Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Day 13-Climb off the Couch



Time to move. Turn off the TV. People with diabetes need to be aware that being a couch potato equals more weight gain, more illness, and more risk of serious complications.

Start walking today. It's the easiest form of exercise. You don't need any special equipment. Just a good pair of shoes. Walking will increase your life span. Walking increases the number of insulin receptors in your body, thus helping your body to take care of the insulin produced. It also produces energy.

If you can't walk thirty minutes, because you haven't taken a walk in ages that's okay. Start with ten minutes in the morning. Then mid-afternoon walk another ten minutes.  Finally take a ten minute walk in the early evening.

Walk with your own style. No one expects you to race walk. Start with a stroll. It get's your body used to moving. Set your personal pace. Walk with someone. You should be able to carry on a conversation while you are walking.

More important that speed is your stride. What is the length of your step? How much are you swinging your arms? These are what you need to know to turn your walking into diabetes healing. Combine a slow pace with a brisk walk and then slow down again.

Time or distance? Many people work well on a time schedule, 10 min, 15 min, 20 min, or 30 min. Others choose a distance. Say walking to the corner and back is half a mile. Then walk half way to the corner to start with your goal being to get to the corner and back. Once you hit the corner pick another distance.

Start with three or four days a week. Work until you are walking at least six days a week. Make it your routine.

Where do you walk? A local park, your neighborhood, some place you feel safe. It doesn't matter as long as you are walking.

I'll be honest, I live on a main road where the average speed is 60mph. For me to walk I need to drive three miles to town and walk in the park. They have several walking paths, some longer than others. I prefer to walk with someone as I don't have an Ipod, walkman or any other type of music device I can carry with me. Besides, company on a walk is sometimes fun. I walked on the beach all winter. Some days I talked to people, some days I didn't see a soul other than the sea gulls. Each day I walked longer. Some days I waded in the ocean, some days it was too cold to do that. Either way the thought of walking on the beach kept me coming back.  Now I have to get into walking at home.

Are you still on the couch????
TTFN

1 comment:

October Already

 I'm not sure where the time has flown. June was an exiting month. July was a mess. I had a change of medication which caused me to gain...