Happy New Year everyone and welcome to 2011! After all of the cookies, candy and gifting, I thought it would be nice to talk about walking. Yup, that’s right, walking.
Sounds kinda silly, doesn’t it? Walking? What does that have to do with recipes? Well, for me, walking has been one of the key recipes to recovering my health. Just a few years ago, a walk around the block was less exhilarating than exhausting. Everything was for that matter.
Over the past few years I’ve slowly built up my stamina. I remember being overjoyed one day when I was emptying the dishwasher and found that the process did not induce fatigue, relief surging through my veins, that I could again perform the most simple of chores without feeling tired!
The secret? Walking. I walked everyday. I started out just walking for 10 minutes once per day. Then, a few months later, I added in an additional 5 minute walk. Three months after that, I was walking 10 minutes twice a day. A couple of years later, I am now at the point where I can walk for more than an hour straight and feel great afterward.
Walking to me is like gardening. I walk almost the same path everyday, taking in the changes in various trees, bushes and flowers around me. I mentally garden my way through my neighborhood. It’s oh so peaceful and calming and just one more way that I stay in touch with the outdoors and the seasons.
Walking is free. Walking is healthy. Walking is anti-inflammatory (that’s right, it ultimately decreases inflammation in the body, according to my Dad). Walking calms my mind. Walking allows emptiness to fill me as I move through something much bigger than myself –the world, mother nature.
So, if you’re looking for another New Year’s resolution, here’s one you just might try. It’s free –in so many ways. It’s walking.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? Leave a comment and let’s have a conversation about healthy living to kick off 2011.
Melissa says
This is very inspiring to me reading everyones post. Over the past 3 yrs my health has declined, and for a while there, I went on a strict diet of just meat and veggies and felt so much better, I was actually running/walking 5 miles a day 5 days a week. My joints still hurt but it was way less than it is now. I recently had a baby and between the sleepless nights and other things that are going on, I feel really bad and have quit following my diet. Somedays its a struggle to hold my baby or change her diaper.
I have really been down on myself and comparing what I’m doing now to what I used to be able to do. When Elana said she started out walking just 10 mintues and then gradually adding more time. That is just what I needed to hear. Tomorrow I will walk up my road a few times.
Thanks Elana!
Ashley Craft @ Taste for Healthy says
Great post about the benefits of walking! I read a while back that walking is perhaps the single best form of exercise… it’s great to be reminded of it! :)
My 2011 goals are to:
-Become a certified personal trainer
-Graduate from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition
-Start my own business
-Walk and do yoga daily :)
-Create new healthy recipes
-Spend more time with family & friends
Pam Raymond says
Thanks for sharing your walking story and everyone else thanks too! I’ve been walking almost everyday and if I don’t, I don’t feel good. It has been a lifesaver and I am slowly building back my stamina. I love that it’s free and easy, and having an ipod makes it interesting and fun as well. Happy, healthy new year and I love your website and recipes. I look forward to making more delicious eats this year.
Gail says
Elana, thank you for your wisdom in writing of recipes for our gluten-free eating, and I look forward to what you are going to bring to my gluten-free table in 2011.
For me walking is the best way to get exercise, for my mind and body. On winter days where I live in Eastern Canada, I can snowshoe or on those blustery days I can just casually walk on my treadmill. In the summer, I walk the golf courses and enjoy mother nature’s canvas along the way. I have fun with the game, but I get to enjoy nature at its finest.
Eating gluten-free has been an much easier “walking” experience than expected these past few months because of Elanas Pantry and many other great gluten-free blogs and websites that are available to us today. I am constantly telling my family and friends of the wealth of gluten-free information that is readily available to them.
Have a healthy, gluten-free 2011.
Lynn Salmon-Easter says
Elana.
I LOVE this post. I have decided I need to walk more this year. I really miss it! Walking helps me as well, to calm my mind and body. I had a baby almost 3 years ago and got out of the routine of walking. Like you, I have been recovering my health for several years. Walking was a tremendous help to me as well when I was very sick. It is gentle and being outside helps remind me I belong in this world and that ALL things are connected.
Happy Walking!! : )
Minneapolis Mama
Sandy Austin says
Hooray for you! Down here in Littleton the snow is not as deep but the wind calm and my dog tells me there is no excuse for not continuing the walks. It has really helped my arthritis over the years. I KNOW that the gluten free diet also helps and think the combination is hard to beat for doing all we can to keep the ship going forward instead of backward! Happy New Year.
Lynnette says
Your story is my story too Elana. Your dishwasher image is especially meaningful to me. Its amazing to me that I now run 3 miles several times a week. And when I cant I walk. I worked up to the distance walking between two major intersections on the quiet country road near my last home. I remember hardly getting to the road from my home. My immune system is my best friend and exercise daily keeps my inflammation down. I eat as non inflammatory as I can. I am my own Ferarri. I fuel and drive me like an expensive machine. I have a smile on my face these days!
pamela says
I don’t sleep much and always feel tired. Then I eat the wrong foods and feel bad. Well, with the help of your recipes and baking with almond flour, I’ve started fixing my diet. We also got a puppy recently, and she doesn’t care if I’m tired: she HAS TO GO OUT!! So I’m forced to get fresh air and walk every day, if only for a few minutes. My family can’t believe that I leave the house so many times a day and don’t complain. :)
It took a dog to get me out of the house.
Thank you and Happy New Year, Elana!
Bria @ West of Persia says
Couldn’t agree more. Inspirational post! Walking is so healing and I just love that it’s absolutely free.
herbalchef says
Very inspirational, Elana! Thank you for taking the time to give us all a gentle nudge! Enjoyed many of your recipes over the holiday. Thank you for that, too!