Spring

Spring is here! The grass is beginning to turn a little bit green and I am excited about being able to go out and walk barefoot once again (and take the dogs, we have three of them now). I went to Peurto Vallarta last month (February) and purchased a pair of five-finger shoes which are like being barefoot, but offers a bit of protection from environmental hazards.

I have managed to lose about 15 pounds since the year began despite being unable (or unwilling) to walk barefoot in the snow and ice.

Have a GREAT day!

New Year (a bit late)

It has been a while since the last entry in here: it is quite difficult with a puppy that wants, no demands, your every bit of attention when you are home. Avari and I still walk, although now, with puppy training classes, we are working on "heel". She is doing quite well with it, but the barefoot walking will probably cease until the temperatures are above freezing.

Since there will not be as much walking (barefoot, that is), the diet is going to need to change. Out of financial necessity, eating in a restaurant will be limited to once a month (and my beautiful wife and me had sushi last week). The leftover turkey from thanksgiving has been used to make about six servings of homemade soup and some sirloin steak was bought to make jerky for the dogs (I can't see paying the high prices of treats for dogs) and a half pound was cubed up and made into a low-calorie soup with carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes.

The plan this week is to go to a seminar that is being hosted by the chiropractor that my wife goes to for treatment. It will be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was a test. It was cool (38 degrees) and it had been raining for nearly 24 hours. Avari and I ventured out for a great barefoot walk for about twenty minutes or so. She had not had a walk for two days because of the rain, and she had a lot of energy. I figured that I needed to burn a few calories before the feast this afternoon.

Walking in the cold and wet is invigorating, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have been drinking orange juice every day and I figure that as long as I keep my hands dry and somewhat warm, I will be doing well and will make it on my barefoot walking adventures. My plan is to incorporate a bit of jogging/running around Spring, but will be content with walking for now.

Have a Great Thanksgiving, everybody!

And Thus The Temperature Drops

The barefoot walk that I took with Avari (the puppy) was 38 degrees the other morning. It wasn't too uncomfortable for me, as she certainly didn't mind. I figure that if she can walk outside without shoes or socks, I could as well.

And so it goes.

One of the added benefits of exercising outdoors barefoot is that one becomes less and less dependent on the outside temperature and more dependent upon one's internal temperature. This ensures that one can stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

Barefoot in Autumn

One thing that I love now about Saturdays is that I usually don't work on Saturday morning. This allows me to sleep in past 3:45 AM (my usual time to get up) and allows me to fix a hot breakfast that I can share with the dogs. They will sit quietly while I portion a bite for me and then a bite for each of the two dogs.

After we ate, I took the puppy, now four months old, on a eight-block walk. The temperature was 44 degrees, but I did not mind going barefoot. As the puppy gets older, I anticipate the walks getting longer. I plan on walking barefoot through the winter, although I haven't quite decided on the snow and ice...we will definitely have to think on that one. The good thing about walking is that the pace is enough to burn off a few calories, and every one of them adds up.

I need to burn more, especially as I become older and heavier as the metabolism slows down. I find that following up the walk with a fifteen minute bike ride (stationary bike in the basement) is a great way to start the weekend! An added benefit is that my metabolism is higher for the start of the weekend and that makes the calories burned at rest disappear at a more rapid pace. Someday,I will earn enough at one job to have just one job and not spend 70-83 hours, seven days a week working. It is realized that less sleep makes it more difficult to lose the unwanted poundage, but one has to do what one has to do.

Have a great day!

October Begins

Fall has got to be one of my favorite times of year, it began in Colorado (officially for me) and now it is a cool one in the St. Louis area. I have worked up to walking the puppy (now 15 weeks old) about 8 blocks or so. It isn't a blistering pace (what, with the sniffing and all), but I am getting my feet built up to to withstand longer times and faster paces.

In addition to the walking activity, I have begun building my leg muscles up more by riding on our stationary bike that records time, calories, heart rate, and distance. This gives me standards by which to gauge my progress.

One of the greatest challenges in weight loss and exercise programs is that one needs to stay focused on the end result and make progress each day toward the end. You, too, can accomplish a lot that you set your mind to accomplishing!

Barefoot in Colorado

For those who know me, I live near Saint Louis, Missouri. The weather is very humid and can get quite miserable in the summertime. Perfect for barefoot exercise. My wife and I left Missouri on September 17th on a week-long, much needed vacation to Colorado. I have been walking the older dog (we kenneled the puppy with our vet) and walking barefoot in the mornings (frost this morning) has been quite refreshing.

One thing I have noticed about the mountain air, it is very dry, which has led me to have some recurrences of my infamous nosebleeds. It is a good thing that I was wearing a dark shirt, so it didn't look too bad. I can't wait to return and step up the intensity of my barefoot walks. Surely it will feel like a heatwave!

More when we return!