By Brenda Rees<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s a cool brisk Saturday morning and Maggie Ritchie, 57, is warming up with the Pasadena Pacers, a group of runners who meet weekly for training and communal runs in and around the Rose Bowl and nearby Arroyo. Ritchie, however, isn\u2019t joining the marathon, 10-mile challenge or other fast-moving groups. She\u2019s making a 5-mile journey into the Arroyo with the walkers, a small band of Pacers who want the outdoor exercise and camaraderie without the running.<\/p>\n Ritchie started the exercise with her husband Dave in 2006 when he weighed 325 pounds (\u201cWe tried to get him on the Biggest Loser, but that didn\u2019t happen\u201d).\u00a0 Back then, the Sunland couple routinely walked the Rose Bowl loop \u201cevery chance we could.\u201d Dave eventually dropped the weight (diet played a big part) and then was bit by the running bug. Today, he does Iron Man marathons among other grueling races. Ritchie, too, likes the thrill of competition, but prefers to enroll in the walking categories now found on most 5Ks, 10Ks and even marathons. \u201cI like walking. You get to see more, check out the scenery and I love moving outside,\u201d she says as she hikes up a dirt path to an overview of the creek bed where a few mallards splash. \u201cI hate seeing seniors not moving. I want to keep doing this when I\u2019m 90.\u201d<\/p>\n Ritchie may get her wish. More seniors are lacing up their walking shoes to hit the sidewalks, pathways and trails \u2013 in doing so, they are potentially reducing risks of some diseases, increasing vitality and maybe even extending their lives.<\/p>\n Walking, as a prime source of exercise for older folk, is on an upward trend. According to a CDC National Health Survey, which compared walkers in 2005 to 2010, the number of 45-64 year old walkers increased from 55.6 to 62.2 percent.\u00a0 Walkers 65 and older rose from 50 percent to 53.7 percent in the same time period.<\/p>\n In addition, the survey also shows a steady upswing over the years of walkers with chronic conditions such as hypertension, arthritis and diabetes \u2013 all conditions that have been found to diminished symptoms with regular walking programs.<\/p>\n Incidentally, a recent study by professors at the University of Pittsburg showed that walking may slow the progression of Alzheimer\u2019s disease. \u201cWalking is one of the best forms of exercise and is what your body was designed to do,\u201d says Dr. Andrew Weil, internationally known health expert in the field of integrative medicine.<\/p>\n This month, Weil kicks off National Walking Day on April 3 with his 2013 Walkabout, a 28-day campaign to encourage walking each day for 30 minutes (sign up on at weilbeing.com\/2013-walkabout-signup).<\/p>\n Walking is the ultimate no-brainer continues Weil. \u201cYou can walk almost anywhere, any time and there is no special skill, training, or equipment needed \u2013 all you need is the right footwear,\u201d he says (see sidebar on the best way to buy walking shoes). \u201cImportantly for seniors, among all forms of aerobic exercise, walking carries the least risk of injury.\u201d<\/p>\n While walking can be done anywhere from neighborhood parks to indoor malls, walking outdoors, however, seems to hold the most long-lasting inspiration. A recent study from International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, show that older adults who engage in physical outdoor activity\u2014including walking \u2013 exercised longer and more often that those working out indoors. Nature trumps again.<\/p>\n Walking is also a brain exercise, according to Tom Strafaci, a physical therapist\/personal trainer with offices in Arcadia and Pasadena, who often presents physical fitness programs to the community in conjunction with Huntington Hospital. \u201cEyes, ears and feet working together. Depth perception. The brain loves making those connections when we walk,\u201d he says. \u201cSo many seniors are afraid to walk because of their balance, but it\u2019s the best thing to do for balance.\u201d In fact, says Strafaci, the act of walking \u2013 swinging arms, moving in a rhythm, breathing in and out \u2013 helps the brain create new pathways and connections. \u201cWhen people say their minds feel clearer after a walk, there is a biological reason for it,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Motivation 101 or How To Make it a Habit<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite the near-miraculous claims of walking \u2013 and the latest study out of Harvard Medical School which indicates that lack of physical activity kills as many people as smoking in this country \u2013 seniors still have countless reasons why they won\u2019t embrace the exercise.<\/p>\n \u201cInertia is a powerful force, we like to continue the way that we\u2019ve been,\u201d explains Weil adding that mental and emotional factors often keep seniors on the couch. \u201cIf people are depressed, the last thing they feel like doing is moving, even though that activity is probably what would most benefit them. Perceived lack of time is also another excuse that prevents people from walking.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019ve heard every excuse in the book,\u201d agrees Dr. Alice Lacy, an Arcadia internist who primarily treats elderly patients. \u201c\u2019The weather is too cold,\u2019 \u2018My back hurts,\u2019 \u2018I get plenty of other exercise.\u2019 \u2018I don\u2019t want to fall down.\u2019 You name it, I\u2019ve heard it.\u201d<\/p>\n Lacy says she\u2019s constantly drumming facts and exercise benefits to her senior patients \u2013 some eventually respond, some never do. Lacy talks about a diabetic patient who lost 40 pounds after starting a walking program. \u201cShe was concerned for her blood pressure and her knees hurt her so bad,\u201d says Lacy. \u201cWe got walking poles to help give her a sense of balance and coordination. That was three years ago and she still walks \u2013 no poles anymore. And I have reduced her blood pressure medicine, too. All because of her walking.\u201d<\/p>\n Lacy highly recommends reluctant walkers find a partner so walking is social as well as physical. \u201cIf someone comes and knocks on your door and says, \u2018Hey, let\u2019s go for our walk,\u2019 you might get up off\u00a0 that chair,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Motivation was a little trickier for Tom Mawhinney, 83 of Eagle Rock. After his left knee was replaced more than a decade ago, his doctor told him to start using it. \u201cI don\u2019t like walking,\u201d he admits even though wife Jean, 80, has been a regular walker since 1983. \u201cShe makes me feel guilty if I don\u2019t go with her.\u201d<\/p>\n Mawhinney, however, discovered that walking his quiet tree-lined Eagle Rock neighborhood certainly had its payoffs \u2013 in feline form.\u00a0 Now known as \u201cthe Cat Man\u201d in his \u2018hood, Mawhinney always goes on his 30-minute walk with a bag of cat treats. \u201cI used to have five cats, now I\u2019m down to two, maybe they\u2019ll be more one day,\u201d he says during a routine afternoon walk. He stops by a house on the corner. Shaking his bag of treats, he hollers, \u201cMimi! Mimi!\u201d and right on cue, out comes a handsome orange and white feline looking for a prize. Cat owners smile and wave at the couple. \u201cI don\u2019t mind walking so much now because of the cats,\u201d says Mawhinney. \u201cWalking wouldn\u2019t be as much fun without them.\u201d<\/p>\n Is Walking Enough?<\/strong><\/p>\n For all the wonders of walking, there are things it just cannot do. \u201cWalking is a great cardiovascular exercise that takes care of senior\u2019s endurance, but older adults need to strength train muscles,\u201d says Elaine Cress, a professor of kinesiology and researcher in the University of Georgia Institute of Gerontology.<\/p>\n Indeed, the CDC in 2008 recommended that seniors pick up weights or resistance bands at least three times a week. \u201cWalking doesn\u2019t work the front of the leg or the bootie muscles,\u201d says Cress who explains that as people age they lose muscle mass. Strength, along with endurance and flexibility, are keys to keeping bodies \u2013 especially seniors \u2013 working at top potential.<\/p>\n Cress has heard complaints from seniors when she tells them to add weights to their regiment, but she counters. \u201cBecause of longevity we now are living a full five hours a day more, we are living 29-hour-days,\u201d she says. \u201cYou have the time. You just have to bite the bullet and find how to incorporate weights into your life. I think the greatest bargain, personally, is the YMCA.\u201d<\/p>\n However seniors add weights into their day, Cress stresses not to include them in their walking. \u201cI see walkers with ankle weights or weights strapped to arms or wrists and they are just terrible,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can damage your knees, counter balance yourself and wreck shoulders. Don\u2019t use them on walks. Never.\u201d<\/p>\n Personal trainer Strafaci also recommends seniors shouldn\u2019t walk with Fido. Dogs could bolt, there could be a conflict with another dog which could put an older person off-balance. \u201cYou also can\u2019t walk effectively, moving your arms back and forth, when you are holding a leash,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Finally, even though you burn extra calories walking, walking shouldn\u2019t be viewed as weight loss just by itself, adds Strafaci. \u201cPeople shouldn\u2019t expect to melt off weight just by walking,\u201d he says. When people \u201cget into the exercise habit\u201d he says, they naturally start eating better which will ultimately drop the extra weight.<\/p>\n Make no mistake, stresses Strafaci. The plusses of walking are tremendous \u2013 coordination, energy and a life of less pain.<\/p>\n Back on the trail, Ritchie is nearing the end of her morning walk.\u00a0 She thinks about an upcoming race and then remembers the first time she walked in competition \u2013 she completed the Los Angeles Rock and Roll Marathon when she was 55 years old. On her birthday.<\/p>\n \u201cI love having something to look forward to, like a race. Gets me motivated to keep walking,\u201d she says. \u201cI can\u2019t think of a day when I didn\u2019t enjoy my walk.\u201d<\/p>\n SIDEBAR <\/strong> When it comes to selecting the right walking shoes, don\u2019t be a Frankenstein or a Marie Antoinette.\u00a0 Newbies often think they need big heavy heels or an ultra-cushiony inside for their sidewalk forays. Big mistake.<\/p>\n According to a study by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), 72 percent of Americans say that foot pain prevents them from exercising, says health expert Dr. Andrew Weil. \u201cWithout proper footwear walking can be painful, making it difficult to maintain an active lifestyle,\u201d he says.\u00a0 Good shoes can help reluctant walkers stand up and start moving.<\/p>\n Finding the perfect shoe is all a matter of arches, explains Mike Gonzalez, manager of Run With Us, a Pasadena athletic shoe store that\u2019s been around for 13 years. \u201cThe first thing we do is watch how a customer walks, that tells us how high or low their arches are,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople with flat feet can put extra stress on their knees which can travel to their lower back if they aren\u2019t wearing the right shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n Walking shoes need to be light and flexible \u2013 and that notion can go against the grain for some seniors who think they need sturdy, thick shoes.\u00a0 \u201cToday\u2019s shoes use materials that create a lighter shoe without losing the integrity of the structure. They reduce weight without sacrificing support.\u201d<\/p>\n Take a look at the shoe in consideration. Is the heel half the size of the running shoes? Does it easily bend in the forefoot (not middle)? Does it feel light but solid?\u00a0 All hallmarks of a good shoe. \u201cMost of our walkers choose running shoes because running shoes are created for so many foot types,\u201d says Gonzalez. \u201cThey are light and help feet breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n Not only do feet breathe, they can also swell up when you\u2019re out for a 30 minute neighborhood jaunt. That\u2019s why Gonzalez recommends folks \u201csize it up\u201d and buy a walking shoe that is \u00bd to a full size bigger than they usually wear.<\/p>\n Socks are also important to walkers \u2013 make sure they are synthetic says Gonzalez. Cotton will hold moisture and who wants sticky, wet feet?\u00a0 In addition to a wide variety of synthetic socks, the store also sells loose knit socks specifically designed for diabetics.<\/p>\n All in all, expect to pay $95-$150 for a good pair of walking shoes. Walking shoes, if used regularly, can last from 6 to 8 months. Gonzalez says walkers will know when it\u2019s time to get a new pair by paying attention to their bodies. \u201cYou\u2019ll discover a new ache or a pain that you never had before, that\u2019s a good indication your shoes aren\u2019t supporting you,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For this Arroyo Monthly article, I laced up my walking shoes to find out how seniors are keeping fit with the simple art of putting one foot in front of the other.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":312,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-304","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-arroyo-monthly","9":"post-with-thumbnail","10":"post-with-thumbnail-large"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=304"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":690,"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/304\/revisions\/690"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brendarees.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nPutting Your Best Food Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n