I'm new with a question...

[rasuoc]

Yeah, I need to lose a lot of weight. A lot. But I don't want to get on a plan. (I'm not the mose conventional person out there).

I don't want to have to buy from Jenny or pay for some equipment to sit in my house not being used.

I'm all for multi tasking.

I think I love the idea of all of your forums (No S, shovelglove and the UR).

I am trying to incorporate it into my lifestyle. However, I drive my two daughters to and pick them up from two different locations everyday plus get myself to work. SO the walk to work thing is out.

The lunch walk is hmm, can we say 105 heat index outside? Hot and muggy like all get out? How do you lunch walk without breaking into a sweat? DO I change clothes to do this?

My office building has no shower facilities, so how would I justify being all sweaty and stuff when I get back?

Heck, I get sweaty just walking to the back of the parking lot to my car.

Okay, it may sound like I'm copping out, but I'm truly not. I already ride my bike with my girls for about 45 minutes each evening. It is a must (a family ritutal so to speak). So I'm not tryig to get out of exercising.

So help me figure this out. If I DRIVE to the mall, I can walk inside for 35 minutes, but that wastes 25 minutes that I can spend walking and I feel that getting in the car to go there kind of defeats the purpose.

There is a huge lot that I can walk around for about 35-40 minutes, but the sweat factor is what keeps me indoors.

Looking forward to some great responses and suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

[Jammin' Jan]

Well, I know what you mean about the heat index. We are really having a hot summer here, too.

Maybe you could broaden your idea of Urban Rangering? 45 minutes cruising around on a bicycle sounds good to me! Urban Ranger on wheels!

[Catbert]

Hi Rasuoc,

To me it seems the whole "Urban Ranger" thing is basically to incorporate as much walking into your everyday life and routine as you can. At the same time, for some of us that can be either a difficult or undesireable thing to do. So the next best thing (as far as I'm concerned) is to adapt the idea to whatever works best for you.

I completely understand the whole work/sweat thing. I HATE to sweat - even when exercising. And I do live close enough to the office to walk, but this time of year it's about 100-110 in the shade and I don't think being all sweaty and stinky at the office is a good idea either. On top of that I prefer to exercise in the mornings but I just don't have the time. That left me with some tough choices to make...

Basically I had to decide what I wanted more... good health or a sweet aroma! I ended up deciding that I was going to walk in the evenings - not as cool as in the morning, but it works, and at least I can go home and shower afterward if I want.

I don't have a big field to walk around, but our apartment complex is HUGE. And if you walk all the way around it's about a mile. So that's where I started. I would walk all the way around one time - sweating my brains out! Now I'm up to a mile and a half (about 1 1/2 times around) and I hope to be up to 2 miles by the end of the summer.

The best thing is to start somewhere with a realistic goal and decide to stick with it. Don't make excuses, just find what works for you and do it. I know it would be better if I could/would do even more walking in my everyday routine - but I'm not doing too bad. In the last year (NoSing for 8 months of it) I've lost about 20 lbs.

So get out there and start walking (and NoSing)!

CB

[reinhard]

Rasuoc,

I'm basically just going to reiterate what Jan and Catbert have said: the whole point of urban rangering is that it is a useful, pleasurable movement that is easy to fit in for most people. It shouldn't be an extra burden, but a swapping of something sedentary for something active. If walking to/from/at work doesn't happen to make sense for you, look for another movement or opportunity for movement. Frankly your 45 minutes of daily biking sounds great. That and no s might really be all you need. It'll be slow, maybe, but there's no rush. If you want to add more, look for low hanging fruit: take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand doing something you used to do sitting. These little activities are painless and make a huge difference over the long haul (see this discussion, if you haven't already). They just require a little attention. Your bike ride also gives you a lot of room for expansion. It can be a pleasant joyride or grueling exertion (or preferably something between the two) Is there a hillier route? etc.

Reinhard

[rasuoc]

Thank you for the ideas on how to get more out of my day.

I have substituted the stairs for the elevators going down. But you cannot enter a floor from the stairs (security), you can only use them to exit the building.

I have been trying to get out during the day at work, but the heat is just awful here. SWEAT is not a good thing in a office setting.

I do stand in meetings a lot more than I used to (keeps me from falling asleep due to boredom).

I've been trying to get up and walk around the office at least 3-4 times a day.

I have gotten my neighbor involved. The time that we used to sit in her kitchen gabbing, we now walk and gab. (Late afternoon).

When the weather coold off in September, I will add walking during my lunch break as another activity.

I am all for movement.

My bike rides are for enjoyment with my girls (ages 7 and 4). We don't really do too much as far as making it hard. It's just constant riding for 45 minutes usually not stopping at all. We do make the circuit around the neighborhood and there are hills that reight now are taxing to my legs (yep, I'm out of shape).

As for No S. It sound slike a lovely plan and one that I will probably move to. But right now I am on another plan that really fits with me. It is processed carb restrictive (not copletely cut out). I eat 3 good meals a day and I am satisfied. I don't eat seconds and I save my sweets for after dinner if I want them (lately, my favorite swwet has been fruit salad). It is a form of what you have created, but for me a little more restrictive. I need the guidelines, for now.

Thanks again Reinhold and others. This seems so easy, yet it works so well.

Who knew it was this simple.

[carolejo]

I think I must be mildly allergic to my own sweat, cos everytime I even sweat a tiny bit, my whole body itches like there are a thousand ants crawling inside my clothes. I'm hoping that if I keep doing the exercise / walking around / shovelglove this will eventually lessen and become less of an issue, but it was always the thing that bugged me the most about sports at school. I don't mind being out of breath, I don't mind feelling tired and hot and sticky, but I LOATHE being itchy!! This was one of the reasons I always liked to swim - that doesn't make me itchy and uncomfortable.

Does anyone else get this? Anybody got any ideas how to make this less unpleasant?

C.

[Kevin]

Carolejo...

I recommend this: work yourself into a complete muck sweat for a couple of days in a row. I don't mean a dainty little glistening thing, I mean sweat dripping off your nose, hair wet, skin stinging.

Every Spring, after a winter of not sweating much, my first couple of warm weather workouts produce that awful itchy feeling. But one or two full blown dripping-from-every-pore sessions cures me. It also takes care of a lot of other skin problems I have during the colder months. I noticed, back when I was doing Karate regularly during the Winter (a very sweaty activity) that my skin never got dry. Once I stopped Karate, the dry-and-itchies returned with a vengeance.

This year, I will work myself into a lather all winter long just to avoid that skin problem.

[gratefuldeb67]

Hey Carolejo... I don't get this from sweat, but I do experience an annoying itchy feeling if I get heated up from my blood pumping... Actually, it even happens when it's very cold... I used to notice this when I walked in very chilly weather.. As soon as my blood started to get into my extremities (especially the legs) I'd be itching like a wild woman... It is annoying to say the least...
It's not an allergic reaction to the sweat.. I'm pretty sure it's because I have a high basophil count in my blood... No, I've never had it tested, but I do have hypersensitivity to lots of stuff... Fragrances, pet allergies.. (even break out a little from the sun if it's too strong...) This may just be an indication of a high amount of basophils (which is not uncommon with bipolar people like myself...)
I think Kevin has a great idea, but if all else fails, try to find some kind of homeopathic thing to help with allergies in general.... Maybe Stinging Nettle or something... In general I'm really against Sudafed on a regular basis, but you shouldn't let an annoying itch keep you from enjoying exercise...
Good luck~
Love,
Deb

[carolejo]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll try 'sweating it out' *grin*
C.