Kathy Philips is a certified personal trainer who has offered to be our own Dame trainer, and we’re thrilled to have her. She is providing us with practical fitness tips that are convenient and effective. Last week she talked to us about building bone density and mass with push-ups. This week, she goes all Aerosmith with “Walk this Way.”
Note: I provided a link to the video from the 80’s, since Kathy and I used to do a line dance to this song in high school and I thought we could all listen and dance for a moment.
Kathy: Walking seems so simple, yet is a great way to lose weight, slip in some cardio, and get toned. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who walked at least four hours a week were 44% more likely to lose weight during the 15 years they were tracked than those who didn’t walk at all — regardless of what other exercises they were doing.
Sound easy?
Donna: Well, it sounded easy until I tried to turn my 30 minutes twice a week into four hours . . .
Kathy: It CAN be easy. Start with an inexpensive pedometer so you can see how many steps you are taking in a day. We’re supposed to shoot for 10,000 steps a day, and I was amazed at how few steps I was really getting. Being a teacher, I do a lot of standing, but not a lot of “stepping.”
Donna: Pedometers can be a revelation. I got one when I was on the Jenny Craig program and my daily step-count was so low I tried to cheat by moving my feet in a walking motion while sitting in front of my computer. Those rascals are smart. It didn’t work.
Kathy: I’ve always said you can fool some people all of the time, but you can’t fool a pedometer! Walking works, and has truly great benefits, such as —
- allows time for family and friends
- is easy on your joints
- burns calories
- reduces stress
- lowers your blood pressure
- strengthens your bones
- helps you sleep better
- fights dementia
So, Dames, after sitting for a while find a friend or co-worker and take a walk. Park farther away from stores. Take short walks as breaks in the day. It will make a difference.
Donna: Thanks Kathy! One final suggestion. Considering the excessive internal and external heat wave we are all experiencing, I recommend you drop an ice-cube or two down your top before heading out. 🙂