Breath walking: misfit style.

This is how I USED to walk.

Hello my name is MizFit (hi mizfit!) and Im a fast walker.

It’s not so much if we’re ambling together but alone I tend to walk purposefully—with a destination in mind.

A destination and, typically, said destination has a time associated with it.

I stride purposefully, quickly, and exceedingly mindlessly.

As a result, my recent trip to NYC was a tremendous gift. 

I had meetings (for which I got fancy & took a cab) yet for the most part my time was my own.

I still wanted to do my daily meditation–but was hesitant to “waste” any of my precious NYC-time in the hotel room.

Ill save this for home!

Enter the notion of breath walking.

Breath walking, a blending of walking and Kundalini yoga, was initially designed for people lacking in stamina and flexibility.

Quite frankly the only thing I have going for me in yoga is my stamina and flexibility—so Ive always scoffed at never made time for moving meditation.

Quite frankly Id still not have made time to try it had I not read an article (on the flight to NYC. there are no accidents) which described it this way:

 In walking meditation we use the experience of walking as our sole focus.

As a woman with tremendous monkey mind I was sold.

I can walk.  I know how to walk. I can focus on the walk.

Continuous stepping + measured breaths + a mantra = a breath walking, NYC strolling misfit.

I practiced moving meditation each morning during my trip and have tried it a few times since Ive returned.

It rocks. It’s super challenging.  Here’s why.

Why moving meditation ROCKED:

Breath walking is a needed change.  It was perfect when I didnt want to meditate indoors.  It was invigorating *and* I felt part of the city.  Now home, Ive found breath walking (instead of haul-a** walking) a way to intersperse meditation into the zaniness of my day.It works *with* my monkey mind.  Ive grown better at stopping distracting during meditation but Im far from perfect.  Ive found my mind SLOWS during breath walking as it tunes into/becomes more aware of bodily sensations.  This still isnt completely emptying my mind—but it’s better than distracting, fretting thoughts.It makes sense!  Walking rocks (walking 75 minutes weekly may add two years to your life.  walking 64 minutes daily may add 4.5 years.).  Meditation rocks.  Why not walking meditation?!It’s easy and fast.  Commit.  Pull on your shoes.  WALK!  There are specifics (addressed below) but more than anything it’s choosing a mantra and walking slowly.  It’s focusing on how your body feels as you move, how your breaths flow in & out, and on the releasing tension from your physique.

Why breath walking was a challenge:

I struggled with inward focus. When I meditate at home Im rarely visually distracted as my eyes are closed.  In New York it was a challenge not to ‘sight-see’ and at home it’s a challenge to watch where Im going yet not grow distracted by people or things in my path.Im a wonky breather. Who knew? During breath walking you match your breath with your stride.  Im getting better at slowing down both pieces—but initially Id have been panting had I matched my breath with my steps.I cant walk and tap at concurrently–yet.  It’s suggested as you breath walk you tap your fingers (thumb to pointer, thumb to middle etc).  While this sounds easy–it consistently trips me up.  My mantra (I am stress-free) fits perfectly with the taps and yet, while trying to focus inward and move *and* not bonk into anything, I’ve consistently forgotten to tap.

All things considered Im smitten with the notion of moving meditation.

It wont replace my morning minutes but I enjoy how breath walking brings meditation to mundane activities from walking to school to strolling to the post office.

Now you.

Have you tried breath walking?Do you meditate with a mantra? Care to share?Did you see me BONK! into a pole the first time I movingly meditated in my ‘hood? (<—-please say no even if you did)

View the original article here

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Weight loss and walking help seniors | News Center | Wake Forest <b>...</b>

Jack Rejeski led the Cooperative Lifestyle Intervention Program (CLIP).

Walking more and losing weight can improve mobility as much as 20 percent in older, obese adults with poor cardiovascular health, according to a new Wake Forest study.

The results from the five-year study of 288 participants appear online Jan. 24 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The combination of weight loss and physical activity is what works best. These findings run counter to the commonly held belief that it is unhealthy for older adults to lose weight.

“To improve mobility, physical activity has to be coupled with weight loss,” said Jack Rejeski, Thurman D. Kitchin Professor of Health and Exercise Science.  “This is one of the first large studies to show that weight loss improves the functional health of older people with cardiovascular disease.”

The study addresses what to do to help seniors with poor mobility, but it also proves existing community agencies can be used effectively to get seniors the help they need.

“With 60 percent of adults over age 65 walking less than one mile per week and a rapidly growing population of older adults, the need for cost-effective community-based intervention programs to improve the mobility of seniors is critical,” said Rejeski, principal investigator for the Cooperative Lifestyle Intervention Program (CLIP).  Key co-investigators included Dr. David C. Goff and Walter T. Ambrosius from Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Peter Brubaker, professor of health and exercise science at Wake Forest; Lucille Bearon and Jacquelyn McClelland from North Carolina State University; and Michael Perri from the University of Florida.

“Community-based preventative programs are extremely important,” Rejeski said.

The researchers partnered with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and trained health-care professionals at centers in three counties (Davidson, Forsyth and Guilford) to lead the programs along with an intervention team from Wake Forest.  The participants, ranging in age from 60 to 79, were tracked over an 18-month period.  The study divided participants into three groups:  a control group who received education on successful aging, a physical activity only group, and a physical activity and weight loss group.

The physical activity group did well, but the most dramatic effect was found in the participants who combined an increase in physical activity with weight loss.

On average, they improved their mobility by 5 percent as measured by the time it took them to walk 400 meters.  Those with the most limited mobility improved by as much as 20 percent.

The 400-meter walk is a widely used measure of mobility disability in older adults because for those who cannot walk this distance the likelihood of losing their independence increases dramatically.

Rejeski uses this analogy for the loss of mobility in seniors who often don’t realize its seriousness. “It is like being in a canoe paddling down a river and being completely unaware that a waterfall is only a short distance away. Once your canoe starts down the waterfall of disability, the consequences are severe.”

The waterfall is the cascade of adverse outcomes including hospitalizations, worsening disability, institutionalization, and death that are more likely when seniors lose the basic ability to get around.  Seniors with limited mobility require significantly more high-cost medical care.

“Clearly the ability to walk without assistance is a critical factor in an older person’s capacity to function independently in the community,” he said. “The next step is to develop a model that can be replicated at similar sites across the state and the country and we look forward to working with our colleagues from North Carolina to achieve this goal.”

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute was the primary source of funding for the CLIP study.

Rejeski is also one of the lead behavioral scientists on the national Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study, a six-year project funded by the National Institutes of Health that is designed to determine the effects of physical activity and successful aging interventions on major mobility disability. He also serves on the intervention committee for the Look AHEAD Study, a 20-site trial funded by the National Institutes of Health that is evaluating the effects of weight loss on cardiovascular events in adults with Type 2 diabetes.  He is associate director of the Translational Science Center at Wake Forest.

View the original article here

Personal Trainer: Walking

Personal Trainer: Walking for Nintendo DS...A new entry in the Personal Trainer series is Personal Trainer: Walking, which launches May 25. Personal Trainer: Walking tracks users' progress and makes going for a walk a little more fun. It comes with two pedometers that users can wirelessly connect to their Nintendo DS system when they return home.

Price: $49.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Personal Trainer: Walking

Personal Trainer: Walking for Nintendo DS...A new entry in the Personal Trainer series is Personal Trainer: Walking, which launches May 25. Personal Trainer: Walking tracks users' progress and makes going for a walk a little more fun. It comes with two pedometers that users can wirelessly connect to their Nintendo DS system when they return home.

Price: $49.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Skechers Women's Shape Ups - Strength Fitness Walking Sneaker

Women's SKECHERS® SHAPE-UPS STRENGTH :: Lose weight, shape your calves, thighs, butt, and core muscles, plus improve posture while you walk! Skechers® Shape-Ups Strength are fitness walking shoes that actually help you work out in your day-to-day routine of running errands, shopping, and more. Shape-Ups Strength walking shoes feature soft, durable nubuck leather upper. Enjoy amazing cushioning and reduced impact on joints thanks to the curved outsole that rolls forward with each step.

Price: $100.00

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Skechers Women's Shape Ups - Strength Fitness Walking Sneaker

Shape Ups from SKECHERS are designed to get you fit while you walk, work, shop, and more. Shape Ups have as much a place in your life as your boots, sandals, and dress casuals, and can retrain your muscles, helping you walk with a positive impact. Used properly, Shape Ups change the way you approach your daily activities. Used regularly, Shape Ups will enhance the way you feel and look; muscles get toned, calories are burned and your posture improves. Shape Ups are designed to: Promote weight loss Strengthen the back Firm calf and buttock muscles Reduce cellulite and tone your thighs Increase cardiovascular health Improve posture Reduce stress on knee and ankle joints Three Reasons You Need Shape Ups: 1. Stronger You Shape Ups are designed to help you tone your muscles – from your back and abdomen to your buttocks and calves. 2. Healthier You Shape Ups will help you lose weight and improve your circulation, creating a healthier you! 3. Easy Exercise Routine Wear your Shape Ups everywhere and anywhere you walk (or stand), and your body will feel the benefits. Three Reasons You Want Them: 1. In Style Look good while getting fit. There’s no reason to ruin your outfit with unattractive footwear that’s a fashion don’t! In your Shape Ups, your style will still be right on as you power through your everyday life. 2. Portable Power Shape Ups are the ideal fitness equipment for the on-the-go, busy lifestyle. Wear them to and from the office, pack them in your suitcase, or keep them in your car for shopping trips. They are portable power in a small package. 3. A Brand You Trust There’s a lot to be said about familiarity and credibility. When buying SKECHERS, you know you are getting style and quality at a reasonable price. We’re a company you’ve trusted for more than 15 years.

The design technology behind Shape Ups changes the way you walk.
As we move through our lives, we typically walk on hard surfaces, which places stress on our knee joints and lower back. People who are required to stand for their jobs feel the impact on their bodies the most, and don’t gain the benefits that come with all that activity.

The goal with Shape Ups was to simulate walking on soft ground. SKECHERS has turned hard surfaces into comfortable ground through revolutionary technology designed into the framework of the shoe. The core of this technology is in the dynamic rolling bottom, the soft foam insert under the heel, and the dual-density midsole. These three elements work together to give you the feeling of walking on sand or luxurious pile carpet--regardless of the actual surface. Walking on softer, uneven surfaces forces you to engage muscles not normally used when walking on hard ground. Not only does this strengthen your muscles, but it also increases blood flow and reduces the impact on your joints and lower back.

Designed to improve your life by changing the way you walk, Shape Ups feature a unique soft kinetic wedge insert and dynamic rolling bottom to simulate walking barefoot on a giving surface that gives such as sand. With the comfort of Shape Ups, you will feel your heel sink to the ground as you step, roll forward as your weight shifts to its center, and push off with your toes. This movement will result in stronger leg, buttock, back and abdominal muscles as you stabilize your steps.

Barefoot walking simulation on soft ground

• The heel sinks comfortably into the soft ground as you step
• You naturally roll forward as your weight shifts to the center and your balance is centered
• Easily push off with your toe pads

Due to this unconventional manner of walking, we suggest you moderate your walking routine in Shape Ups for the first week or two (25 to 45 minutes per day), depending on your level of fitness. As you continue to wear your Shape Ups, your body will adjust to this new method of walking. You will find it easy and comfortable while still enjoying the strengthening and cardiovascular benefits.

Get in the Routine

1. Kick Back: Stand upright and place feet parallel and hip distance apart, balance centered. Roll your weight onto the back of the soft foam heel – hold for a count of five and then back to the center. Do not lock knees or tip backward. Stretches calf and hamstrings. Repeat 5 to 10 times.

2. Rock and Roll: Stand upright and place feet parallel and hip distance apart, balance centered. Roll your weight forward so you are balancing on the underside of your toes – hold for a count of two, then slowly rock back to the soft heel – hold for a count of two, and then back to your center of balance. Do not lock knees or tip backward. Stretches calf and hamstrings, warms up Achilles and ankles. Repeat 5 to 10 times.

3. Roll and Rock and Roll: Follow the Rock and Roll stretch, but alternate feet so one is rolling to the toes and one is rocking back. Repeat 5 to 6 times.

4. The Lean: Place your hands on a wall, parallel and slightly above your head. With one leg in front of the other and your arms forward, press with your palms as if you were leaning on the wall. Keep your back leg straight and your front foot on the floor, then bend the front leg and lean forward by moving your hips toward the wall. Hold for a count of five, then repeat on the other side. Stretches calf and Achilles. Repeat 5 to 6 times.

What's Inside Shape Ups?

• Upper: Superior quality, well padded uppers of durable leather and breathable mesh designed to provide needed support and supreme comfort.
  
  
  
  

Skechers Women's Shape Ups - Strength Fitness Walking Sneaker

Women's SKECHERS® SHAPE-UPS STRENGTH :: Lose weight, shape your calves, thighs, butt, and core muscles, plus improve posture while you walk! Skechers® Shape-Ups Strength are fitness walking shoes that actually help you work out in your day-to-day routine of running errands, shopping, and more. Shape-Ups Strength walking shoes feature soft, durable nubuck leather upper. Enjoy amazing cushioning and reduced impact on joints thanks to the curved outsole that rolls forward with each step.

Price: $100.00

Click here to buy from Amazon

Start Walking, Get Running, Lose Weight

A Simple, Straightforward, Step-by-Step Plan for Fitness and Weight Loss. This program guides you into an active lifestyle with four different exercise schedules. Learn how to set smart goals, eat right, walk or run so you lose the weight forever.

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Personal Trainer: Walking

Personal Trainer: Walking for Nintendo DS...A new entry in the Personal Trainer series is Personal Trainer: Walking, which launches May 25. Personal Trainer: Walking tracks users' progress and makes going for a walk a little more fun. It comes with two pedometers that users can wirelessly connect to their Nintendo DS system when they return home.

Price: $49.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Skechers Women's Shape Ups - Strength Fitness Walking Sneaker

Women's SKECHERS® SHAPE-UPS STRENGTH :: Lose weight, shape your calves, thighs, butt, and core muscles, plus improve posture while you walk! Skechers® Shape-Ups Strength are fitness walking shoes that actually help you work out in your day-to-day routine of running errands, shopping, and more. Shape-Ups Strength walking shoes feature soft, durable nubuck leather upper. Enjoy amazing cushioning and reduced impact on joints thanks to the curved outsole that rolls forward with each step.

Price: $100.00

Click here to buy from Amazon