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Benefits of Walking

klimy.co

91–100 of 109 posts

Re: Benefits of Walking

#91
post #89

I used to walk 5 to 10 miles a day, every single night, to clear my head and think about things. One night, on a drinking holiday, I was ran over from the back (while on the sidewalk/side of street, mind you) while on my nightly walk, and crippled permanently by a hit-and-run driver that was never found. (C5 level non-complete quadriplegia) I miss my walks immensely. They used to put my mind at ease like nothing I ha…

Receive all my compassion. And I was complaining of a sprain depriving me of long walks for a few weeks.

I started walking at a rhythm of 5 hours a week minimum three years ago. And I must say, without exaggeration, that I am a different man now. I haven't been sick for 2.5 years; I feel that my immune system is stronger now. Before that, I used to get sick, angina or whatever, twice a year. Also, my legs have become more muscular and my face has become thinner, which makes me look more attractive. I'm 18 again ;-)

Re: Benefits of Walking

#92
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If that doesn't work, try riding a bicycle. You can adjust the pace depending on how you feel, and see a lot more than you would on a regular walk. If you pack a lunch, you can go pretty far, relax in a nice place, and head back.

Warning though: this requires amazing bike infrastructure. In most places in the US, cycling on the road can be an extremely stressful experience.

Same for walking- in many towns there is no sidewalk which forces anyone walking onto the gutter.

For bike trails, there is an effort to connect Maine to Florida called the East Coast Greenway: https://www.greenway.org/

Having used it myself, it's not continuous but certainly better than nothing.

Re: Benefits of Walking

#93
post #59
post #16

Do any of you have any advice on staying healthy and avoiding any long-term harm from short periods of very low mobility? My wife and I face 6 months of jail time if we step out of our 8 sq. m / 86 sq. ft hotel room even once in 13 days' quarantine. (All travellers are quarantined. We've both had negative PCR tests before flying and negative IgM tests upon arrival, with another IgM test scheduled for this Wednesday.…

> 13 days' quarantine I'm pretty sure not leaving the house for 13 days is pretty standard for an American family over the holidays and Winter, esp this year, though I guess I'm not sure if they're staying healthy either.

Most American houses are larger than 8 feet by 10.5 feet.

Re: Benefits of Walking

#94
I walked over 1000 miles already in 2020. I mean dedicated walking miles, not regular movement. I only discovered the joy of long walks this year. I used to drive to mountains for a hike on weekends, but now I just go out the house for a walk after lunch sometimes 1, sometimes up to 3 hours ever day if schedule permits.

I might have never felt as healthy, even though I'm also a long distance runner and exercise regularly.

Re: Benefits of Walking

#95
post #89

I used to walk 5 to 10 miles a day, every single night, to clear my head and think about things. One night, on a drinking holiday, I was ran over from the back (while on the sidewalk/side of street, mind you) while on my nightly walk, and crippled permanently by a hit-and-run driver that was never found. (C5 level non-complete quadriplegia) I miss my walks immensely. They used to put my mind at ease like nothing I ha…

Thanks for sharing and for the lack of a better way to express what I'm feeling, sorry for your loss.

Re: Benefits of Walking

#96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One way to split the difference: rucking. It's just walking while carrying extra weight. Gives you a harder cardiovascular workout that isn't as taxing as running, more along the lines of hiking depending on the weight. I guess biking is another way.

I do a form of rucking and highly recommend it. I don’t think traditional rucking gear is optimal though. The backpack format puts more strain on your back and most rucking forums and such I’ve seen recommend only like 30lbs. The most amazing piece of fitness equipment I have is a 36lb belt which puts no weight on your back and doesn’t hold in heat like a vest. I’ve since had to add a 45lb vest to it, but the vest sh…

I had not considered that about the backpack. I'll look into a belt option.

Re: Benefits of Walking

#97
post #33

I recommend picking up litter while you walk (or run, aka plogging). I recently passed my 1,300th day in a row picking up at least one piece of litter per day. Since the pandemic, more like 20 or 30 since there's so much more litter. You'll be surprised at how much you learn about your world and community. The goal isn't to fix the world as only one person, but to raise awareness and humility. Lots more. I ended up o…

Before the pandemic, did the quantity of litter decrease over time? I mean not drastically but subtle enough to notice?

I've only seen it increase. If you haven't seen the movie The Story of Plastic, I recommend it. Eventbrite lists free screenings all the time, which is how I saw it: https://www.eventbrite.com/d/online/story-of-plastic and eventually hosted my own screening. Here's the video of the panel discussion following the screening, featuring some important panelists: https://joshuaspodek.com/the-story-of-plastic-panel-video, all surprised by how much more plastic we create than they expect.

To your point, it also documents that we're increasing virgin plastic production, to say nothing of all other sorts of litter and waste.

Re: Benefits of Walking

#98
post #33

I recommend picking up litter while you walk (or run, aka plogging). I recently passed my 1,300th day in a row picking up at least one piece of litter per day. Since the pandemic, more like 20 or 30 since there's so much more litter. You'll be surprised at how much you learn about your world and community. The goal isn't to fix the world as only one person, but to raise awareness and humility. Lots more. I ended up o…

What a great idea! Thanks!

Any time. I'd love to hear your experience. I'm just back from my neighborhood's weekly cleanup.

Re: Benefits of Walking

#99
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is great to hear, that currently is me in various forms - start doing squats in the gym and my knees hurt, play a lot of tennis and something else hurts, etc. I really enjoy the few 10 minute yoga videos I've tried so it's great to hear that something I actually enjoy could be the trick to getting me exercise-ready. Can I ask you two questions from the other side of this? - I've spent quite a while searching thr…

I think as you do more yoga you realize that the same “easy” poses are starting points that can be deepened and, when you are ready, added to via variations. Either of the yogis I mentioned in my previous post point out variations. I am surprised how poses I thought I had become advanced at in the beginning were actually just surface level as I developed better interoception and realized the way different body parts…

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated :)

Re: Benefits of Walking

#100

I walked 3 miles a day, about 1,000 miles a year, before the pandemic. For me, two things are important for walking: 1. Environment - I need a quiet & safe path. You can find this in most cities with enough trial & error. Try different streets at different times. You will eventually find a way to walk wherever you want, whenever you want, without much traffic noise or street-crossing risk. 2. Equipment - Great shoes,…

Clarification: A 6-pack of Darn Tough socks lasts me around 750 miles, around 125 miles each.
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