March 29, 2006
Coming Soon - April!
It's not too early to start thinking about your April Walking Goal!
Remember the heart of the challenge ~ to aim for a little more than you might do, otherwise.
Here's the new April challenge banner:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/challenge04.gif" border=0></a>
Feel free also to set multiple goals ~ my personal hope in these monthly challenges is that my walking will become a habit, that I will be a woman who walks. So I have a mini-goal of 10 miles a week (5 days, 2 miles per day) but I aim for walking 6 days a week, and making 50 by month end. I also have a goal for 2006 to walk 500 miles. I re-did the ticker-picker code so that it isn't month-specific anymore, you can use it for a weekly goal, monthly goal, yearly goal, whatever!
Other things that are (hopefully) coming soon:
- A List of April Walkers!
- Reviews of Walking Videos
- Occasional (weekly?) encouraging posts / thoughts / tips
- Weekly check-ins for those who want to "come together" to share our progress
- An encouragement email for those who want it
I'm hoping to walk that fine line between making a useful site for the Challenge, and not spending tooooo much time online! :)
How can we encourage you in your walking? Drop me an email or a comment with your thoughts and suggestions!
If you'd like to sign up for the April challenge, again either drop me an email or post a comment ...
there are three options (that I can think of!) to join -- you pick what suits you!
1.) please link my blog so others can stop by & encourage me
2.) I'll give you my email so you can gently pester me, occasionally
3.) I'll give you a name and my goal, but I don't want to be linked or pestered, I'll comment when I want to update the site with my goals
Lastly, if you haven't read it yet, check out the What IS the Walking Challenge?! post for what it's all about.
:-)
Kim
Tickers, Icons, and Awards
**note - a site update lost my code for more recent banners & icons -- I will be updating this page soon. So sorry! ** ~ Kim March '07
Joining the walk and want to get a ticker for your site, or a little walking banner to show your participation? You've come to the right place! Here are the codes for the different graphics:
| This Month's Banner | Tickers |
| Goal Reached Awards | Participation Awards |
August Banner Code:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/challenge08.gif" border=0></a>Tickers
To calculate your progress and get the corresponding ticker, visit the Walking Challenge Quicker Ticker Picker Page
That's where you can get a ticker like this one, and update it with your progress:
At Melissa's suggestion, I've added some graphics:
The "goal reached" awards are now monthly, so you can make a little virtual trophy wall:
Goal Reached Code:
No Month Specified:
<center><a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/kim/walk/walking_award.gif"></a></center>
March:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/walking_award03.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
April:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/walking_award04.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
May:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/walking_award05.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
June:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/walking_award06.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
July:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/walking_award07.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
August:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/walking_award08.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
And for those who did join in and weren't able to reach their goal, there are "I walked!" awards!!
Participation awards code:
March:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/silver03.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
April:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/silver04.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
May:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/silver05.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
June:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/silver06.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
July:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/silver07.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
August:
<a href="http://www.andfam.net/walk"><img src="http://www.andfam.net/walk/silver08.gif" hspace=5 vspace=5" border=0></a>
March 8, 2006
Walk Away the Pounds for Abs- 1, 2 and 3 mile walks
Reviewed by Rosanne (RoseyGrape)
I have this set all on one DVD, but I believe that it is more common to find the 1 and 2 miles walks on one DVD and the 3 mile on another.
The set is similar to the WATP set, and the lighting is nice and bright. I was pleased to see lots of familiar faces walking. In fact, all but one of the walkers I have seen before. Mary Kay, Joanne, and Linda from the 80's 4-mile walk and the Express walk are there, as is Randy from the WATP original. It took me a minute to decide that Wendy from the Express series was the same person, but it took me nearly a full mile to realize that Cat was there too!
The most startling part of this workout for me, was really being able to hear those walkers speak. I know Leslie talks to them during the Express walks, but this time you can actually hear what they are saying back. It's kind of nice to see and hear the interaction between Leslie and her long-time walking buddies. In terms of group chattiness, this one ranks in between the WATP original and Express.
I don't have the ab belt that goes with this program (and I sure would love to hear comments or even read a review if any of you do use the belt with this set of walks!). I just do the arm movements without the belt, and that keeps my heart rate up in a good range. I tried using the stretchy, but when I went to do a motion with the arms over the head, it slipped and got all rolled up in my ponytail! Then I had to try to keep walking while I was trying to unravel my lovely purple stretchy band from my head and my teenager was howling with laughter.
Anyhow...just doing the arm movements is fine for me.
My big gripe about the 1 mile is that at the beginning of it, Leslie explains how to put on the belt. I can not skip over that part on my DVD! It's a long enough ramble that I have time to start the DVD, and then go and get changed and grab my water bottle.
I sometimes like to do a 1 mile after a 2 mile, but in this case, it will have to be the other way around, just to eliminate that pause in exercising. And it actually does work well to do the 1 mile and then the 2 in this case, since there is no cool down until after the end of the 1 mile, and the 2 mile starts very briskly.
The 1 mile starts with a quick warm-up, and then it's right into the walk. The walkers are all dressed in purple. The steps are the same basic moves as in the other WATP tapes. The only real difference between this and the other WATP walks is that the cool down actually comes after the full mile. Every time I do this walk, the end of the mile takes me by surprise since the walking has hardly slowed down. The stretch is extremely brief, and really, probably inadequate, since in just about every other walk Leslie emphasizes the importance of stretching.
The 2 mile is a good, brisk workout. The warm up is short, probably the shortest warm up I've seen, except for maybe Walk and Kick. The walkers are all dressed in shades of dusty blue (pretty!) and best of all, no one is wearing a bra-style top.
For maximum fun doing this walk, watch Joanne (back row right, behind Mary Kay). She has troubles with her abs belt, and right before the 1/2 mile mark, it actually breaks. Then you can see her tuck in the handles and carry on without using it. At some point, she gets a new belt. I haven't figured out where that happens yet! LOL
Again, Leslie uses the four basic steps, plus kickbacks in this walk. There is a session of using the abs belt, then a time of very brisk walking. Then the walk slows down a bit, and the abs belt is used again. The cool-down is at the end of the 2 miles, and the stretch consists of 2 overhead reaches- and that's it! Again, it is necessary to do a more thorough stretch, especially of the legs.
I give the 3 mile two sweaty thumbs up! Even without the bands, that was a good, brisk workout. Because the arm movements tend to be slow, with arms fully extended, I found that it was challenging enough for me.
A couple of minor quibbles: the cool down is extremely brief, and does not include any leg stretching at all. I hated the second song, but it was mercifully a short one. LOL As well, one of the exercisers in the front row is wearing a bra-style top, which shows more skin that I care to see. I don't mind so much if someone in the back row is wearing one like that, but when it is someone right beside Leslie, they naturally will get a lot of camera time.
All in all, this is a fun, energetic walk. Compared to the WATP original and Express sets, this is the most intense set of walks. I would not recommend this set to beginning walkers, but to anyone looking to bump up the intensity of their walk, or just for something different, this would be a nice addition to your DVD library.
March 1, 2006
The 30 Minute Walk
Reviewed by Rosanne (RoseyGrape)
Review of The 30 Minute Walk
Subtitled, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The Good:
A nice, brisk, 30 minutes
No gadgets
There are some "uncute" walkers. I had heard that she believes in fitness "for all shapes and sizes", but this is the first time that I've seen any walkers that were more than mildly overweight.
Some different moves than the other WATP walks. I particularily like doing the side steps with the "reach and pull", rather than "open and clap". There's also a section of tapping and mini-squats.
The Bad:
It's an older walk. The quality of the picture was not great for me.
There is an extended section of knee-lifts done with legs apart, at a fast speed. First they are done in singles, then doubles, then four at a time. My knees and I do not care for those, so I went back to walking, almost immediately.
The Ugly:
In a few spots, there was mass confusion among the walkers. They are walking very close together, so it was painfully obvious when mistakes were made.
Other Observations:
There is no chit-chat between Leslie and the walkers. She occasionally speaks at them, and calls two of them by name, but you can't hear them at all.
The set is very plain, being mostly white. The walkers are all walk leaders from Leslie's fitness club, and seemed to be dressed in clothes from her studio (as far as I could tell from the logos).
There is no walk-meter to show how far you have gone. Leslie announces the end of one mile, and then the second at the end of the walk.
There is a stretch at the end of this one that I haven't seen on any of her other walks. You put your legs together, bend the knees a bit, and then curl the back and drop the chest down. It's a dandy stretch for the lower back.
Overall...I'm not sure that this will become one of my favourites, but it's worth keeping to do once in awhile as a nice change from the other walks.
Walk Away the Pounds- Walk Strong
Reviewed by Rosanne (RoseyGrape)
Review of the Walk Strong DVD.
Subtitled, "I'm going to be feeling this one tomorrow."
Sub-subtitled, "Lunges and Squats and Weights- Oh, my!"
That was a sweaty 30 minutes.
This one has the same set as Walk and Kick, and the walkers are the same- Mary Kay, Carol, Tall Beth and Sandy. This set looks like a courtyard, and the lighting is not as bright as I would like.
There are 3 minute intervals of intense aerobics and then weight lifting/squatting/lunging/feeling the pain intervals. Leslie's website categorizes this as an intermediate walk, but I beg to differ. I was huffing and puffing on this one far more than I do on some of the other walks that are in the advanced category.
Leslie uses 5 pound dumbells; Mary Kay uses 3 pound dumbells. Beth uses the weighted gloves, Carol uses the Walk-Away weighted balls and Sandy doesn't use anything.
This is a wonderful workout for anyone looking to be challenged in the areas of aerobics and muscular strength. Be aware that there is another Walk Strong in the WATP express series. It uses the stretchy band instead of the weights.
A Little Motivation from FlyLady.net
My friend and our walking friend Chris sent this to me a while back, and I thought I'd bring it to you, it's a nice motivating testimony from http://flylady.net/ of one woman's success with walking and weight loss.
Dear FlyLady,Thank you for the recent article about abstaining from our trigger foods that we overindulge in whenever we have them around. I hope my testimony will bless others.
Five years ago before I found FlyLady, I came to the stark realization that my weight was a problem. At 5'5" I was embarrassed to be nearing 200 lbs as I approached 52 yrs old. I couldn't bend over very well, and tired easily. It startled me that 'in 10 years I would be 62'! I didn't have any medical conditions, but at this rate it would only be a matter of time before I would have developed health problems. I felt depressed, and overwhelmed.
Something clicked! I had a serious 'talk with myself' and reasoned "Anybody can walk!!". I made a commitment to just go for a walk 6 days a week for 1-year until my next birthday. It was not easy because I had 'pampered' myself for so long...there was a 'brat' inside, even before I knew FlyLady's secret.
I went out early because I was embarrassed. Each morning my alarm went off at 6:00, but 'she' laid in bed, not wanting to get out from under the covers for my walk. I would force that 'inner brat' to move 'her' one leg onto the floor, and the rest of 'her' would follow. I just turned a deaf ear to 'her' whining or what 'she' FELT like doing!
Before I knew about evening routines, it helped to put out my walking clothes the night before so I could get dressed before 'she' would fully 'wake up' and realize 'she' was already outside walking! My oh my, 'she' had become a SUCH a pampered brat!
After a few weeks, I actually started feeling more energetic, and 'she' even looked forward to the morning walks. 'She' was such a brat that 'she' was continually late -- 'she' hardly knew what time of day it was, and EVERYONE knew 'she' was never on time! So I insisted that 'she' MUST get out the door by 7:00, and be back home by 7:45. That way, 'she' wouldn't sidetrack me from my walking goal.
Every day I wrote my walk (#laps or minutes) on my calendar. But if I really HAD to miss a day, I didn't let 'her' discourage me with 'her' stinkin' thinkin' about the missed day.
Without realizing it, I was doing BabySteps! I weighed myself every day. I didn't let 'her' stop me if I got to a plateau. I started looking at 5-pound mini-goals instead of the whole amount I wanted to lose.
After a few months of progress, I began writing down what foods 'she' was eating throughout the day. I purposely didn't scold 'her', but just closely observed 'her' eating habits for fats, fiber and calories. Without 'her' even realizing it, I slowly replaced more nutritious foods for 'her' poor choices, and I stopped letting 'her' KID me about sneaking cookies when 'she' thought no one else was watching 'her'. Who did 'she' think 'she' was kidding anyways?? Everyone could SEE what 'her' cookies were doing to MY body --all that clutter!
I reasoned, "What if 'she' was kidnapped and left in the wilderness? --THEN 'she' would HAVE TO live without the chocolate and snacks 'she' stashes away all for 'herself'!" So, I figured 'she' COULD LEARN to enjoy healthier food choices instead of the goodies 'she' had been sneaking when I wasn't looking. I even discovered 'her' hiding places and took all 'her' cookies and snacks out of MY kitchen! And I didn't let 'her' buy 'HER' favorite cookies or snacks. DH liked having HIS favorites...that way, HE wasn't deprived and I wasn't tempted by
letting 'her' have HER own way!Gradually I even found nice friends in my neighborhood who liked to walk and stay fit, and it was encouraging to share our health successes. But I didn't let 'her' discourage me if I had to walk alone or if sometimes going around the block seemed boring. I listened to my Walkman, or I prayed or memorized a Verse, and just let myself enjoy the benefits of walking. No whining or complaining from 'her'!
I went through some difficult elder-care crisis, but in that 1-year, I dropped 52 pounds and soon another 8 pounds came off to reach my goal. I went from size 18/20 to 8/10. Even 'she' finally was happy when 'she' heard all the compliments I was getting. I felt so much younger and energetic! I could bend over and touch my toes again! We both felt so proud of 'our' hard work. 'She' wasn't such a brat anymore, and I liked 'her' a lot better once we worked 'together'.
My precious DH is not much for words. I know he was pleased, but I didn't even let other peoples' opinions influence me - good or bad. It kinda hurt 'her' when DH said, "I never thought you'd do it." But 'she' came to realize that it must be hard for DH to live with that 'brat' when he is such a disciplined, hard-working person himself. He really was very patient with 'her' laziness and bad attitude! 'She' finally got off her Franny and stopped defeating 'herself' with whining!
Since then, I have found FlyLady. I NEED that same kind of help with other areas of my life...especially 'releasing' 35 years of things I no longer need or use. I have some Routines in place, my sink, main rooms look orderly, and have a CJ and use a calendar. But I struggle with my stuffed closets, stuffed drawers and boxes of stuff in 2 rooms.
My BO DH calls it 'purging' and does it effortlessly and regularly for himself!! He always knows what day it is, what time it is, what he plans to do today, and punctually eats, gets up & goes to bed! He hangs up his clothes, and now that he's retired he washes his 2 loads of clothes every Monday! I even call our sweet pooch 'Miss Bulova' because he is 'Mr Elgin! What 'guilt' that lays on me!
I'm trying to Fly with you! Thank you for all your encouragement!!
Mrs. Flutter in PA*****************************
FlyLady here: Sometimes we just need to be firm with that side of us who would rather stay under the covers. I think it is great idea to use your calendar to chart your daily new habits. We love to get stars. Go take a walk today!You can also use our FREE Body Clutter Investigator to help you establish your new habits. It is in the Body Clutter section of our homepage, along with our Body Clutter Book, Body Clutter Control Journal and Leanne's Body Clutter Menu Mailer.