Greg Landry

Greg Landry's Articles..

Inspiring Exercise Stories
copyright 1995-2008 by Greg Landry, M.S.

Several years ago I published in one of my email newsletters some messages I had received from subscribers. These messages described their outdoor exercise sessions: What they did, what they saw, what they thought about, etc.

The response was overwhelming. I received
hundreds of messages from subscribers
stating how much they loved the exercise
stories and how motivating they were for
them. Reading about other people's
exercise can be very motivating! So,
I periodically publish some of the letters
from my subscribers. Here's the latest
installment..

Hi all Last fall a health screening at work
said I was 33% fat. Well at 135 Pounds I
never thought that was possable. I decieded
it was time to get on the ball and do
something about it. I started walking
and weight lifting.

I started walking to the railroad tracks and
back and that took me 30 minutes. Then I
discovered I could walk a loop 2.7 miles
and did that. Since I live out of town a
mile only a short portion is in town. I
live in Mt and the view of the mountains
is ever changing.

Some days the sky goes on forever and is
sooooo blue. I get to watch the snow line
move down the mountains in the fall to the
valley floor where we are and move back up
in the spring.

It depends on the day as to what I do and
think of. I work in a nursing home and
somedays I need to blow off steam and I
see nothing. Some days the view amazes me.
Some of the best walking times I've
have my mind is just on the smell and
sounds of nature and I'm home before I
start walking.

I also can do a longer walk about 1 and
a half hour by going to a resort near by
and walking the loop there through the golf
course.This is more hilly and gives me a
real work out.

In the early spring I go to Glacier Park
and snowshoe what fun and sights. Never
the same and the people are great to meet.
We talk about trails and kinds of shoes
etc. The summer offers hiking in the
park too. So many trails and places to
go. I love it.

I do get lazy in the winter and don't get
out as much as I should. But I froze my
face a few years ago and have trouble
with the cold now. I want to try cross
country skiing but made a real fool of
myself last winter. I must have been
playing twister in skis. I will
try it again someday. I did but cross
country skis a few weeks ago.

There are alot of outdoor things to do
here and it is fun and that makes the
difference in sticking with it. If it
was all work I'd now do it. Keep up
the good work and have fun.
_____

Let me first say how much I have enjoyed
reading your newsletter. It is extremely
encouraging to read about the successes of
others in their weight-loss endeavors.

About a year ago, I picked up the sport of
running, due to a co-worker's sharing of her
interest. I had already lost about 40
pounds through walking and sensible eating,
but decided that I needed to challenge myself.
I started working towards the goal of completing
my first 5K in May of last year. After that,
I decided to continue training for races.
Although I knew I would never win anything,
I was doing it totally for myself, and I loved
it!!

Well, in January, my husband and I found out
that we are expecting our first child after
nearly six years of marriage. Willingly, I
curtailed my running and now only incorporate
it in little spurts with my 2 miles per day
of walking.

My husband has started walking with me around
our hilly neighborhood and it gives us time to
talk about this soon-to-be addition to our
family, names for the baby, etc. Since my
husband works a very busy schedule, this is
usually the only time of the day that we really
get to take a break and just spend some time
talking about things that are going on in our
lives, both individually and seperately.

He has now expressed an interest in running and
I am helping him get started by encouraging him
and giving him some pointers. Although there
are not any races in my immediate future, it
is exciting to see him get as "pumped up" as I
used to get for those big events.
_____

Hi Greg, my name is Cindy. My outdoor exercise
is walking. I call it my "sanity walk." I
started walking several years ago as part of my
weight loss program (I've lost 130 lbs.!!!)
and it is the one exercise that's so easy to
keep doing, that's why I love walking. I walk
the stairs (4 stories) at work, I park far away
at stores and walk across the parking lot.

I walk on my lunch hour - it's the perfect head
clearer. I live in a small town so walking
anytime of the day or night is still pretty safe.
My normal distance is about 2 miles a day
but I don't have a set distance - depending, my
walks last 30 to 60 minutes. When I walk I
think, I pray, I look for something beautiful
-- a flower, snow covered trees, cloud formations,
children, another smiling face.

I've walked every street in this small town
many times and each time I see something I didn't
notice before. When I'm angry - I walk. You
might be surprised at how fast your anger
disappears when you start enjoying the beauty
of God's creation -- and there is always beauty
out there no matter how many times we walk that
same old route.
_____

Greg, When I started reading your newsletter
over two years ago, I believed that I could
never be fit. I'm 46 and had been at least
50 pounds over weightfor all of my adult life.

Your newsletter inspired me to start walking
everyday. Then I started weight training
(gasssspppp!), something I thought I would
never do. I also started eating healthier and
only when I was actually hungry.

Fast forward to today.. I've lost 78 pounds
and I'm strong, lean, and healthy. I actually
have muscle definition! People I haven't seen
in a while don't even recognize me.
Thank you for the inspiration!"
_____

Hi Greg, I love to be outside. I prefer outdoor
workouts to going to the gym. Now that Winter's
over, i can get back out there. The morning's
are brighter earlier so I really like going on
my jog/walk.

It's about 5 miles total in a development with
many streets that eventually all meet back at
each other. A few good hills helps with
the heart rate. I really love it this time
of year because every morning you see something
different; a new flower blooming or beautiful
landscaping jobs in the works for spring, the
smell of fresh cut grass with dew on it, the
bunnies come out-- they're all over the
place.

I leave before total sunrise so the sun waking
up is great to see, too. It is so refreshing.
We have a puppy now too so i'll be taking her
with me. She likes to run, thank goodness.

Sometimes i just listen to the birds but in
general i put on some really good music in my
walkman , usually rock-old and new. As long
as it's fast. It keeps up my pace. I save
the slow, soft music for when i'm relaxing,
not working out.

I also like rollerblading and so do my kids.
There's a great trail in town which used to be
a very old train track that the county paved
over. It goes for miles through several towns.
It's is only for walkers, runners, bicycles and
rollerbladers. Some parts of it are enclosed
with woods on all sides, there are bridges to
cross, and some parts are adjacent to major
roads and people's backyards. It's just
awesome.

Then Summer comes and going to the pool daily
with the kids is added to all of this.(Gee,
maybe i should suspend my gym membership till
next Winter) I like washing my car, usually
volunteer to mow the lawn(we don't have a
riding mower), and i choose to walk to town
to get my bread and milk instead of drive.
I hate cleaning my house and there's
another sign that I love the outdoors. Thank
goodness Winter is over!!!!
_____

I just got home after doing business in
four states in five days. I always take
a pair of walking shoes and try to walk
to meetings if at all possible Since I
travel primarily by plane, I also walk the
terminals during layovers.

First thing in the morning, or after work
in the evenings, I walk 15 minutes to eat
my meal so that I get two miles in at least.
Finally, I take a pair of tights and t-shirt
which double as PJs and are available if
lightning strikes and I actually get a block
of time to excercise at the hotel.

I really make an effort to cob together 400
calories of excercise by hook or by crook
every day. I find it helps me sleep better
in hotels and keeps my body and spirits
feeling better.
_____

Dear Greg,
Thanks for all your efforts to help us get fit.
You have a great newsletter, and I really
enjoyed your on-line articles. My outdoor
exercise consists of a daily walk with my
black labrador, Princess. I start out as
early as possible, trying to walk 30-40
minutes, but some days, I only have time for 15.
But I still go everyday anyway.

That morning walk is a great way to start the day.
My dog is also used to it; she is ready to go
from the moment I wake up. I take different
routes, and when I am feeling particularly
adventurous, take a route with some incredibly
steep hills.

To round out my fitness routine, I am beginning
to include some weight lifting and muscle
strengthening exercises, especially for my abs.,
3 times a week.
_____

Greg, I started my outdoor "rolling" after I
wasn't able to afford to buy prosthetics legs
about 13 years ago. It was difficult to come up
with ideas for a legless person to do exercise.
I go on walks in my wheelchair for about a mile
here in Wichita. I used to go about 6 or
more when I lived in Va., but here there are dirt
roads that I live on.

I enjoy the quietness, the animals that I see
and I usually spend this time praying or thinking
about what I have to do for that day.
Wheelchairs don't go through snow or ice very
well, so there were days when I couldn't go out
and about.

When my three children are out of school, we
play tennis, baseball, basketball and things
of that nature and convert it to where I can
play with them. During the summer, I usually
mow my own yard using a regular push mower.
Hard to tell ya how I do it. Just got to see
it to believe it. I try to stay as active as
I can be to watch the old weight problem.
_____

My daughter is on the crosscountry team and track
team at school. Well I am a mother of 8 children,
34 years old and to keep fit I jog with her.
Check this out!! We live in a big city, and we
go across the river 3 miles one way and 3 miles
back home. It is so fun and the sites are great.
People beep at us and think we are nuts, but we
love to jog!

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, offers a very supportive, effective weight loss program for women. It is the most successful weight loss program available for women. Get details and a free newsletter at his site: http://www.GregLandryFitness.com