Why Not Wellness: A Walking Path to Wellness for Your Body and Mind

Could a simple walk help transform your physical and mental well-being? Join me on this episode of Sisters in Service as we traverse the inspiring landscapes of women's post-military journeys and the profound impact of walking on our lives. As we celebrate four years of storytelling, I reflect on the remarkable stories of women veterans who continue to serve with passion and purpose. With October dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness, I stress the importance of proactive health measures, urging everyone to educate themselves and support those affected. Together, let's take steps toward understanding, prevention, and meaningful action in the fight against breast cancer.

Moving forward, I unravel the often-overlooked power of walking—a simple act with extraordinary benefits. Walking isn't just a mode of movement; it's a pathway to manage weight, enhance balance, and reduce the risk of chronic illnesses. Moreover, it serves as a mental health ally, easing stress and depression, and boosting mood. Let's lace up and embrace this accessible exercise, using it as a tool for empowerment and connection on our wellness journeys. Whether you're stepping solo or alongside a friend, walking offers a sanctuary for both mind and body, embodying the essence of wellness and camaraderie.

Transcript

Cat: 0:01

Welcome to Sisters in Service podcast. Most of you know me as a strong advocate for women veterans in being recognized not only as veterans but also as women who are changing the world through our passion of serving even after service. This podcast is my passion by telling all the stories of military brats, military spouses, active duty and veterans, not to forget the veteran service organizations that help us along our transition journey. I want to thank you in advance for listening. I hope that you will join me. Every week, a new podcast and episode comes out every Tuesday, so I hope that you will join and I hope that you enjoy. This podcast is brought to you by Small Space Pilates. Are you ready to get fit and fabulous from the comfort of your own home? Look no further than Small Space Pilates. With live online Pilates and strength training classes, a video library and a-allowed policy, you can achieve your fitness goals without ever leaving your house. Click on the link for your complimentary week and start your journey to feeling fabulous today. Hi, everyone, and welcome to a new season of why Not? Wellness and Sisters in Service.

Cat: 1:23

For those of you that don't know, october 2024 marks the fourth year that I've been podcasting, so yes, I have an anniversary. It's been a long journey Four years in the podcasting world is almost a lifetime, to be honest with you. So it's good to be back, and I wanted to talk about something First of all. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and so I just wanted to put it out there that you know, do something that might help someone who is going through chemo or radiation. You can do a walk, you can wear a pink shirt, you can do walks. There's runs, there's all kinds of ways that you can support. You can support with money, but make sure that you're checking yourself. That's what I want to say is, make sure you're doing what you need to do so that breast cancer does not come into your world Now. It may already have. Maybe it's touched someone in your family. It's funny how, a lot of times, we don't think about anything like this until it touches us in such a way that it forces us to understand one, what it is, and, two, learning more about it. So learn up, learn up. Oh, that's great, it's been a while. You guys Learn as much as you can about breast cancer. Learn about the symptoms, learn what you can do, what kind of alternatives there are. Okay, I'm off my soapbox. So today we're going to dive into the simple, profound benefits of walking for both our mental health and physical health.

Cat: 3:09

You have heard me say many times that movement helps our brain as well as our body. So let's start off by setting the stage the benefits of walking. So walking is one of the most accessible forms of exercise, requiring no special equipment or gym membership, right? So why aren't we doing it? I always get a lot of excuses. I've been talking about walking a lot and people say oh, it's summer, it's too hot, or it's too cold, or it's too this it's October, the weather is cooperating, so lace up your shoes and let's go.

Cat: 3:51

So walking offers a wide array of health benefits. What kind of benefits, you say? Let's talk about the physical health benefits of walking, how it helps in weight management. How it helps in weight management. It helps in balance and coordination, how walking reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and even wait for it certain types of cancer, right?

Cat: 4:21

So it's important to really think about what you're doing. You're not just walking, right, you're also helping your body and helping your mind, and isn't that what we all want? Is? We want to be able to have some longevity, but also be able to move at our own pace, our own will and with comfort. So what about the mental health part of it? What about the mental health part of it?

Cat: 4:52

So walking can be a powerful tool in managing stress, anxiety and depression. Walking not only helps to clear the mind, but also releases endorphins, creating a natural boost in mood. So if you have just walked with a friend, maybe you're just walking, you're going somewhere and you get this exhilaration, you feel better. Walking clears your mind. So if you've ever had a problem, maybe it's about your business, maybe it's a personal problem and you just can't figure it out. What I do is I'm like I get up from my desk and say I'm going for a walk and I don't think about the problem, I just walk and you know what happens At the end of the walk. I almost always know the solution to my problem. And so mindful walks can enhance mental clarity and emotional wellbeing.

Cat: 5:48

And you don't have to do it alone, do it with a group, do it with a friend, maybe invite a friend where you guys can be accountable to each other, so incorporating walking into your daily life. So we've talked about the benefits of walking. Let's talk about how to make it a regular part of your life. Here are some tips on how to do that. You could take short walking breaks during your work hours, getting up during a break or maybe even lunch. Put your walking shoes on, walk around the building, walk up and down the stairs. I've done that in my own building.

Cat: 6:30

There are so many ways that you can do this. If you're planning a walk and talk, hey, there you go. You're having a meeting, you're walking, all systems are go, the brain's working, the body's working and you're getting stuff done. That's not a twofer, that's a threefer, that's a check, check, check on my list. But do what you need to do to help yourself stay accountable. Maybe you want a pedometer, maybe you have a smartwatch to stay motivated. So finding ways to stay motivated while you're doing this is important.

Cat: 7:13

Notice how you feel after a walk. Say, wow, I'm ready for that meeting now. You know you're not dreading it, and so walking is one of those things. That's like I said before. It's super easy. So it's easy to start walking. The only thing you have to do is just to do it.

Cat: 7:33

So walking is more than just a way to get from point A to point B. It's a journey towards improved mental and physical wellbeing. So I invite you to start walking. How far you say, start small. If you say I can do five miles, do two and a half miles. If you say I can do one mile, do a half a mile. Cut it in half. I'm not saying you can't do it. Doing it isn't the problem, it's the recovery that's the problem. So if you're having a hard time getting started in your workouts, you can do it. You seem to be unmotivated, you're not sure where to start.

Cat: 8:12

I want to invite you to a free week of Small Space Pilates live classes. We do Pilates, we do strength training, we do no weight training. We do body weight training and we stretch. It's a way to get started. It's a way to start noticing how your body is responding. There's a no perfection policy allowed for anybody in my class, but including for me. Okay, invite your animals. My dog makes an appearance every now and then, and some other people in classes, their dogs do the same. It's a way to be in your own home but still be able to get something done that you've been wanting to do. Still be able to get something done that you've been wanting to do so, reach out to me, kat, at Small Space Pilates, and I hope to see you in a class soon. So until next time, take care of that body. Bye, thank you.