The second day of my 4-Week Walk for Weight Loss is an easy one — which is just as well, because I can feel a bit of the effects of yesterday’s exercise, just a certain tension in the good old gluteus maximus.
That must mean this walking program is doing my muscles some good, already, after just one day!
The focus for today is to prepare.
No actual walking is involved, today. It’s all about making sure you’re ready to get serious.
Have you got a good pair of walking shoes?
I’ve discovered I need to put new shoelaces in my own walking shoes (sneakers — I wouldn’t presume to call them “runners”), but otherwise all is fine there. Generally I do replace my sneakers at least twice a year, the way the experts recommend.
Good news about shoes — a podiatrist told me that you really don’t need to buy the expensive brand-name sneakers to get a good pair of useful footwear…
The key, he said, is to make sure the shoes fit properly and are designed for active use. The uppers of the shoes should give lots of support to the foot so it doesn’t move sideways as you walk, and the sole should be well-padded with good arch support, yet flexible so it lets your foot bend naturally as you stride out.
Have you got a kitchen full of healthy food?
Because if we’re going to do this health-and-fitness thing, with an eye to trimming off a few pounds, it only makes sense to lay off the potato chips and gummy bears… Stock up on fruits, veggies, and whole grains, instead, so there’s something low-cal and healthy to nibble on when you’re tempted to snack.
I also took “prepare” to mean checking out my starting point.
I weighed and measured myself (but if you think I’m going to give any specific numbers here, think again!) — just so I’ll have something to compare, to track my progress.
I know from experience that it’s not wise (for me, personally, anyway) to get on the scales every day, tempting as that may be. The body does so much in the way of up-and-down — I can change by as much as a pound and a half from morning to night, in one day, depending on what I’ve been eating and how much water is being retained. It can be hard on the morale! Weighing in once a week, I think, is enough to keep me on track and motivated.