A Lazy Man's Guide To Walking

Let me start off this hub by mentioning that I am not in any way involved with the health care system. I have never been on a diet, or cared a big deal about my weight. This is just some basic information to get you off you butt, and do something fun. I don't promiss any results, and offer no sexy models to give you a false impression of what you might look like if you attempt to do as much walking as I do.

I am kind of a little guy. I am only 5'5", and weigh only 141 pounds. So, to some people, I may look fit. However, all it takes is for me to remove my shirt, and seeing my spare tire quickly changes that impression. I am also a red head, so my little belly seems overly large every time I go to the beach. You can pick me out of a beach crowd, as the chubby little ghost in the water. No fake tans or attempts to impress anyone here.

My main gripe about my body is my waist size, and finding pants that fit. When I was in my 20's I had a 27 inch waist. Now that I am 45, my waist size is pushing 31, but, I can still wear a 30 waist fairly compfotably. That may seem small to a lot of guys, but, when you consider my size, I should be closer to a 29 waist. A trimmer waist would be great, because I am tired of having to go shopping for pants! I can never find anything I like!

I am also a bit strange when it comes to weight. Last January (2009) I weighed around 147 pounds. By mid summer, I was down to 132 pounds, and I am back up to 141. I am kind of like a bear. i basically stay in my cave in the winter, and go out looking for mates and fun when spring arrives. I lose most of the weight just from walking.

On any given summer weekend I might walk 10 or 20 miles. One of my favorite places to walk is the beach. I live in Michigan, just 45 minutes from a number of beaches on the lake Michigan shoreline. So, if I feel like going out walking, I will get in my car and go to the beach and walk for hours. You will even find me out there in the middle of winter.

My favorite beach is near a little town called Saugatuck. I spend some time walking the streets of the town, and, then I'll drive over to Mount balhead and climb the 280 steps to the top. That is quite a workout by itself, but the view from up there in the fall is amazing. You can also run into many wild deer walking the back trails up there. It's very beautiful.

After I get done walking the town, and hitting Mount Baldhead, I will go to the beach and walk until sunset. The sunsets at the beach are amazing. Not every sunset is great, but, when they are they can be the most amazing sights you will see, especially if there is a storm near by. I am adding photos from Saugatuck, so you can see exactly what I mean.

If the weather isn't the greatest, I usually stay in the city, and just walk the local Mall. We have a huge mall in Grandville, Michigan called Rivertown. It's pretty big, and walking from one end to the other a couple times will give you a good workout. A lot of people walk the mall, mainly seniors and groups of soccer moms in their little olivia newton john outfits. 

Other places I enjoy walking are amusement parks, county fairs, and multiple rounds at my local campground. I started camping last year, and I love it. I'm not sure the Campground I tent camp at would be considered camping. It's more of a guys hangout, most campers just sit around like lizzards, bask in the sun at the pool, or drink until they can't stand up. I am considered fairly strange with my multiple lap walks of the grounds. However, when I mention I lost 15 pounds over the summer, they understand my motives.

You're probably wondering what all this has to do with you? I am hoping that everything I mentioned in my walking adventures, will give you some ideas on what you can do to lose some excess weight by walking. I'm not saying that you will lose as much weight as I have in the past, but, if you want to lose weight, it's worth a shot. You might even enjoy it.

the first thing you need to do is pick a location where you would like to walk. I enjoy walking on the beach. If you don't have a beach near you, you probably have a local park where you can walk. If you don't like walking alone, bring a friend or two, and challenge each other. Maybe you could set a goal of walking for five minutes without resting, or just have a landmark goal. If you make it fun, you will more than likely want to do it again.

Wear decent shoes when you walk. They should be compfortable, and easy to get on and off. If you decide to take long walks outdoors, make sure you put on sunscreen. You should also bring along a bottle of water to drink, and a snack. Since I go for walks long distnace from home, I will pack a cooler, and bring plenty of snacks for later. I even pack a change of clothes, I hate wearing a sweaty shirt while I am driving.

The most important things to remember if you want to walk long distance, is to stop and rest if you get tired. Don't over do it, your feet will let you know if you went to far. Trust me I have done that, and, I regret it for days. And, I can't stress sunscreen enough. Don't get burned as many times as I did before I learned to do it every time I go out walking.

Another thing you should keep in mind is having contact information with you in case you run into a problem. This will be very helpful if you are walking in a secluded area. I have an friend who is somewhat older, and she once tripped and sprained her ankle while out walking in the woods near her farm. She laid there for 6 hours before some kids on bikes spotted her, and were able to get someone to help her. She was burnt to a crisp, had no water, and was in pretty sad shape when they took her to the hospital. She learned her lesson.

I never go anywhere without, water, food, sunscreen, drivers license, and my cell phone. Of course you wouldn't need these things if you were just walking in the park, or at the mall. But, if you want to hike the back country like I do. Those things will come in handy. I keep all that I need in a fanny pack.

As a final message. If you have health problems of any kind, you should consult your doctor before doing any kind of exercise. Even if he gives you the clear, take someone along with you just in case you need them. And, take things slowly. Walking is fun, but it's not going to be fun for very long if you hurt yourself.

If you have anything you would like to add. feel free to comment. Maybe I missed something important. At any rate. I hope you enjoyed my hub, and the pictures from Saugatuck. If you eventually go out walking, be safe, and have fun!