Tag Archives: walking exercise

Fat Burning Puzzle Piece Changing Lifestyles

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What many weight watchers and/or weight loss resolution plans have in common is an annual goal to lose body fat weight. But what people lose sight of who set these goals and New Year’s Resolution… finding a daily fat burning exercise activity [they enjoy] that motivates and compliments other healthy lifestyle changes necessary to stay the course. In my opinion, there’s one piece of the weight loss puzzle that’s more important than any other lifestyle change piece. Especially if one is to be successful at sustaining the weight loss change long-term.

Most of us know excess body fat increases the risk associated with diabetes, cardiovascular problems, stroke, gout, sleep apnea, gall bladder disease, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer, etc. “So it stands to reason once the weight gain and increased health risk connection is understood, ‘it seems it would be easier to drum up the will power to stay and hold the weight loss course.” Although health literacy education is an important component of understanding how you will develop a weight loss plan based on current health status, and/or mitigate health risk… exercise and diet are almost-equally important puzzle pieces in consideration of developing a plan you’ll stick with. In my opinion, daily aerobic exercise is the most important habit change [puzzle piece] to focus on to achieve and sustain the weight loss goal.

To identify a fat burning aerobic exercise that motivates you to stay the exercise course – Simply think of an activity that keeps the body moving for extended periods of time. To help you find an activity that’s right for you… simply think of one you enjoyed as a child. As children we rode bikes, danced, hiked, walked to places and played intramural sports, etc., all aerobic-effort activities. Now hold onto this thought and we’ll get back to it.

If a daily fat burning exercise is not incorporated into the weight loss plan, it becomes very difficult to stay motivated and achieve the set weight loss goal and/or sustain the course once you’ve achieved it. Why? the will power to cut calories; and/or select healthier food choices; and/or change other unhealthy habits and behavior to achieve the goal is greatly dependent on daily activation of the fat burning engine. The fat burning engine also stimulates the brain-body chemicals that provide a sense of well-being [they are the natural feel-good chemicals that increase the will power that motivates us to move more and enjoy life to the fullest!]

Learn more about the brain-body chemicals by clicking on the Ageless MirrorAthlete “Overweight and Unfit No More,” or click on book link below.

Healthy whole foods selection and total consumption are important puzzle pieces to weight loss. But what I’d like you to focus on is identifying and sustaining a year-around daily low-impact exercise activity you enjoy doing.

When you sustain a daily low-impact aerobics program [working-up-to: 20-40 min/daily], you’ll see weight loss results within weeks. Regardless of any other habit change. Eventually exercise activity will lead to other healthier lifestyle changes that compliment other puzzle piece weight loss components.

Reflecting back to my childhood [as I’m asking you to consider], simply identify an aerobics activity(s) you would enjoy doing daily … . As a child I walked everywhere. So it seemed natural for me to continue this low-impact fat burning exercise as an adult. Why do I ask you to reflect to your childhood? Because if you don’t have a favorite aerobics activity identified, you’ll likely recall one you enjoyed as a child. As opposed to following somebody else’s activity you may not stick with.

In my opinion, the most important piece of a successful weight loss plan is dependent on performing low-impact aerobics daily [ride a bike, walk, row, jog, hike, dance, site seeing, shadow box, jump rope, etc.]. However, those who live in changing weather and stressful work environments and with non-flexible schedules may feel it impossible to squeeze any more into a day.

Regardless of season, limited resources, inflexible schedule and/or seasonal activity interest… there is one fat burning exercise anyone can perform 365 days out of the year. That aerobics exercise is coincidentally my favorite childhood activity. Walking is an activity nearly everyone can participate in and can be performed year around anywhere and at anytime.

Walking is a very addictive form of low impact aerobics exercise and easy on load-bearing joints. It also activates the brain-body chemicals necessary to ignite the fat burning metabolism, which increases the mental and physical will power and well-being necessary to sustain other healthy lifestyle changes to stay on course.

If your looking for detailed information to help you achieve your weight loss and other fit healthy lifestyle goals/resolution and fully understand how brain-body [feel good] puzzle pieces work together and lead toward sustainable weight loss and healthier lifestyle. Ageless MirrorAthlete “Overweight and Unfit No More” is the coaching and lifestyle change guidance programming and planning information you need and want now.” It’s like having your very own Fitness and Healthy Lifestyle Coach in your corner without paying hundreds of dollars for a professional trainer. Learn more about the book by Clicking on the link now.

Ageless MirrorAthlete book includes all the permanent weight loss and annual fitness resolution truths you need and want now!

Learn more about Healthy Lifestyle Change at this website by reading another MirrorAthlete article titled: Lose Weight Permanently through Lifestyle Change,

Author: Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. 2014-19 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org, Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

Boot Up Properly To Walk Anywhere

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I’m often asked why I Boot Up to walk easily accessible sidewalks, parkway and greenway paved trail systems. My reasoning is basically 5-fold.

1) I often walk through narrow dirt trail systems in publically owned wooded areas with overgrown brush and weeds within Tigard, OR City boundaries. You can find these remote trail systems within and around Dirksen Nature Park, Bull Mountain Park, and Cook, Cache and Sunrise Parks and sections of Genesis loop. Also Fields and Brown property behind the Tigard Library running parallel with the train tracks. To include other unimproved land areas not well known to the general public.

Marc Woodard, Tasha Wolfe, Beth Gunn-Woodard, Ashton Osteriech, Hiking Portland, OR Forest Park, 2018

2) If you love trail walking or work within rural and forested environments, or like to hike, camp, hunt over the weekends protective all-weather clothing, backpack and supportive footwear in my opinion is the best attire to wear during daily walking exercise to keep the feet and body conditioned to participate in any of those activities year around.

3) Boots are more resistive to walk in than tennis shoes and require daily use to keep feet conditioned to wear them comfortably for any occasion. They also provide a superior level of protection from puncture, abrasions or blunt force that may occur on uneven and unstable outback surface conditions.

4) Regardless of foot wear choice and activity, an improperly fitted boot like any shoe can cause hotspots and blisters; to include lift toenails ever so slightly which allows fungus to enter under them. Toenail fungus is the cause of yellowish, thickened and cracked nail and painful conditions. To learn more about proper fitting foot ware, foot care and toenail fungus connection and treatment – Read: Clear up Yellowed, Thickened and Cracked Toenails Visit: Article short link: https://wp.me/p8mORL-uu

5) If you have ankle supination problems [where the foot strikes the outer back edge of heal first with unstable force], a properly fitted boot with 6″ ankle height support will likely keep the foot from buckling inward and may prevent strain or sprain of the outer ankle joint.

Loaded Back Pack – 25lbs of apples

My go-to walking gear consists of ankle high tactical boots with insole inserts for additional padding and arch support. I also wear lightweight protective long-sleeved and tactical flex-pant clothing, hat and often Don a backpack with 3 liters [~6.6lbs] of water. Additional gear consists of a flashlight, jerky or power bar, rain proof wind breaker, extra pair of socks, water purifier drinking straw, first aid kit and a pair of well-worn boots – should the primary boot compromise a foot during a long walk.

If boot change out or foot treatment does not occur prior to developing a hotspot… This can result in a painful domino effect in any combination(s) of weight bearing joints, i.e., knee, hip, back and neck. In general and in many cases – weight bearing joint pain begins at the feet first and works its way up the body as exercise activity continues without foot ware adjustment. If foot discomfort is not addressed timely and pain persists daily this doesn’t motivate people to walk more.

My recommendation for anyone looking to condition the feet and body for long walks; traverse up and down hills as much as you walk the flatlands. It is hilly slops where boot ware can be tested for excessive slippage, uncomfortable pressure points and hotspots caused by improperly fitted footwear. This is the time to make adjustments, not while on a long or remote hike in the mountains. I can’t begin to tell you how many types of insoles, socks, moleskin [protective adhesive hotspot Band-Aid-like patches] and boots I’ve gone through to find the right combinations that allows me to walk on average 8-10 miles per day comfortably anywhere without pain.

No matter the adventure… foot maintenance should be the priority.

Before beginning long distance walking program, it is helpful to first plan conditioning the feet and breaking in the footwear over a 4 week period. I recommend walking daily at a pace and distance you’re comfortable – then increase duration gradually. There is a secondary benefit to hauling up-to10-12lbs of essentials on daily walks most don’t consider. The additional weight takes extra cardio and muscular endurance effort while burning more fat calories.

Once feet are conditioned, try donning a lightweight back pack and add weight gradually on a daily basis if you want the increased fitness benefits to condition the body… especially feet for a remote hiking expedition.

Good health to you and your family.

Marc Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET., is a member of the Tigard City Council. He is a strong proponent of City involvement in providing recreational opportunities for its residents. 2018 Copy right. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., “To learn more about MirrorAthlete Fit Healthy Lifestyle, City Recreation and free monthly newsletter, visit: www.mirrorathlete.org

Walk Tigard with Marc Woodard

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Bailey’s Burger Shop in Down Town Tigard

If you’d like a more challenging walking exercise experience… MirrorAthlete is looking to begin a monthly and/or quarterly walk activity in the City of Tigard.

Our walk loops will be no less than 5 miles. If you want to participate more information will be provided at MirrorAthlete’s FB page DaringToWalk .

If there is enough interest in a dedicated chat room at MirrorAthlete home site, we can provide that service for the group to share information and walking experience, etc.

Cooper Mountain Trail System beginning in Beaverton is the most challenging course to sustain 4.0 mph up and down the terrain.

We plan to walk 5 to 15 mile loops beginning in Tigard. Some of our walks will go through and around Beaverton, Portland, Tualatin, Sherwood, West Linn and Lake Oswego.

If interested in walking with Marc 1 day per month/quarterly, simply click on the DareToWalk link above, “LIKE” us on that page and join the event once posted.

We’ll also be using the MapMyWalk app to track mileage and calories burnt.

Simply download the app to your smart phone and “LIKE” Marc Woodard on MapMyWalk app. We can then create monthly walk challenges and invite members to compete against mileage walked on their own time.

You will be motivated to walk further distances as you lose the weight you want and get more fit healthy. Participating in longer walk loop events will become a reality and you’ll make new friends that motivate you to put in more miles weekly.

We’ll send out the day, time, place to meet and other pertinent information for those who “LIKE” us on DareToWalkMore FB page. Then we’ll Gage where the walking interests go from there.

Walk and Shop

Depending on interests will determine when we start, frequency of event and how challenging the walk loop distance and terrain will be.

For those that “LIKE”  DareToWalk FB page, we’ll create a walking event calendar and you’ll be invited to walk with us. The group will walk at an average set pace between 3.7 – 4.0 mph.

If not conditioned to walk at this pace and distance but would like to join the event, simply show up per start time and location posted with proper walking attire and water container. You begin walking with the start group, then follow the designated walk loop map to walk part, or all of it at your pace.

Either way you have bragging rights within the group. The goal thereafter is to walk a little further each day on your own. Then you become more fit and aerobically conditioned. Thereafter you’ll be physically able to walk with the group at the next event and throughout the entire course if you so choose.

Down Town Tigard

Walking event day of the month will likely be a Saturday. Walk times will vary. Most likely they’ll begin around 9-10am. Start locations will likely begin and end at Tigard Main Street, Cook Park, Dirksen Nature Park, or Woodard Park.

To learn more about MirrorAthlete simply visit our home site at www.mirrorathlete.org and be sure to subscribe to our Free monthly Newsletter to stay up-to-date on everything fit healthy.

Good Health to You and Your Family.

Marc Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, ARNG, CPT, RET. Is a member of the Tigard City Council. He is a strong proponent of City involvement in providing recreational opportunities for its residents. 2017 Copyright. All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Inc., www.mirrorathlete.org