Walking and Health

I am committed to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer this year once again. All of us have a great achievement that we try to strive and accomplish in our lifetime. Last year I set a goal in April to participate in the annual two-day event for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in Long Beach. I had to train in order to walk 26 miles and I had to raise $1,800 in order to participate in the walk. I started back in April of last year training by going for short distance walks at local parks in the city. When I first ventured out I was in a worn out T-shirt and old tennis shoes and walked about 20 minutes at a park. I don’t even think it was a quarter of a mile! By the end of August, and five months later, I had all the right walking gear and even walked one Saturday morning a whopping 10 miles!!

At that point, I felt like I was in the best shape of my adult life, even though I was overweight. I knew I had lost inches everywhere, and had built up strength and endurance to handle the two day marathon. My fundraising was lagging behind my training, but I knew somehow that my friends and family would help me by seeing my commitment and by knowing that their donation was going to a good cause. They all came through and I only missed the $1,800 mark by $160. Thank you all!

This year I am committed more than ever to participate in the walk again. This year I am again training but hope to lose weight this time. My doctor says I need to lose weight and he said the best way is by walking. My goal is to lose 50 pounds. I need everyone’s monetary support to help me reach my fundraiser goal, but I’m asking for your spiritual support so I can drop fifty pounds and get into a safe and manageable weight level by the walk. I think once I reach this goal, I’ll be so pumped and energetic. I’ll be able to maintain my new weight just by doing the walk every year. I think my problem this past year is that I felt I had to keep eating the same quantity of food and at times more in order to be able to walk all these extra miles, similar to a pregnant woman eating for two. This time, I might eat the same quantity of food, but I’m choosing a better nutritional quality of food, which should help me to burn more calories than I’m taking in. I’m sure you don’t need to know the details of my approach. I just wanted to express my thoughts as to why I did not lose any weight last time.

I plan to walk again this year and this time we have several others who wanted to participate. We are creating a team and now we have five people who are walking. Last year it was me and my mom and we did it together. It was a wonderful experience that I will remember always. Please prayerfully consider making a donation. I know you must get asked many times and there are so many worthwhile causes out there. A cure for breast cancer is one of them. Luckily my mom and I and my sister, who is going to walk, do not have breast cancer. However, we know of people who did have breast cancer in the past, received treatment, and are breast cancer survivors. I have two girls and they have many girl friends and we have to think of them and their future. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they didn’t have to worry about breast cancer in their lives?

I intend to lose 50 pounds by the walk, then another 50 pounds after the walk. Please support me and the Avon Walk and make a donation in honor of my anticipated weight loss. A donation from $25 to $50 would be most graciously appreciated. The more donations I receive the more I’ll feel supported and encouraged and I will make it happen. I logged into 50MillionPounds.com and entered all my information and I am tracking my weight loss via the site. In the meantime, please view my Avon Walk for Breast Cancer page by clicking on Angie’s Walk Page.

Thank you so much for your support. I encourage you to comment on your own experience and/or provide any suggestions you may have for me. I especially need help on how to stay focused on my goal to lose 50 pounds.

Your comments are welcomed.

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http://walkingandhealth.com/

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle ensures longevity and mental and physical well-being.  Eating right, exercising daily, and nurturing a positive attitude are all basic, everyday practices that really aren’t that hard to work on.  The key to a healthy lifestyle and for almost all other issues in life is balance.

Eating right is so important and yet, so many times, rushing around in our day to day busy hectic schedules, we grab something on the run from whichever fast food place is in sight.  The best thing to do is to plan ahead.  Plan your individual or family meals in advance by utilizing a slow-cooker, by cooking meals ahead of time and freezing them in small portions.  Also, read labels at the grocery store and get snacks high in fiber and low in fat.  Take along these snacks to school, work or family outings and resist the urge to grab a candy from a vending machine.  Maintain balance and portion control when it comes to eating healthy.

Making the right eating choices goes hand in hand with exercising.  Exercising is wonderful for maintaining body fitness and mental fitness.  Incorporate a variety of  exercises into your weekly routine that include flexibility exercises such as stretching, aerobic exercises such as walking, running, tennis or swimming, and anaerobic exercises such as some sort of weight training.  Rotate your exercise regimen to include all three types of exercise weekly to maintain a healthy heart, healthy body and improved immune system.

An overall healthy lifestyle includes eating properly and exercising properly and keeping a positive attitude.  Success comes with a positive outlook on life.  Remain optimistic in times of adversity, turn negatives into positives, make lemonade out of lemons, and always do your best and try your hardest.  Mind power is so important. Use it in a positive manner. 

Eating right, exercising often and maintaining a positive attitude are all basic ways to enjoy your life by keeping a healthy lifestyle.  In this day and age with all the hectic schedules and fast paced routine, it’s very easy to get off track.  Take a deep breath and remember that balance is so important in any situation. Get back on track, eat right, exercise often and keep a positive attitude.