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!

9-11

A day of contemplation and remembrance.

I did go out for about five minutes walking barefoot. I even burst through with a short sprint and it didn't feel bad (note: I didn't say that it felt good, I meant that it wasn't painful). I have been reading more on barefoot exercise (both pros and cons) and it does make a bit of sense. Early man didn't have shoes. I like getting more feeling out of my walking.

Day Two

Another day gone by and I repeated my barefoot walk down the block and back as I did last night. It is amazing how much sensation you lose by having shoes on your feet. It was said to take things slowly and slowly I have taken them: I don't break a sweat (yet), I am just slowly introducing the barefoot world to my insulated feet.

It isn't all bad.

The end result is what I am shooting for. Thanks for coming along and keeping me company.

Day One

I am great at beginnings, it is the follow through that often turns out to be less than stellar. I have read that with barefoot running, it is wisest to start out slow and steady. After all, it is just your bare feet that you will have as your equipment.

And this equipment is attached.

After working thirteen hours, I got home and took the new puppy, Avari, out for a stroll down the block and back. I wore no shoes, and, to be fair, neither did she. I am trying to get acclimated to feeling the earth and surfaces below me, and I realized, as I walked, that shoes really have a way of insulating you from those feelings.

Now, this blog is not only about my venture to achieve barefoot running full-time, but also about getting back into the shape that I was in before (and I was a 30+ miles a week runner). I limited myself on the food that I ate, having a "sandwich" that was made up of a tortilla, some thinly sliced corned beef (Buddig) a few slices of Swiss Cheese. For supper, I had a Wendy's Jr. bacon cheeseburger and a few Bud Lights (yes, a somewhat stressful day). The good news is that the calorie count is under 1,000 and I feel great.

One day down, a lifetime to go!

Barefoot Makes Sense

Back in the day, I was an avid runner. I began running in 1986 as a way to control my weight and stay fit. I subscribed to Runner's World magazine and participated in a few 5K runs. My times were slow, but I was enjoying myself. Running became a therapy for me as well as my first marriage disappeared, but running was always there. I recall one morning at the depths of that marriage in which I had my longest and most memorable run. It was 4 degrees outside, I wore little more than a lightweight running jacket and thin pants, but I felt invincible.

And I was.

For a time.

Two marriages later and quite a few pounds heavier, I was traveling home from our campsite/timeshare and I was listening to a program on To The Best of Our Knowledge about running barefoot and it made a lot of sense.

I had always been a "heel striker" when I ran, but this program talked about having more of your weight centered and not as much stress on your body. It all intrigued me an got me excited about taking up the sport. The costs will be minimal and I will keep the record of my progress here on this blog. Contact me for any questions or suggestions as I make this transformation.