The Magic of Walking: Your Guide to a Balanced, Purposeful Life

By Susan Sommers

"An inspiring and well-organized book!"

Read this book and I promise you will learn how to start, sustain, and expand your physical, mental, and emotional self.

Gain inspiration to reach inside yourself and push beyond what you thought was possible.

Build confidence

• Language: English
• Publisher: Power Source For Women
• Release date: May 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781777676421

Book preview

Also by Susan Sommers

Love Your Body…Embrace Your Life!

Power Source For Women

Proven Fitness Strategies, Tools,

and Success Stories for Women 45+

Copyright © 2021 Susan Sommers

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means—graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or information storage, and retrieval systems—without the prior written permission of the author.

The Magic of Walking: Your Guide to a Balanced, Purposeful Life

ISBN 978-1-7776764-0-7

Cover design: V. John Lee

Cover image: Dendron, iStock

Text design and layout: Beth Crane, WeMakeBooks.ca

The content of this book is the opinion of the author alone and is intended as material for readers to consider and contemplate.

It is not intended as any treatment or advice and may not apply to you. Consult your healthcare provider for all your health issues.

Printed and bound in Canada

Dedication

To my father, Harry Sommers, who was at the forefront of the home fitness movement. In the 1940s and 1950s, in our basement in suburban New Jersey, we had a rowing machine, a chinning bar, and some hand weights. (As a girl growing up in the 1950s, however, I did not use the weights or machines.) I was short and unathletic as a child, but my father believed in me and taught me to roller skate, ice skate, swim, bowl, and bike ride. I am forever grateful to him for these skills.

My father was passionate about fitness until he died, in his early 70s, of complications from Type 2 Diabetes.

To my brother, Howard, who contracted polio at the age of three and spent his life strengthening his legs and his body. I am inspired by him every day.

To my husband, Peter, a two-time Boston Marathoner, for believing in me, encouraging me, and joining me on my fitness journey.

To the women at the YMCAs of North York and Toronto and the Art of Living Foundation for supporting me and inspiring me throughout my walking journey.

Table of Contents

Prefacexiii

Introductionxv

The Benefits of Walking xvi

How to Use This Bookxvii

Write it: Create a walking and gratitude journal xvii

See it: Create a print or online vision board xvii

Snap it: Use photography to capture pictures of the

types of places, things, and people that inspire you xix

5 Common Myths about Walking xix

MYTH #1: You must walk 10,000 steps a day to benefit from walkingxix

MYTH #2: Walking is for people who can’t runxx

MYTH #3: Walking isn’t an effective exercise for weight lossxx

MYTH #4: Walking isn’t a strenuous enough exercise to

require a water bottlexx

MYTH #5: You only benefit during the time you are walkingxxi

Part 1 — Walking for Physical Activity1

Strategies and tools for physical activity 1

Step 1: Select the right type of walking for your strengths, interests,

and budget: Ten different types of walking for physical health1

Step 2: Do your research9

Step 3: Buy the best shoes and take care of your feet13

Step 4: Create walking checklists for both warm and cold weather15

Step 5: Warm up your body and cool down; employ a good

walking technique19

Step 6: Walk throughout the year—both outdoors and indoors23

Step 7: Build an accountability team and/or create a walking group27

Step 8: Develop goals, routines, rituals, and plans30

Step 9: Commit to the Mayo Clinic 12-week walking schedule32

Step 10: Sign up for a 5k or 10k walk race, in person or virtually,

and share your story33

Part 2 — Walking for Mental Clarity and

Emotional Strength41

Strategies and Tools for Mental Clarity and Emotional Strength 42

Step 11: Walk for brain power, plasticity, and resilience42

Step 12: Use movement to clear your head and overcome obstacles

and challenges43

How to start walking for mental health44

Step 13: Design a variety of walking and hiking routines and

lengths to stimulate your brain45

10 Things to Remember When You Walk Outdoors at

Different Times of Day and Night 46

Walking for safety and mental health 47

Step 14: Investigate three types of walking to enhance mental health47

Step 15: Embrace positive walking affirmations for mental health48

Step 16: Organize walk meetings50

Steps to organizing successful walking meetings50

Step 17: Plan your own walking/hiking retreats for mental health51

Step 18: Register, and prepare for, a half- or full marathon walk race52

Why and how to prepare for a walk marathon 53

Understanding walk marathons 54

Step 19: Understand common mistakes made when entering and completing a half- or full marathon walk race55

Acknowledge challenges and stay motivated 60

Step 20: Speak to communities about your mental and emotional challenges and the ways in which walking helped you to

overcome obstacles and find peace61

Part 3 — Walking for Spiritual Strength and

to Connect with Nature65

Strategies and Tools for Spiritual Strength and to

Connect with Nature 66

Step 21: Use walking to enhance creativity66

Step 22: Add mindful walking apps to your walks67

Step 23: Try a breathwalk68

Step 24: Embrace walking meditations (mindful walking)68

Nine Benefits of Walking Meditation 70

How to breathe correctly to prepare for walking meditations,

with Debra Eklove 70

Step 25: Prepare to start, and complete, a walking meditation72

The Mayo Clinic suggests an excellent way to start doing

walking meditations 72

How to start and end longer walking meditations73

Guidelines for longer walking meditations73

Step 26: Learn about seven types of walking meditations74

Step 27: Practice the Japanese art of Shinrin-Yoku, aka forest bathing

or forest walking (forestbathingcentral.com)77

How to forest bathe80

Step 28: Add walking to your travels84

Join walking tours when you travel 85

Step 29: Find spiritual retreats and give back to others87

The International Art of Living Retreat Centre Canada (www.artofliving.org) 88

Step 30: Live in a more sustainable way: the case for walking, the environment, and walkable communities89

Walkable communities offer the following features90

The Fifteen-Minute City (www.15minutecity.com) 90

Part 4 — Journalling Ideas for Physical,

Mental, and Spiritual Walking Success91

1. Gain the motivation you need to change91

2. Tap into your passion92

3. Do your research92

4. Surround yourself with supporters93

5. Believe you can achieve your goals94

6. Develop habits and routines aligned with your goals95

7. Create your own action plan. 96

Promise to self96

My partners96

My Training Schedule (include times)97

My Body Log (aches and pains)97

My Food Log97

My Mood Log (reflections and comments)97

8. Acknowledge challenges and stay motivated98

9. Recognize and celebrate your achievements99

10. Assess your results; imagine the possibilities100

Part 5 — Self-Assessment Tools, Exercises, and Quizzes101

Part 1: Walking for Physical Activity102

Part 1, Tool #1. Tap into Your Passion 102

Part 1, Tool #2: Research for Your Activity Toolbox 104

Part 1, Tool #3: Surround Yourself with Supporters 105

Part 1, #4: Exercise Activity Log 111

Part 1, #5: Goal Setting 112

Purpose of goal setting 112

There are three kinds of goals112

Build stepping stones to major goals 112

How to set a short-term goal 113

Part 1, #6: Goal Checkup 116

Part 1, #7: Create Your Own Action Plan 119

Your action plan 119

Tracking your steps using a pedometer 120

Total Steps (#) 120

Track your action plans as you progress 120

Environmental cues and prompts to exercise 121

Graphing your achievements 122

Part 1, #8: Physical Activity Contract 123

Physical activity contract 124

Part 2: Walking for Mental Clarity and Emotional Strength127

Part 2, #1: Discover Your Motivation 127

Habits I have changed before: 127

Things that helped me succeed: 127

Strategies to overcome obstacles: 128

Part 2, #2: Self-Talk to Discover Your Motivation 129

Part 2, #3: Four Ways to Change Self-Talk 131

Part 2, #4: Tools to Regulate Mood