Motivation From Other's Exercise

Several years ago I published in one of my email newsletters some messages I had received from subscribers. These messages described their outdoor exercise sessions: What they did, what they saw, what they thought about, etc.

The response was overwhelming. I received hundreds of messages from subscribers stating how much they loved the exercise stories and how motivating they were for them. Reading about other people's exercise can be very motivating! So, I periodically publish some of the letters from my subscribers. Here's the latest installment..

Hi all, Last fall a health screening at work said I was 33% fat. Well at 135 Pounds I never thought that was possable. I decieded it was time to get on the ball and do something about it. I started walking and weight lifting.

I started walking to the railroad tracks and back and that took me 30 minutes. Then I discovered I could walk a loop 2.7 miles and did that. Since I live out of town a mile only a short portion is in town. I live in Mt and the view of the mountains is ever changing.

Some days the sky goes on forever and is sooooo blue. I get to watch the snow line move down the mountains in the fall to the valley floor where we are and move back up in the spring.

It depends on the day as to what I do and think of. I work in a nursing home and somedays I need to blow off steam and I see nothing. Some days the view amazes me. Some of the best walking times I've have my mind is just on the smell and sounds of nature and I'm home before I start walking.

I also can do a longer walk about 1 and a half hour by going to a resort near by and walking the loop there through the golf course.This is more hilly and gives me a real work out.

In the early spring I go to Glacier Park and snowshoe what fun and sights. Never the same and the people are great to meet. We talk about trails and kinds of shoes etc. The summer offers hiking in the park too. So many trails and places to go. I love it.

I do get lazy in the winter and don't get out as much as I should. But I froze my face a few years ago and have trouble with the cold now. I want to try cross country skiing but made a real fool of myself last winter. I must have been playing twister in skis. I will try it again someday. I did but cross country skis a few weeks ago.

There are alot of outdoor things to do here and it is fun and that makes the difference in sticking with it. If it was all work I'd now do it. Keep up the good work and have fun.

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About a year ago, I picked up the sport of running, due to a co-worker's sharing of her interest. I had already lost about 40 pounds through walking and sensible eating, but decided that I needed to challenge myself. I started working towards the goal of completing my first 5K in May of last year. After that, I decided to continue training for races. Although I knew I would never win anything, I was doing it totally for myself, and I loved it!!

Well, in January, my husband and I found out that we are expecting our first child after nearly six years of marriage. Willingly, I curtailed my running and now only incorporate it in little spurts with my 2 miles per day of walking.

My husband has started walking with me around our hilly neighborhood and it gives us time to talk about this soon-to-be addition to our family, names for the baby, etc. Since my husband works a very busy schedule, this is usually the only time of the day that we really get to take a break and just spend some time talking about things that are going on in our lives, both individually and seperately.

He has now expressed an interest in running and I am helping him get started by encouraging him and giving him some pointers. Although there are not any races in my immediate future, it is exciting to see him get as "pumped up" as I used to get for those big events.

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Hi Greg, my name is Cindy. My outdoor exercise is walking. I call it my "sanity walk." I started walking several years ago as part of my weight loss program (I've lost 130 lbs.!!!) and it is the one exercise that's so easy to keep doing, that's why I love walking. I walk the stairs (4 stories) at work, I park far away at stores and walk across the parking lot.

I walk on my lunch hour - it's the perfect head clearer. I live in a small town so walking anytime of the day or night is still pretty safe. My normal distance is about 2 miles a day but I don't have a set distance - depending, my walks last 30 to 60 minutes. When I walk I think, I pray, I look for something beautiful -- a flower, snow covered trees, cloud formations, children, another smiling face.

I've walked every street in this small town many times and each time I see something I didn't notice before. When I'm angry - I walk. You might be surprised at how fast your anger disappears when you start enjoying the beauty of God's creation -- and there is always beauty out there no matter how many times we walk that same old route.

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When I started reading your newsletter over two years ago, I believed that I could never be fit. I'm 46 and had been at least 50 pounds over weightfor all of my adult life.

Your newsletter inspired me to start walking everyday. Then I started weight training (gasssspppp!), something I thought I would never do. I also started eating healthier and only when I was actually hungry.

Fast forward to today.. I've lost 78 pounds and I'm strong, lean, and healthy. I actually have muscle definition! People I haven't seen in a while don't even recognize me. Thank you for the inspiration!"

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Hi Greg, I love to be outside. I prefer outdoor workouts to going to the gym. Now that Winter's over, i can get back out there. The morning's are brighter earlier so I really like going on my jog/walk.

It's about 5 miles total in a development with many streets that eventually all meet back at each other. A few good hills helps with the heart rate. I really love it this time of year because every morning you see something different; a new flower blooming or beautiful landscaping jobs in the works for spring, the smell of fresh cut grass with dew on it, the bunnies come out-- they're all over the place.

I leave before total sunrise so the sun waking up is great to see, too. It is so refreshing. We have a puppy now too so i'll be taking her with me. She likes to run, thank goodness.

Sometimes i just listen to the birds but in general i put on some really good music in my walkman , usually rock-old and new. As long as it's fast. It keeps up my pace. I save the slow, soft music for when i'm relaxing, not working out.

I also like rollerblading and so do my kids. There's a great trail in town which used to be a very old train track that the county paved over. It goes for miles through several towns. It's is only for walkers, runners, bicycles and rollerbladers. Some parts of it are enclosed with woods on all sides, there are bridges to cross, and some parts are adjacent to major roads and people's backyards. It's just awesome.

Then Summer comes and going to the pool daily with the kids is added to all of this.(Gee, maybe i should suspend my gym membership till next Winter) I like washing my car, usually volunteer to mow the lawn(we don't have a riding mower), and i choose to walk to town to get my bread and milk instead of drive. I hate cleaning my house and there's another sign that I love the outdoors. Thank goodness Winter is over!!!!

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I just got home after doing business in four states in five days. I always take a pair of walking shoes and try to walk to meetings if at all possible Since I travel primarily by plane, I also walk the terminals during layovers.

First thing in the morning, or after work in the evenings, I walk 15 minutes to eat my meal so that I get two miles in at least. Finally, I take a pair of tights and t-shirt which double as PJs and are available if lightning strikes and I actually get a block of time to excercise at the hotel.

I really make an effort to cob together 400 calories of excercise by hook or by crook every day. I find it helps me sleep better in hotels and keeps my body and spirits feeling better.

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Dear Greg, Thanks for all your efforts to help us get fit. You have a great newsletter, and I really enjoyed your on-line articles. My outdoor exercise consists of a daily walk with my black labrador, Princess. I start out as early as possible, trying to walk 30-40 minutes, but some days, I only have time for 15. But I still go everyday anyway.

That morning walk is a great way to start the day. My dog is also used to it; she is ready to go from the moment I wake up. I take different routes, and when I am feeling particularly adventurous, take a route with some incredibly steep hills.

To round out my fitness routine, I am beginning to include some weight lifting and muscle strengthening exercises, especially for my abs., 3 times a week.

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Greg, I started my outdoor "rolling" after I wasn't able to afford to buy prosthetics legs about 13 years ago. It was difficult to come up with ideas for a legless person to do exercise. I go on walks in my wheelchair for about a mile here in Wichita. I used to go about 6 or more when I lived in Va., but here there are dirt roads that I live on.

I enjoy the quietness, the animals that I see and I usually spend this time praying or thinking about what I have to do for that day. Wheelchairs don't go through snow or ice very well, so there were days when I couldn't go out and about.

When my three children are out of school, we play tennis, baseball, basketball and things of that nature and convert it to where I can play with them. During the summer, I usually mow my own yard using a regular push mower. Hard to tell ya how I do it. Just got to see it to believe it. I try to stay as active as I can be to watch the old weight problem.

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My daughter is on the crosscountry team and track team at school. Well I am a mother of 8 children, 34 years old and to keep fit I jog with her. Check this out!! We live in a big city, and we go across the river 3 miles one way and 3 miles back home. It is so fun and the sites are great. People beep at us and think we are nuts, but we love to jog!

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We would love to hear about YOUR exercise.. mailto:MyExercise@Landry.com
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copyright 2000 by Greg Landry, M.S.

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Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, M.S., publishes a FREE email newsletter,

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Copyright 1998 by Greg Landry, M.S.