Walking Shoes vs. Running Shoes

The beginning of each year provides us with an opportunity to look back at our accomplishments and forward with new goals. If you are like most people who will make a list of goals or initiatives, you want to achieve in 2008, why not add to the list to look into getting a new pair of walking shoes.

When talking about walking shoes the question that arises all the time is “should I get a walking shoe”, or “is a running shoe adequate”. I am sure if you asked ten people there is a chance of getting five answers for walking shoes and five for running shoes, just a guess I am not entirely sure. However, rule of thumb should be in play. What are you comfortable with? Have you tried both and which one do you prefer?

Here is a general thought on whether to purchase walking or running shoes for recreational walking fitness programs.

If you are a fast walker and I mean competitive walker then you should get a walking shoe as they have thinner soles that have more flexibility which are required for the heel to toe motion that walkers use to propel themselves forward.

If you are a recreational walker whose aim is to be fit, then running shoes with thicker soles that provide better comfort and cushioning can be used.

As with all equipment purchases, you have to feel comfortable with what you have bought, it should feel good to you. If you have questions, stop by a running store and ask one of the professionals. If need be, go to two or three stores to see if there is any difference in the answers you receive. They will also allow you to try on a few pair to walk or jog around the store to see if they fit comfortably. Take your time; make sure they work for you.

By Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs for women

New Year's Resolutions - Five tips to succeed

Its time again for New Years Resolutions. Many people make them and just as many break them. So, how do you keep to your New Years resolution?

Here are five tips to stay on top of it this year:

1. Make a realistic goal.
It is no use making a goal that you know is unattainable or that you have never even been close to achieving. To say, “I will climb Mount Everest”, if you have never taken a climbing lesson in your life is a little far fetched. Perhaps, a goal such as “I will take a climbing lesson” is a better goal.

2. Set a date to reach your goal.
If you set a date, you have a period in which you are working towards your goal. Having an open-ended goal allows you to have wiggle room to delay getting started.

3. Get other to help you.
If you goal can incorporate others into it, then they can help you reach their goal. How many people do you know who may have the same goal? Enlist them in tackling your goal; together you will both achieve your goals.

4. Write out your goal.
Take a blank sheet of white paper, write your goal down in thick black ink, and keep it in a place where you can see it everyday. This can serve as a reminder of what your goal is and the time you have to complete it.

5. Do not plan to fail.
Make a plan to achieve you goal. Think about it for a week, write it down, enlist others to help you, keep track of your progress and remind yourself of the promise you made to yourself. Do not fail.

New Year’s resolutions are a great way to start the year of on the right foot. If you are one of the few who will succeed in your resolution you will have achieved something most only dream.

Best of luck

by Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs for women

Calorie Burning

Have you ever wondered which forms of exercise or work burn the most calories? I have heard from hundreds of people who thought that substituting housework for exercise and then believed that they were burning enough calories to warrant not exercising. So what do you think? Is housework enough to offset the need to exercise?

To keep everything even, we took a few exercises, housework and other more fun activities and compared them using a person who is 130 pounds, performing the activity for 30 minutes at a moderate pace.

Here are the results

Jogging – 292 calories
Swimming – 261
Walking – 171

Vacuuming - 73
Dusting – 69
Laundry and Folding Clothes – 62
Washing Dishes – 66

Playing Cards - 50
Watching Television – 31
Kissing – 31

There it is where you correct in your how you thought about calories burning. Clearly, the best activities to burn calories are those where you get out to do some exercise. In addition, work is stressful, exercise actually should not be stressful, and it should be relaxing. That may sound crazy, but it is true.

If you do plan on jogging, walking or swimming, and want to burn more calories just go longer, extend the workout at for by 5 minutes then 10 and so on.

Merry Christmas

By Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs

Credit: Calories Control Council

Taking Time Off

When you start on an exercise program and have committed to goals, taking time off can sometimes feel like you may slip back into older habits or even get so unfit that you may loose all that you have worked so hard to accomplish. If you are that person, I have to say I appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication, but take a breath; you will be just fine taking a little time off.

Taking time off to rejuvenate physically and emotionally can help spur you onto your next year’s goals. Therefore, the question then becomes, “how much time can I take off”. A rule of thumb for very competitive athletes who train hard all year long is that taking no more than 10 days off will not diminish your fitness levels. So I think it can be safe to say that someone who trains more modestly can safely take off at least 5 days or half the time.

The thing about time off is that you must not necessary count the days you take off as if that startup day is something to dread. The stress alone would take away all benefits you may have intended by taking sometime off in the first place. Rather set a period, such as “I will take off from the Christmas eve to New Year’s day” If you happen to take an extra day, then so be it. Do not stress about it. However, startup shortly after that even if it is just a small slow walk or jog. Get back into it.

This time of the year, with Christmas and New Years holidays upon us, taking time to socialize with family and friends is a good thing for you and for them. Enjoy yourself.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

By Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs for women

New Walking and Running Website

All,

I found a great website that can serve as an awesome resource to share information on walking and running.If you are a walker, runner, or even have a resourceful website pertaining to walking and/or running then check this out.

Zimbio

Let me know what you think

A New Beginning

Speedy Sneakers Walking and Running Clubs will begin operation in the spring of 2008. The mission of the clubs will be to promote women’s health and fitness through walking and running.

The clubs were inspired by my belief that women face two very real realities.

Women are held to a higher standard when it comes to their appearance. It is unfortunate that this is the case, but too often it is true. Oversize and weight are seen as negative traits, even if the person is of great character. I believe that most women do not want to be overweight, but through circumstances that are sometimes difficult to manage they end up with some undesirable weight.

Women face more health concerns as they age. Osteoporosis, breast and ovarian cancers, and diabetes are common. Exercise can help fight against these conditions. I realize that science is not perfect, but there is no medical doctor that will say that exercise encourages disease, but rather that exercise can fight disease.

Speedy Sneakers is a club for women (though men can join), that is committed to helping women meet their health and fitness goals. It is my sincere desire that if you commit to an exercise program whether it is with Speedy Sneakers or not that you will be able to achieve those goals.

If you are interested in joining Speedy Sneakers, visit our website at www.speedysneakers.com to locate a club in your area, or if no club exists, consider starting your own Speedy Sneakers franchise.

Rotating Shoes to Avoid Injury

Whether walking or running for fitness there are two essential pieces of equipment that you should always own, and that is, two pairs of walking or running shoes.

So what is the importance of having two pairs when one is only necessary? The main reason is to avoid injury. Each set of shoes are made slightly differently, even if they came off the same factory line. Chances are that your two pairs even if they are of the same make, probably were manufactured at different times and maybe even different factories. The shoes will wear differently and this little difference can actually help you to avoid injury. If you own one pair and they wear the same way, which they will, then you can get an injury due to the constant stresses the shoes will place on the same area of your body. However, if you have two pairs and they wear differently then the stresses placed on your body will be distributed over different parts of your body, especially your feet, knees and legs. This “stress distribution” will actually help in avoiding overuse injuries.

Warm Up your Muscles

As the weather gets colder outside warming up becomes essential to get the most out of your workout. An easy way to warm up your muscles is to start out slowly for the first 5 to 10 minutes of your walk or run. After warming up, if possible try a few light stretches of the calf and quadriceps muscles. Do not spend too much time stretching otherwise you may actually cool off.

Warming up may also help you the next day by not being as sore after a workout which will allow you to workout even better that day as your muscles will not be as sore.

Norman Swan in his article Health Minutes wrote the following “A group at the University of Sydney did a randomised trial testing warming up and cooling down. Cooling down made no difference at all but warming up for about ten minutes reduced delayed muscle soreness a little. Whether it was worth the effort depends on how much it bothers you, especially given that it’s hard to predict whether you’ll have a problem at all” You can read more about this article at Health Minutes

Midwest Weather

Right now in the mid west of the country, the weather is playing with us as is customary this time of the year. Last week we had 3 inches of snow and yesterday it was 61 degrees.

This weather moodiness though does give you an opportunity to get out and workout. Take your opportunities however they present yourself and get out of the house, office or where ever you may find yourself and hit the road for a 30 minute walk or run.

If you have not already done so, use a service like weather.com to see what the 10-day forecast looks like and plan your week based on the weather. If it's going to be dreadfully cold, then plan to go to the gym. If its going to be warmer, then plan to get out into the open.

Do not wait around for the weather to present itself, plan your workouts around the weather.