5 tips on walking

What a morning! I've done some exercise, reviewed some Japanese, had breakfast, read all the blogs I love to read, done some measurements (lost 2 cm off the old waist) and organised some stuff I've been promising to do for weeks, maybe even stalked some people on Facebook. And it's only 930 AM. Just thought I'd mention my good doings, this feeling rarely lasts and I figure you gotta make the most of it while you can.

I do think that exercise has something to do with this burst of energy and focus, Facebook is all about the focus.... This last week I've been doing two things on the exercise front.

• I'm trying to form a habit by doing 15min minimum on the Wonderfully Fandangled Exercise Machine, before breakfast.
• Walk walk walk walk. I am a fan of walking, I get some of my best ideas pounding the pavement and I've been walking for at least an hour each day, you should hear some of my ideas, shame most revolve around what clothes I'll wear when I'm skinny rather than ways to make the money needed to buy said clothes.

I don't know if it's the endorphins, the car fumes or just getting out of the house, but I'm feeling good, SM has gone back into hiding and I feel like I can do this.

I know walking isn't the exercise of choice for alot of folks, but it's free, easy and doesn't involve mirrors and reflections of gym bunnies in lycra pumping iron, and that's the guys in my neck of the woods, don't even get me started on the gals. So for your reading pleasure I thought I'd give you my 5 top tips on walking.

1. Wear good shoes. I suffered for some time with plantar fasciitis and now fully appreciate the need for good shoes, and orthotics. Especially when walking in the City on all that concrete you need support for those arches.

2. Walk somewhere. I find this is what gets me out there, need to do some shopping, want to find some obscure book, give yourself a reason for walking, walking to work is always a winner. I also like to make the walk an event, there's some great coastal walks here that are always a total joy, not to mention a fab people perving experience.

3. Cover up. You don't want to get all stunning and lithe only to have the skin of an elephants arse on your face to deal with. Get out that dorky hat and slather on that greaseless sunscreen, no-one should ever wear that heavy duty sweat like you're in a sauna crap.

4. Walk at pace. it's no good strolling around the shops for an hour thinking you're doing yourself a favour. You gots ta sweat, and not just because you've got thick pasty sunscreen on, get that heart rate up and keep it up.

5. Stretch. Oh it's just a little walk, I hear you say, but if any of you could see my impersonation of an 80yr old woman shuffling down the hall in the mornings, you'd know that to stretch is to be comfortable, I mean look at Madonna, she stretches her shit all day long and she looking Hhot!

"All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking"
Nietzsche