Everyday Systems

I get my "movement with a purpose" in an hour a day walking my new(Nov., 2008) SPCA rescue. In the morning and in the afternoon. Sometimes 3 times a day. If at all possible, adopt a dog from a local shelter(go SPCA!) and start by strolling. Dogs must be walked twice a day per the dog whisperer(and if you think I am going to cross him and have him hiss at me well, you are wrong ). I haven't had a dog for over 25 years and man oh man, what a treat!
We got a great 20 pound, four year old mix whom everyones calls Lucky as they say we lucked out! I have never exercised to exercise in my life but rather when I was thin and now that I am in Dieter's Rehab have always moved with a purpose. We have benefitted in countless ways with our Lucky. I have come to "crave" our walks.

I totally agree!!

We have two dogs that were rescued from shelters. I walk with them at least once, usually twice a day. I just can't stand the sight of two sets of such sad,brown eyes if I don't take them on their walks, rain, snow or shine!

We walk the same route every time and they NEVER get bored of it either, even if their owner sometimes does! LOL!

I agree about "movement with a purpose."

One of the best things I ever read was: "If you're dog is fat, you're not getting enough exercise." Keep those dogs trim!

Great replies!
A hint: If you are considering getting a dog anyone, sit down with any other household members and make an "order" of what you want. Then call the shelter and place your order. The SPCA does a really good job of matching you up with the dog you want but you need to decide what you want and be specific. I got exactly what we wanted in a cat years ago and in Nov. we got the dog that was perfect for us(and him).

Boy did I get a shock today. I actually saw a person WALKING without a dog. I looked around to see a broken down car or some other emergency that would have a person walking just to walk and realized, oh, they are EXERCISING. EEK! Now I am kidding here(although I really do always look for the dog) but my point is(which has been made several times) is that we didn't exercise to exercise, we played, we walked dogs, we walked to get to school, to work...etc., but we didn't exercise. I never even heard the word exercise used this way til I became captured by the diet industry. In fact my ww leader LAUGHED and said it was not necessary or recommended to succeed on ww. Circa, 1975. BTW, I walked to and from ww meetings. Irony. I guess this is why I REALLY resist exercising to exercise. It is foreign to me.
I get my bliss from walking my dog 2 x a day.

I resist exercising to exercise, too. But I do recall taking walks for recreation -- like after dinner or with your honey (or your kids to tire them out!).

Tiring out the kids... cute! Good idea. I have 2 dogs, one of which is OBESE according to my vet... she's a 95 lb lab who has always been so low maintenance, I took advantage of that & never walked her. Now she has arthritis and hurts, and of course needs to lose weight. What a concept... helping my sweet yellow lab "Honey" AND me... only by walking. All these years Ive had her sweet self, I've done her wrong on so many levels by not simply just walking her, all because I'm lazy and fat. I think I need to go re-evaluate some things around here. Seriously. And what memorable bonding that would be for her and myself. She loves me so unconditionally.

We live in an "active retirement" community. As I am among the youngest, even at 58, I feel almost "girlish." Most people on the streets are walking dogs. The few who are walking so they can get this over with, to the one, are stressed, unfriendly, hurried, grim faced exercisers.
I rest my case

When my kids were young (even early grade school age) we lived in a neighborhood with lots of families with kids the same age. It was also in an area with not a lot of traffic. During spring, summer and fall, nearly every night after dinner the moms would be out walking and talking. The kids were always with us. At first we pushed them in strollers or pulled them in wagons. Then they were on tricyles or bicycles with us. Then they would play in one yard and we could always see them.

In the spring, this evening ritual wore them out after being in and less active during the winter, as did just playing outdoors during the day. More than once I put a kid to bed who had fallen asleep during dinner! Moving fast enough to get them bathed and in pj's was a challenge!

I really like the sounds of this ....MOVING WITH PURPOSE! I hate exercise...except walking which is the best thing anyway....but if I'm moving with purpose, i.e doing chores indoors or out, walking to some particular destination, walking my dog (when I had him...R.I.P. Buffy), building things and moving my body...it feels great but not like *shudder* exercise!

That being said I do enjoy walking for stress relief and just the enjoyment of the outdoors, as well as riding my bike on safe secure trails.


From now on I will no longer exercise....I will Move with Purpose

Lilly wrote:Boy did I get a shock today. I actually saw a person WALKING without a dog. I looked around to see a broken down car or some other emergency that would have a person walking just to walk and realized, oh, they are EXERCISING. EEK!

LOL I walk despite not having a dog, but I'm lucky to live in an area with really good walking routes (a golf course, forests, the surrey hills, all nearby) the majority of the local residents are older retired people and they do a lot of walking. My elderly neighbour used to walk his old dog everyday, sadly his dog died but he still goes out for a walk every day by himself (at the same time he would have walked his dog), I guess that's the power of habit!

A good way of looking at solo walking is to consider that your taking yourself for a walk, a dog needs to be walk 1-2 times a day and we do this to keep them fit and happy, so we should be able to do it for ourselves too without needing another purpose behind it

Well, I'll be the one person who actually likes my aerobics class. I'm not very good but I like to hop around to music. It reminds me of when I was young and danced around the house. (I still dance with my mop) It's a quasi social thing too as I have been going to the same class for years and we all are all sweat buddies.

Yesterday was spinning (I don't love this) which is riding stationary bikes to music. I always wished there was a way to capture the energy expended for that in a generator. How cool would that be?

That's great, Lilly. A dog is a perfect personal trainer -- among many other things.

I'm sure you've all seen these already, but to my mind the best kind of "movements" you can do are "useful movements":

http://urbanranger.com

and the second best kind mimic useful movements:

http://shovelglove.com

Reinhard

Blithe et al,
I lived for dancing when I was a teen. Not that it mattered but BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYS!!!! were always there too So after walking everywhere all week I would put on my boogie shoes and dance the night away on weekends. Anyone remember the outdoor dances in Ben Lomand? Nirvana.
My point was simply to find your bliss and in doing so find "movement with a purpose. Any movement we do that we like is movement with a purpose. I just know when I hear the word "EXERCIZE"(no pain, no gain) I am a deer in the headlights.

I personally enjoy doing my stationary bike while watching TMZ & other dumb shows. I looove it. So I guess it's movement with purpose since I enjoy it?

Exercise is a negative word for me also as it wasn't in use til we started dieting.
Before some very naughty dudes and dudettes got wind of a way to create a multi-billion dollar industry we all did what came naturally. It feels good to be SO OLD that I can remember this. LOL

Diet(if you ever used the word) was defined as what you ate. Not a means to a weight loss.
Exercises are what you did in math or english on paper and turned in.

Bonnie UK,

Do folks over there still walk just for the hell of it? Amongst my other zillion reasons for wishing to be reincarnated as a Brit, that was one of the major ones. The other was y'all seem to be the most dedicated animal lovers/vegetarians on earth.

f

I think very few people here walk just for the hell of it, though I do. I really enjoy walking. I also like living in a place where I can walk to do my shopping, etc. Currently I don't live in such a place.

wosnes wrote:I think very few people here walk just for the hell of it, though I do. I really enjoy walking. I also like living in a place where I can walk to do my shopping, etc. Currently I don't live in such a place.

I'm definately in the category of walking for fun. I also like taking short hikes/trail walking.

I admit, I have a treadmill too. I live in rainy Seattle. I like to compete against myself with the treadmill but, I don't walk for the purpose of burning an extra calorie or because they say you need to walk an hour a day.

With so much being computerized - movement with a purpose is something I need to do more of. It is lacking in our society. Maybe it's because I'm Generation X? I was programing my Commodore Vic-20, using those old cassette tapes, by third grade.

~Danielle

I love to walk but only when its fairly warm outside! I have been waiting for a nice day to begin my walking this year. Last Sunday was nice so I buckled up the 2 Yr old Golden Retriever and off we went. Now, mind you this girl has been to obedience classes! We hadn't gotten 1 block before she almost had me flat on the ground. She wants to see and hear EVERYTHING - little nosy thing! I could take my olden Golden but she is 10 and not used to walking very far! Well, come to think of it --- neither am I so maybe Sunny and I will be a team until Jasmine learns how to control herself!

Jazzys Mom

Blithe Morning wrote:Well, I'll be the one person who actually likes my aerobics class.

Nope. I did aerobics for years, and loved them. Now I do Pilates and Yoga. I like classes - they're a social outlet as well as "pushing" me a little.

And I walk for exercise, going nowhere at all because I live in an area with nowhere to walk to. But it feels nice to be moving outdoors, and I always come back in a better mood than I left in.

It would be nice if movement naturally integrated with life more easily. But I say that ANY way that people fit it into their lives is good - even if they wear {shudder} electric blue tights and walk with a silly expression.