Mikes Walking Team – How to Get Fit Craftily

Or in other words : How To Start a Fitness Program If You Are A Crafty Sitting About Stitchy Computer-y Blogging Type of Chick

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Okay – some people have kindly been following my progress with my whole 21-days-and-we’ve-formed-a-walking-habit fitness regime. And I must admit, knowing that you are watching has made it WAY easier to keep going – so thank you. (I must also admit that Cam turned the alarm off this morning before it had barely squeaked – and so day 22 was a complete farce of wandering downstairs wishing we had a cafe in our house and pyjama clad gawking at WE HEART IT. But lets not dwell on that.)

Some of you have said that you want to start a bit of a fitness regimen too. So here is my challenge to you. Start tomorrow. You can start at any time of the day. You only need to set aside 20 minutes in the beginning. The important thing is to start.

Here are things you don’t need:
Lots of time
Exercise equipment
Fancy shoes
Groovy drink bottle
Heart Monitor (hopefully)

Here are things you do need:
Comfy clothes that you don’t feel stupid in
Runners that don’t hurt
A watch or timer
An mp3 player
20 minutes
A sense of humour

Here is what to do:
TOMORROW – at any time of the day which suits you – early morning, mid morning, during lunch, middle of the night, whatever – put on your comfy clothes (CC), runners that don’t hurt (RTDH) and look at your watch. Get your MP3 Player cranking and start walking.

Here is what you don’t need to do:
Have a special route planned, get a babysitter (Worse comes to worse – draw yourself a little neighbourhood on butchers paper – stick it on your loungeroom wall whilst letting the children add lovely little flowers andpineapples and beavers and things to it and walk around in circles), and don’t procrastinate.

Some other points:
If you have to rely on a DAD who gets home late to care for your kiddiwinks – then it might be an idea to DRIVE to a well lit area once he is home to take over – and walk your twenty minutes there.

Walk as fast as you can. It might hurt a tiny bit at first. You might puff like a prickly fish. You might laugh. All these things are okay as long as you don’t wet your pants. If you think you can jog a bit – then do that. If your boobs whack you in the face too much – then don’t. Walking is just fine too.

And Remember:
The goal is fitness and routine. It’s just about moving a bit more. So that’s kind of a do-able goal, right?

To Make It Tolerable
Log onto my blog for suggested walking tracks each day.
Log onto my blog and tell me about your adventures.
Log onto my blog for a link to something lovely to look at as your reward.

BE SURE TO:
Look for the little things that make you laugh.
Look at the people you see and try to imagine their stories.
Look at your neighbourhood and all the good stuff it has.
Think about the things that make you happy.
Reward yourself at the end with a juice or a magazine or an extra half an hour looking at crafty blogs.
And you might even like to write your adventures down, like I do.

BE SURE NOT TO:
Think about your worries. Let them melt away. Just walk for your own good fun.

IF YOU’RE NOT SURE:
Do it anyway.

DEFINITELY DON’T:
Give yourself a smack if you don’t go every day.
But try and go EVERY OTHER DAY.

DO:
Write down the days that you go in your diary – so you can feel all smug and satisfied.
Check in with me and the other Walking Team peeps often to keep motivated.

TOMORROW’S TRACKS:
Push It – salt and peppa
We Walk – the ting tings
Walk Like an Egyptian – the bangles
Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
and perhaps you have some of your own superfaves too – i recommend Flight of The Conchords if you want to giggle as you walk. Let us know what you recommend!

Let me know if you are in. Don’t wait. Just start. It’s easy. You’ll feel better. And you don’t have to worry about being picked last on this team!

Be sure to tell us all when you walked, where you walked and what happened – because it’ll make my walking slash jogging adventures more fun if I know you are doing it too!

xx Mikes

PS – There’s a facebook group too. So join that if you’re on the Team too!