness motivation at the following bloggers that are hosting Fitness Friday:

The Healthy Moms.net
Chandra Sullivan at Spark Your Motivation
Danielle Nabozny at Lip Gloss and Yoga Pants
Lisa Belanger at Inspire Me Well
Maryann Mitchell at It's Not Food, It's Me
Angela Barnets at Fit Personified
Wendi Barker at Wendi's Book Corner
Lacey Baker at Love Lacey 365
Follow my blog with Bloglovin