Walk It Off: Burn 1,300 Calories Walking

Now that the weather in my area is starting to warm up, I am ready to get outside and start walking and jogging more. I think I may try this walking plan. It gives my neighbors a reason to think I am bonkers, too! :)

By the way, I'm female and 59-1/2 years old, and do my "thing" outside year-round, rain or shine, obviously using common sense during storms with lightning, howling gales that bring down trees and branches, rains that cause cliffdrops and mudslides, and raging seas with unpredictable surf and crashing waves. Storm workouts are some of my favorites - they are quite exhilarating! Not for everybody, I realize...

If you're happy with your current regimen and it's working for you, then by all means, continue it. I would encourage you, however, to open your mind a bit and try something different like this. At the very least, allow others to expand themselves without recrimination.

They CRAVE the opportunity to be outside for something other than mowing the lawn or washing the car, but they're not interested in "sports," simple walks or runs bore them and often DON'T provide enough challenge nor diversity.

Not everybody wants the "typical" experience - most people spend quite enough time indoors: jobs, homes, shopping, appointments, errands, etc. For many people, the LAST place they want to go is to another indoor experience: whether it's a gym, a private workout or dance studio, they've just had ENOUGH of being inside.

When I'm out with my clients doing all this stuff, we continually are queried by people who are intensely interested, motivated, and inspired to try it themselves. They never dreamed that Pilates roll-ups and Yoga poses could be done on driftwood logs or in the sand; they never saw rocks and boulders as free weights - I could go on and on about all the POSITIVE energy exchanges, but I'm sure you get the idea.

The steps and moves presented in this specific workout/walk can be done anywhere and by nearly anybody who already walks upright and has arm mobility, they include using most muscle groups on multiple planes, they use arm movements which can REALLY elevate the heart rate, they use complex compound movements which are TERRIFIC for coordination and reflexes, and even include balance steps which I've found are CRUCIAL for everybody, especially as they age.

Whether we're on the beach or in the pine forest, we can complete a whole-body workout with all our senses filled with Mother Nature - time passes so quickly we barely notice how much actual hard work we've been doing! It leaves us thoroughly used and tired, but energized and renewed at the same time - barely able to wait until the next time we can experience it all over again!

I took off 50 pounds myself with this approach and have kept it off for years. My clients love this type of work as much as I do - they NEVER see the inside of a gym - we work out in beautiful surroundings with ever-present wildlife (birds, deer, coyotes, mountain lions, sea lions, elephant seals, otters, etc.).

Other than my eldest, frail, and/or infirmed clients, obviously, it's ALL done outside on the beautiful central coast of California - my fitness training clients only see the inside of my studio for consultations, testing and assessments - occasionally for fine-tuning of techniques. Most of my bodywork/massage is done indoors, but even that's outside sometimes.

Dependent on client ability and level, my typical session often consists of this type of interval training, a break for rest/stretch/snack/lunch, followed by quite complex groundwork (Pilates/Yoga/bodyweight + free weight exercises). Some days we'll use manufactured equipment (mats, dumbbells, balls, bands, etc.), but often we'll just use what's been provided in what I call "God's gym": driftwood, rocks, boulders, sand, etc.

These moves are not at all unrealistic nor a "reinvention" - quite the contrary - as a professional certified bodywork therapist and certified personal fitness trainer whose workouts are done 90%+ outdoors (parks, trails, beach, forest, etc.), I've used workout walks/jogs with compound steps and arm movements just like these (as well as LOTS of others) - FOR YEARS - with TERRIFIC results for myself and my clients.

Really - let me see...I'm just go walk on the trail with my hands in the air for 45 min...sure! doable - please do not try to reinvent the wheel - just walk briskly and alternate weight/ab-work days - it still works!

Very unrealistic