Start Walking!

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When I turned 50 I decided it was time... it was time to get more fit. I decided it was time to focus on my health more than I had been doing. The easiest thing to do was to start walking. Of course that is when I realized how very out of shape I was! :) I did not let that stop me.

I've been a big fan of walking because it can be done without equipment, no membership needed, and it can even be done in the home. I don't think there is anything wrong with equipment or gym memberships, I'm not knocking them, but they can also be obstacles when starting a journey to fitness. Something you have to wait for, or wait until you can afford it, etc. Walking can be done right now.

One thing I would recommend is a good pair of shoes. If you start walking and enjoy it you'll put a lot of miles on and good shoes are a must.

The other item I purchased to help motivate me to walk was a FitBit. I love the motivation it gives me. You don't need this to walk of course. You can download a step counting app for free on your phone or just measure your progress by how much time you spend walking.

I currently have a FitBit Ultra. I like this one a lot. There are ones that have more bells and whistles but, personally, that was not what I wanted. So I chose this one for its simplicity. I also love how long a charge lasts on it. I can go around a week between charges.

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The next thing you need is a plan. Something to work towards; a goal. When I began walking my first goal was a mile. That was not easy for me. But I continued on until I could easily walk a mile. Then it was 2 miles, 3 miles, 4 miles, 5 miles. As I was working towards increasing the miles I would use my FitBit to daily and weekly increase the number of steps I was taking.

Maybe you'd like a goal that is something you can follow daily to build strength? I have a Walking and Exercise board on Pinterest that has several different options to pick from..


If you are a step counter you might find the following website a lot of fun. It has a lot of different virtual trails. As you record your steps you get to see the sights of whichever trail you are working your way through. I have already hiked around Crater Lake (in Oregon), and am now making my way around downtown Sydney Australia. What has been fun about this trail is that the creator of the walk has also included a lot of Australia history along the way. So it's been fun and educational. There are several different walks to choose from.



I hope this post will be some encouragement to be more active and fit.  I believe the main way to fitness is to find something you love doing.  Obviously walking is not the only option out there but I share with you what has motivated me and what I love doing. 



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