My own 2 legs

[Exalta-STA]

Hi,

With the rising costs of fuel and taxes/toll fees, I decided to just use public transportation and walk whenever possible going to work...

The car has been in the garage for 2 weeks now, battery disconnected and I take it for a 20 minute run every weekend to make sure everything still works...fluids don't get "rancid" and tires don't go oblong and the belts/pulleys don't stiffen up.

So I walk a minimum of 2 kilometers everyday and ride a bus for a good 45 minute trip. I feel a lot better now since this is the longest time I have done exercise and I don't wheeze or pant anymore due to exhaustion..not to mention I don't contribute to the carbon buildup (except for the CO2 i exhale) and the good part is I save almost $11-15 dollars a day.

Now my question is..I weigh 240 pounds now (less a pound 2 weeks ago) would my walking stress out my joints? I wear work boots going to work. Should I wear any specific shoe type or use socks/athletic support soles whenever I walk? Should I ingest additional calcium or vitamins?

[cleanspeed1]

What will stress out your joints is inactivity. Drink water, cut your salt intake, cut the white sugar, if you're drinking pop and beer, stop for 30 - 40 days.

If you're eating out all the time, stop. Cook your own meals and eat as frequently as possible. With all the info on the internet, you can find recipes that will keep your metabolism up. Whatever you snack on, make sure that it benefits the body and not just taste good. Balance is the key.

If your diet is not up to snuff, take a multivitamin.

If you can get a hold of a pair of high quality running shoes, it'll help.

New Balance products are pretty decent.

Short of that, get some really good insoles with arch supports and cushioning.

[Exalta-STA]

Thanks for the speedy reply cleanspeed!

Oh goody, good thing I decided to take the initiative than be another couch potato who couldn't walk to the fridge without tiring myself out.

I've reduced my salt intake ever since the wifey got operated on her gall bladder..and we cook our own home-cooked meals whenever we get the chance..thanks for the reminder. Appreciate it :-) McDs and KFC taste good but they are a sin to eat though...I have a lot of recipes taken from James Barber, the Urban peasant and some food channel stuff

White sugar, oh man..that's where I have to cut it...I gave up using brown sugar and that molasses looking "muscovado" sugar because they were not sweet enough..guess i have to give up flavor for health

I gave up beer a long time ago..gives me gout..which hurts i tell you. The last time I had alcohol this year was on New Years eve. Soda I gave up a couple months ago, they make me too acidic and give me stomach cramps.

Hey that's a good idea, use alternate shoes going to work..light cross trainers/running shoes when the weather is pleasant and work boots with supports/insoles whenever it's cold.

[cleanspeed1]

Here's an incentive, the better the circulation, the better the perculation if you know what I mean.

And get the P90X program while yer at it.

It'll kick yer butt, but it's worth it.

[Varn]

Walking will build up your bones. Once your weight comes down your joints will be less stressed. We live 6 miles away from work during the week. It is a short ride on our bicycles. If you think people are rude when you drive a small car under the speed limit try, riding your bike.

[JRMichler]

Regular walking actually builds up your joints. If your feet, knees, and hips don't complain, your present shoes, insoles, and socks are good enough.

I've been running more than 2000 miles per year for over four years now, and I feel better than at any other time in my life. I started running in steel toe safety shoes because that was what I had handy at the time, then bought a pair of real running shoes only after a few months.

If you eat a balanced diet, you should not need any supplements. That being said, many people take a multivitamin just to be sure.

You might want to check out the forums at RunningAHEAD - Free online running log and training plans.

[BikerModder]

Run walk your first mile. If you feel the chest it might be saying something. JUST finish. Then it could come easy. I run once a week like more or less JRMichler. The weight thing is overcoming the impossible. Only if you do eat. You take your time you don't even have to diet or maybe? When diet restrictions aren't enough take a vitamin to make sure. Anyway they're $4. dollars or more but good insurance too.

[SentraSE-R]

Props for walking. The benefits should easily surpass the negatives. I'd shed the boots for more comfortable footwear, unless you have poisonous snakes or thorny vegetation you might walk into. You should lose a lot of weight to ease the strain on your joints, and regular exercise will help you do that.

[larrybuck]

I 2nd all of cleanspeed1's advice.

If you have a locker or somewhere safe to leave those boots at work, wear a cross trainer or running shoe as much as possible in your life. You want plenty of "cush"!

Stay away from coffee if at all possible.

It is said that one will live longer if you eat like a peasant! More raw fruits, and vegtables; less cooked food if possible.

I don't know your age, but for digestion's help; if there is a way you could eat your heaviest meal earlier in the day, that would probably help too!

[Frank Lee]

You don't have to run that car every weekend. It'll be fine if it sits for several months untouched between "exercises". And if you wait that long it'll probably be used legitimately in that time anyway.