Weight Release Update #1 – I have the same New Years’ Resolution as most people… to take off a bit of weight. 2012 was a rough year for me, and having just recovered from surgery last Fall, I was keen to get moving again.
Like Nike says… “JUST DO IT” – strap on your runners and go!
So I hit the ground ‘walking’ on January 2nd, and so far I’ve logged 45 kms of walk-time in a nice warm environment – at the mall, NOT the gym. I’ve been meaning for weeks to post about this Resolution, and to introduce some of my “weight-release” strategies to my readers – so here goes…
I was quite successful three years ago in losing 50+ pounds, but due to some pesky, ongoing health issues, it’s time for me to re-commit to staying in shape.
To better describe my philosophy of weight release vs. weight loss, you have to think of what you want to do when you lose something – like your car keys, or your wallet.
Your keys and wallet are important things to find if you’ve lost them, but extra pounds… they can stay lost in my books.
You really want to find them again, and put them in your pocket, don’t you? So why do we call it Weight Loss? Do you REALLY want to find those pounds again??? I think not. So this year I’m practicing a mind shift on my self-talk, and selecting to release my extra weight, with the hopes that I will never, ever find it again!
As I’m not much of a gym-joining type of person, I decided to think ‘outside the box’ in regards to my daily fitness routine. I was invited by a very active girlfriend to mall-walk before Christmas. I SO enjoyed the experience that I thought I’d make mall-walking my new, four times a week habit. So here’s my story on how I lost 7+ pounds in the first two weeks of 2013.
On January 2nd at 7am, I walked through the doors of Winnipeg’s Polo Park Mall, not knowing what to expect. But I knew “if it was going to be, it was up to me”.
I’ve never been shy of meeting strangers, or of doing stuff by myself, so it was with a positive attitude, a friendly smile on my face, and my trusty pedometer that I set off on a new fitness adventure. I checked my coat, slipped in my iPhone ear buds, and took off for a couple laps around the mall.
Did you know that the upstairs “track” at Polo Park Mall
measures 0.5 miles from Moxies to The Bay?
Most local Winnipeggers may not know that Polo Park Mall opens at 7am for mall-walking. You can actually go in and see what happens in the mall in the mornings before the stores open for business – I find it all so fascinating.
Plus you can’t beat the scenery! Window-shopping AND exercising together in one package – sweet! If you’re like me, then striding along on a treadmill, even with a TV to watch, is only interesting for so long. But every day at the mall the windows change, the people change, but the temperature stays constant. AND as a bonus you can learn all about the sales that are happening!
As I’ve already stated, so far in 2013, I’ve walked 45 kms – that’s more than a marathon(42.2kms). Thinking back, I probably didn’t log 45 kms of exercise in all of 2012!
I walk between 45 and 75 minutes per day, about 2 to 4 miles. My current record is 7,795 steps in 75 minutes, which is about 4.18 miles, but my goal is 10,000 steps on each visit. Will you take this challenge with me?
The length of my walk and my motivation depends on my mood, my playlist, and my upcoming morning schedule. But after weighing in last Wednesday, for the 1st time since New Years Day, I was shocked to see that I’d already released 7.4lbs by adopting these five new habits along with my mall-walking. And that was totally motivating to go the extra mile – literally!
So if you like walking, and want to shed a few pounds before the weather here in Winnipeg warms up, please consider joining the Polo Park Mall Walkers Club on Facebook, and come out a few mornings a week to join in the camaraderie. This group is open to everyone, of all ages – the mall-walkers at Polo Park are a very friendly bunch.
We meet upstairs, above centre court, at Club Monaco at 7am Monday to Thursday mornings. If that time doesn’t work for your schedule, then pop into the mall before opening any morning, including Saturdays. They are open to the public for mall-walking 6 days a week at 7am, it’s also easy on your pocketbook if you conclude your walk before 10am when the stores open. And if Polo Park isn’t convenient, then call your local mall and see if they have a mall-walking program, and if not, suggest it to them. Hope to see you at the mall!
Coming Monday: Weight Release Update #2 – Adopt Five New Habits This Month
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Please enjoy my Weight Release Updates, in addition to my healthier LunchFor1 posts.
I hope that my suggestions can help you to shed a few pounds in 2013.
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And feel free to share your own success stories about your
New Years Resolution and exercise tips in the Comments area below.