Walking? Benefits and any other comments.

AND you always meet nice folk out walking!

I walk twice a day with my Border Terrier, he needs his exercise & expects to go out so off we go in all weathers. Sometimes we do a shorter circuit sometimes we go quite a bit further. I’m currently getting up earlier to get out before it gets too hot and we are enjoying our early morning walks. Like many on here I have some arthritis & some mornings I feel stiff and achy and could happily not bother but once I’m out & moving I enjoy it, always people to chat to and things to see. Wish it burnt a few more calories though.

I quite like walking, but really do it because of the health benefits. Once I have forced myself to start I do enjoy walking in the countryside, especially by water. I am by nature an ambler but my husband is a brisk walker, which means I speed up when walking with him. I also belong to a u3a walking group, which also involves quite a brisk walk of 4-6 miles.

keepcalmandcavachon

AND you always meet nice folk out walking!

Depends where- many places where I go, I meet lots of wildlife but no-one at all. Which is great too.

cornergran

We have grocery deliveries halfpint because at the moment neither of us can lift a bag of shopping or carry one indoors from the car

It doesn’t stop us walking, living at the coast we walk the beaches and sea front, as long as there is a seat when one of us needs it we’ll carry on enjoying being outside. I’d not want to walk pavements now, we’re lucky, a river walk at the bottom of the garden (not so lucky with the insurance!) and the beach not too far away. This thread has got me thinking, I’m not sure I’d do it alone and a (gentle) walking group could be the way to go.

I recently bought 2 x 25kg bags of small stones for my garden
in an effort to give more cover from the heat. I asked the
Garden Centre to put them in the boot of my car which they
kindly did. At home I transferred small buckets from the
stone packs to the garden, well that was good exercise!
Where there's a will there's a way and muscles only get better
with use.

Walking is LOVELY and so worth getting in the habit of. Brisk and slow, soaking up the countryside and the trees. I have read so often that it is the best possible exercise. It's also good for 'mental health'. (hate that phrase!)
And of course the best way to ensure you walk is GET A DOG!

I need a purpose for a walk and miss old friends that used live near and letter writing so always a need to get to the post by a certain time. Nowadays I use podcasts to motivate me to get going. I have a step counter on my phone and it does surprise me how much one logs just going around shops/doing errrands even if you have driven to location.

I walk twice a day with my dogs. One of them is a collie and much like your parsons they need to get out and about. This weather the other dog and I amble along and leave the collie to attempt to herd whatever he finds. In winter we all stride out. The health benefits are great for both physical and mental well-being for me and the dogs.

I’m just back from a lovely brisk walk on a country path just up the road from us, which is shaded by trees all the way. Half an hour, 3600 steps. Unusually, I didn’t meet another soul - it was just me and the birds and a couple of squirrels. I feel it set me up nicely for the day.

I walk up to the Village every weekday (not actually a village but a fairly central area of the city) to do a bit of shopping and get some exercise. Its up a very long steep hill and has quite a few stairs involved, which is good as I live in a ground floor flat. All pavement, unfortunately, but at least weather is not a problem as grass can be muddy and unpleasant when its wet. It gives me at least my 30 minutes a day recommended exercise - albeit slow exercise on the way up lol, it is a really steep hill. I have arthritis in my knees so have to be careful when going down the steps, no problem with going up them. I am suffering with depression and have to force myself to get out most days or I would become a hermit

I don’t drive so walking is and always has been my way of life. I walk between 3-5 miles a day out of necessity. I don’t walk for pleasure…..my pleasure is reading and I can’t do that while walking ! I have quite often walked 12 miles ,while on a day .out to London….not owing a car has certainly kept me fit I must say . Just try doing without the car for a month and see how you get on!
The last 6 months I’ve had a torn cartilage and it’s nearly stopped me in my tracks …. the pain is horrible. But even so I’m still doing at least 2 miles a day.

Have you tried audiobooks while you’re walking, Saggi? I download them from our library service, free, which is just as well when you get a reader whose voice grates on you and you can just stop them in their whiny tracks! Podcasts can help the time fly as well.

I started walking more a few years ago when I got a Fitbit to encourage moving more. At first I had to force myself to go out for a walk in the evening to achieve my daily target but as time went on I found I often achieved it during the day just by a bit more moving around. I started to walk to things where I used to drive.

Eventually all this, plus a change in my medication, resulted in major weight loss and generally getting much fitter. Since retiring I have joined a 'Simply Walk' group for a weekly walk unless the weather is seriously bad. I'm not the fastest of walkers but have much more stamina than I did. I struggle to keep up with my daughter if we go out together, which is frustrating for her, so we often plan a walk where I go part way, have a sit down somewhere nice then head back to the car. She does the full walk and meets me back there.

Now I find I look forward to an excuse to walk to the local shop just for an odd item where once I'd have left it to another day.

I'm only sad that Fitbit have removed their challenges so I can no longer compete in step challenges with friends who also have a Fitbit. My daughter was so disappointed that when her latest Fitbit developed a fault she bought a different brand. They have done themselves no favours!

Since leaving home at 16, I have walked in preference to other modes of transport, as money has been in short supply most of my adult life.

Walking is
cheaper than taking the bus or train
safer than riding a bike in a busy city
strenghtens the muscles of your legs and feet and benefits those of you back.

And now in my old age they suddenly tell us that having walked since we were young may well diminish our risk of delveloping any form of senile dementia.

The main disadvantage is that you get wet when it rains, closely followed by the fact that it takes far longer to get to where you needed to be if you walk, and it can be very tiring having to walk home from work or university carrying somewhere between 10 and 15 kg of books (the average academic or musician's load,) plus depending on what you do, dancing shoes, a musical instrument and a change of clothes, plus whatever shopping you may need to do on the way home.

Fetching anything heavy or bulky from the DIIY store is a nightmare too.

Personally, I find it hard to walk with others, as my march tempo is faster than most peoples' ex-soldiers excepted, and I get a sore back if I have to slow down to accompany non-walkers.

When i left hospital I was told to tke things easy, not too much walking or lifting, consequently, 3 months later I now struggle to do both, but things are improving, I can now walk from the chair to te caar with no trouble,m aim now is to make it to the end of the drive, another 10 steps.

Walking benefits include better mental and physical health. It will give you more muscle tone in the lower half of your body, increase stamina, engage your senses. Seeing the same places through the seasons watching how the trees come into leaf, leaf fall, the beautiful skeleton of bare branches in the winter. It’s all magical to me, and very grounding.

Downsides include needing decent walking boots more often. And I have tripped over tree roots too, so bruises and scratches too.

I love winter walking best. Feeling yourself warm up while walking is a lovely thing on a cold winter day.

SachaMac

I walk twice a day with my Border Terrier, he needs his exercise & expects to go out so off we go in all weathers. Sometimes we do a shorter circuit sometimes we go quite a bit further. I’m currently getting up earlier to get out before it gets too hot and we are enjoying our early morning walks. Like many on here I have some arthritis & some mornings I feel stiff and achy and could happily not bother but once I’m out & moving I enjoy it, always people to chat to and things to see. Wish it burnt a few more calories though.

Border Terriers are my favourite breed of dog. We had two for many years. Just before Christmas we had to have our lovely old BT pts,he was nearly seventeen. We had the most wonderful years with them and I miss them every day.
DH and I have continued with our daily walk but yesterday just five minutes from home I tripped and fell flat on my face. It was very frightening and I’m very bruised and cut but luckily no broken bones. A lot of blood from a nose bleed and a very sore nose today. I shall have to be extra careful now as I know I will worry that it might happen again.

Hope you’re ok after your fall Nightsky2 it is so easily done, the bruising is bad enough but it also shakes you up & knocks your confidence.
Sorry to hear you have now lost both of your Border Terriers, I can understand why you miss them so much. They are wonderful dogs with such character, I totally adore mine 🐾 I hope you can get back to your daily walks soon.

The benefits to both mental and physical health are immense if you even walk a mile or so a day.

I aim for between about 5 and 10 miles a day, usually briskly unless I'm with a friend who is a bit slower. In my 60s I feel it is so important to keep moving. Use it or lose it.

I walk our two dogs every single day and dread the day I'm too infirm to get outside and walk.It keeps me fit,I love my food and I burn off all the treats that otherwise would make me feel stodgy.When I tore a cartilage and then had a partial knee replacement I hated not being as active.And I too love winter walks especially. I don't get hot and bothered and love coming in for a hot drink or warm bath after a good stomp round.Plus I find being outside in nature makes me happy. Hence I love gardening too.

I always found walking boring especially when on my own. Now I have a dog I take her out every day to the local park and woods and lately have been there by 7 am when it’s quite cool. Meeting other dog walkers, many I have got to know, it’s a time I look forward to every day. I feel energised, my dog loves the exercise (and the sniffing) and we both get back to a welcome breakfast.

Huge dog walk in the woods today, met no-one, but lots of bird song and the wild flowers are just amazing at the moment. Orchids, spiked rampions, dark almost black aquelegia, King Cups, astrantias, campion, centaurea, puce coloured wild roses, anemones, and so much more. About 10km, up and down. Magical.

I also dog walk a border terrier, he's 6 and keeps a pretty brisk pace on the lead. I'm fortunate to have lots of opportunity to have him "off lead" we still walk briskly but I love the peace and quiet and that opportunity to live in my head a bit. It's great therapy for my mental health as well as my physical health. I always try to up my pace on hills so I get fitter but find the hot weather saps my energy and the dog's so OH will take him out very early when it's cool and I am still in bed!

I wish that unhealthy recipe of three ingredient scones would stop appearing as it’s hardly difficult to make proper ones with virtually no sugar or chemical.

Good morning, another lovely day here but slightly cooler which suits me. I’m another walker but it’s not been the long walks I used to doing due to circumstances. I never feel bored whilst walking alone somehow, in fact a lot if the time I prefer it as I take everything in more. The hot weather saps my energy, better when cooler.