(About) how much walking do you do every day?

I'd like to walk more every day and am looking for the best way to do so.

With fibro, is it better to have a "regular" walking program with a certain amount of steps or a set distance, or do we just try to put more steps in our day?

I definitely want to walk more, but don't want to exhaust myself, too   (I do tend to overdo when I'm feeling fairly good).

Thanks for any ideas and have a great week, everyone.

Thanks, Myself 09: That makes sense to me. And it seems like any successful program begins small and builds on that.

I appreciate your advice!

Like Myself, I started out slowly.  My body wasn't used to that and I only could walk four houses down.  Now I walk a mile a day....takes about 25-30 minutes for me.  I do feel much better and have more energy.

 

When I lived up north in the snowy climate I used a walking in place video by Leslie Sansone.  That helped me keep on schedule.

 

Sherrine

She has a lot of them so choose one that is "easy".  The one I have is a tape...have had it that long...but is still sold on her site, at least the last time I checked.  It was called the 1,2,3 Super Fat-Burner...something like that.  If you do it for 15 minutes, it's equivilent to a one mile walk.  30 minutes, 2 miles....45 minutes, 3 miles.  Since I hate exercise   I would only do it for 15 minutes and it really helped.  I still use it sometimes, too.  There is a little aerobics in the first 15 minutes and then builds up to more.  I've never seen the entire tape! 

 

Sherrine

During the winter months, my preferred exercise is my water exercise classes in a heated pool. I usually tread water for about 30 minutes after class. On days when I don't attend, I usually try to walk on my treadmill, focusing on time rather than miles. I usually try to walk about 40 minutes. However, in the summertime, I try to exercise outside more. I walk our dogs dogs daily, and build to about 41/2 miles per day in about 11/2 hours. The dogs provide good motivation, as they "pester" me until I finally give in and take them.

I love my heated pool, as well. Is there a YMCA nearby?

Interestingly, after my core strength improved, I preferred an elliptical to a treadmill. Easier on the knees. Before I started doing water work, I would fall off the elliptical. But, after three months in the pool, my balance improved significantly.

In the past year, I have just been doing the pool and walks/rides with the gentleman. It is a combination of time, lack thereof, depression, and more pain.

A little at a time. Go, us!

I do not stop during flares, personally. I just do not push as hard. Exercise, even light, will help alleviate the pain.

Personally, I have to make time for it, or otherwise it doesn't happen. It's too easy to just blow it off.

I think we are primed by shows like The Biggest Loser or the 'urban myth' of hard-core exercising that less than so much just isn't acceptable. comparisons are futile. What other people can do has nothing to do with me. I can only do what I can do. I started with a gentle 50 minutes in the pool. Now, I do a more intensive water workout three days a week, with some sort of movement everyday.

I have to say that in the 8 years since dx, my exercise activity has greatly enabled me to continue a fairly normal life.

I am actually excited by my vacation next week. We have a timeshare at the beach. We bring our bikes, and walk the beach. Everyday. There is also a pool at our hotel. There is a lovely state park in biking distance. At least one day during our stay, we
bike up, and through, and eat lunch, that the kind gentleman
carries on his back. We then bike back. Slow. Total, roundtrip,
it's about twenty miles. But we take all day to do it. And then I take a hot tub.

Tis year, I really want to go to the nature preserve we haven't managed to get to in three years. Do some walking, take a grilled
lunch with us.

Okay, admitedly, I can get a little fervent when it comes to physical activity. But being outdoors and active helps me remember what I enjoy.