Power Walks


In a desperate effort to reduce my rapidly growing waist, I have been power walking up and around the Village, Gop Hill and the road looping around to the collection of houses called The Marian.
In the daytime Mary is my guide and companion and on the evening walk Affable Despot Jason does the honours.
Now the despot is blessed with a natural wit and an over abundance of Northern " Chutzpah" so the evening walk feels so much shorter when he takes the lead in the walk and the conversation.
Having said this
On our ascent of Gop hill, I was gasping so hard, I couldn't have joined in with the chatter even if I had of wanted to! 

61 comments:

  1. Good to hear you have started a regimen.

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  2. I know how you feel. When we cycle uphill Paul jabbers on and tries to engage me in conversation while I'm just struggling to breathe.

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  3. Putting me to shame John. I'm still pigging out on the Christmas crap (I hate waste, and my waist is suffering). Feb 1st, I will be starting my regime and nice to know I won't be alone in my suffering.

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  4. If I lived nearer I'd join in too ! Then again, perhaps I'd just take Winnie for a gentle stroll instead !

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    1. She went to bed at 7pm and is now enjoying the dreams only an oldbulldog can dream

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    2. Men in overalls, I'll bet !

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  5. Good job John. The results will be showing soon. Just remember when we were young and ran everywhere.

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  6. Good for you!

    I joined a gym last year so I can use the treadmill! Nobody is going to convince me to walk when it's snowing and -25! So treadmill it is.

    Get a pedometer and chart your journey

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  7. Funny just bought on online an hour ago!
    Oh for the newly converted eh?

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  8. Change happens one step at a time. Keep moving.

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  9. All that stuff about just do it is unfortunately true but dreadfully annoying when your thighs are so sore lowering yourself onto the loo is an effort. Have always found a pedometer type gadget very motivating, especially one that charts speed at various times on your route and total calories burnt. Somehow incredibly satisfying to see those little spikes, although the flat spots where the dogs stop to do their business messes with my stats! Good luck!

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  10. i used to run 7 miles a day and did marathons. i could eat anything i wanted back in those days! hang in there!

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    1. I still can eat anything i want !
      Unfortunately it makes my thighs look like Shelley Winters'!

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  11. It's good that Jason is accompanying you on evening power walks. I hope you can keep this up. Good luck... to both of you.

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  12. John just give up carbs or go extremely low carb for a month...the weight will fall off.

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  13. It's an opportunity for me to gossip ....i thought John was listening intently ...i never get anyone that attentive ....turns out he was just knackered

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    1. Steady old chum!
      I am an active listener! AND a trained samaritan
      Great fun!

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    2. I'm enjoying it too .....20 minutes of free therapy !!

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    3. Let me know when you are next free!

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  14. This is why I like to walk alone- I want my own pace. Also, I listen to books I've downloaded onto my phone. No talking! Just listening. And walking as fast or slow as I want to go.

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  15. This tip will stop you putting on any more weight (i.e not weight loss): drink Pu-er tea twice a day. This is a type of black Chinese tea; not sure if it's available in remotest Wales!! It somehow helps control cholesterol as does beetroot and purple carrots.

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  16. Keep it up. In a few weeks, the gasping will go away -one way or another.

    When I first started my long walks about five years ago, I could not make it far without being winded. However, as I got used to it, I would add on a little more distance until I was doing 5+ miles a day. Last Saturday, and growing older by the minute, I did almost 10. Build your stamina up slowly, and you will be fine.

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  17. When my thighs finally grow together,i shall be a mermaid. We all have diferent goals..

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    Replies
    1. Best comment ever, Millilcent! I love mermaids.

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    2. Thanks, now if i just stop my phone from duplicating.

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  18. When my thighs finally grow together,i shall be a mermaid. We all have diferent goals..

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  19. When my thighs finally grow together,i shall be a mermaid. We all have diferent goals..

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  20. I love that gif! and Jason's comment!

    I like walking by myself, but to each his own. You are getting the best of both worlds - mornings alone and evenings with company.

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  21. When my thighs finally grow together,i shall be a mermaid. We all have diferent goals..

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  22. When my thighs finally grow together,i shall be a mermaid. We all have diferent goals..

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  23. Glad to hear you've knocked back the carbs, John. I did that 3 years ago and dropped over 6 stone - which have yet to return! I just eat small amounts of pasta, rice or potato and lots of vegies, and make sure I have protein with every meal. Not loads of it mind, but enough.
    That's why I told you Scotch eggs aren't fattening t'other day, remember? They are good for you!

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  24. John
    Be happy that you can still do those walks, breathless or not.
    Mike

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  25. Get the Map My Walk app for your phone: it shows a map of each walk, exactly how far you went each time, how long the walk took, how much elevation during walk [up Gop Hill],calories used and more. It saves the info and tells you each week/ year etc. FREE app.
    Having been incapacitated for almost a year now I was very happy today to manage a walk down to the beach and back...maybe a mile, but something. Maybe I ll reactivate my Map My Walk app soon.

    PS You can also get Map My Dog Walk to follow how far the dog walks are.

    lizzy

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  26. Well done for starting John. And even days when you don't make a naked improvement, there are still tiny steps in the right direction you can make. Keep going!

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  27. Walking might prevent you from putting on weight, but on order to LOOSE WEIGHT you have to sleep the 7-8 hours daily (not an hour less)in addition , of course, to a balanced nutrition. Weigh yourself every two -three days, and you'll notice the slow but steady loss.Weighing is a very important part of the process. Use a good device (mine is Tanita solar).

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  28. My husband and I were backpacking and the terrain was steep, really steep. I talked and talked and talked. When I was completely out of breath, heart pounding and panting, I noticed that my husband was breathing completely normal. I said, "Hey, I know why you are not struggling like I am! It's because I'm talking and you're not!"

    His answer, "Yup!"

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  29. I have gained a couple of inches around the middle, but already walk a lot, so I have stopped buying big blocks of cheese. My downfall, I eat it like chocolate.

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  30. Well done you. I was talking about this yesterday for when the evenings get lighter. I just can't power walk with Dillon the dawg who stops to sniff, wee, poop & check out other dogs' bottoms during walks !

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  31. Which figure represents you in the picture? I have decided it is the one in the blue jersey.

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  32. Do you walk with two poles like skiers use? If so, you have gone right down in my estimation.

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    1. Anonymous11:56 am

      Well, my dear Tom, to go down in your estimation is virtually impossible since you seem to hold few, if any, in esteem. Mind you, you'd make a good bouncer. Throwing people out on their ear on any old pretext - just because you can.

      Hug and hiss,
      U

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    2. No i hold a torch and a sick bag

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  33. I'm back at the pool, churning up and down. It's too hot to walk and the water is lovely but then all that exercise makes you hungry ! We've just celebrated Australia Day with Vanilla Slices but now THAT'S IT !! Back to WW and to tracking everything that goes in my mouth .

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  34. It will get easier the more you do it! I joined a Sunday walking group and we walk (fast paced)until we have done between 4-6 miles!

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  35. Walking is more enjoyable if you bring along a couple of candy bars to eat along the way - LOL

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  36. Anonymous12:01 pm

    With you all the way, John. Just make sure you wear good supporting gear. Who needs sag when you can have bounce instead?

    Good luck. Much love to the adorable despot, and Albert.

    U

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  37. I checked out Affable Despot's blog recently. Glad you have him to walk with you. If you have time, please do check my post today - how I sweated and groaned up the mountainside on Tuesday. xx

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  38. Pretty soon, you'll be chatting non-stop and singing songs as you head up that hill.

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  39. I did some power walking while we were in Leeds last weekend and have only just about recovered!

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  40. When we lived in a house where cars were needed for going to markets etc, I gained weight.
    When we lived in a city where everyone walks everywhere, I lost weight .. I could eat anything .
    So a daily long fast walk is a brilliant idea for you .. while walking you can think about what to make for dinner lol

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  41. Good for you!

    Are those...hamsters???

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  42. Yep, that looks like me on any given day. I think I exercised once this week on the treadmill for 30 minutes. After that, I decided that was enough for the week and proceeded to eat a bowl of ice cream. I was pretty hot and sweaty after that, so I figured it was the perfect way to cool off.

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  43. Where do you get all the energy from?!
    Greetings Maria x

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    1. From the realisation that i may soon be a diabetic

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  44. Keep on keeping on with those walks. Seems to me that walking is beneficial in many ways. I admit to staying indoors earlier this week while 50 mph winds were rushing around outdoors.

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  45. Well done for making a start. I'm told that the breathlessness and weight will all reduce as you go on..but I'm too lazy and scared to try it!

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  46. I just walk with the dogs ... they don't answer back!!

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