So, I thought I’d try something new (lol! – I’m ALWAYS trying something new!) Circumstances are currently such that a part time job is advisable. I have a couple of things in the works, but I’m a big believer living in your gifts, rather than just “getting a job”.

So, while I wait to see the outcome of a couple of very interesting positions I’ve applied for, I decided I would also set up a couple of walking clubs, and see what happens.

Interested? Want to come walking with me?

The clubs will meet twice a week for some teaching/training and about a 3 km walk. We’ll be meeting at the Scenic Acres Community Centre, and there are three options: one morning option for moms and kids, and two evening options for “kidless” walks.  Each “course” will run 8 weeks

You can get the details here: www.PraiseWalking.com

Hopefully everything works properly on the site. Do let me know if there’s a problem.

Hope to see you there!

Happy Walking!

Darlene

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Who is Darlene Hull? Click here: www.darlenehull.com to find out!

I’ve been participating regularly in the “10,000 Steps” community over the past couple of months. They have some fun and motivating ways to keep you walking, one if which is the “Million Steps Challenge”. Every Time you log 1,000,000 steps they send you a certificate. I got mine on the 16th. My next one is due in December.

It’s kind of fun! Check them out :”10,000 Steps“

Darlene

My Marathon Countdown: 16 days

Welcome to week 5 – how are you feeling? The water alone should be giving you more energy and clarity. I’d love to hear your feedback!

1. Equipment Needs: Download next week’s “Pray-As-You-Go” podcasts either from their site or from iTunes. You will also need to buy some raw, organic almonds, and soak them (you can see the instructions for doing so on this site).

2. The Spiritual Challenge: You will use the “Pray-as-you-go” podcast as a walking meditation this week.

3. Nutritional Focus: Something new! While still keeping up faithfully with your water, eat about 5-6 almonds right before each meal. Here’s why:

1. According to the BodyEcology diet website, almonds are one of the most nutritious of all nuts, and are a delicious source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Almonds are also the least acid-forming of all nuts.
2. More importantly than even that, according to the “Metabolic Balance” (C) diet, any protein eaten at the beginning of a meal jump-starts the fat-burning process of your body, so you automatically lose more weight.

   Check out more benefits and ideas for almonds here: Really Useful Fitness Blog

4. The Exercise Program: We’re going to continue to concentrate on our “designated walking times” this week, while still trying to remember to move as much as possible during the day. You need to find a workable time, five days a week, to go for a walk while listening to the podcast. The podcast is 10-13 minutes long, so I would suggest turning around after the first Bible Reading on the recording.

So that’s next week’s training plan. Remember to post your results, struggles, triumphs and questions below!

Happy Walking!

Darlene

My Marathon Countdown: 23 days

Here we are in week four already! I’m sure that by now you’ve seen that ANYONE can keep up with this program. The results, as far as weight loss is concerned, are slow to start with, but starting this next month, you should begin to see some good changes.

1. Equipment Needs: Nothing new this week.

2. The Spiritual Challenge: As you walk this week, check in with God en route. Let what you see and experience talk to you about who God really is. Ask Him to speak to you as you walk.

3. Nutritional Focus: Water – yep, sorry, it’s still the focus. It’ one of the best things you can do for yourself! Your timer is already beeping/buzzing every hour. Now when it goes off, check both your posture, and drink about 5 mouthfuls of water. If you like other drinks (coffee, tea, pop, juice) drink an additional glass of water before each of those other drinks. Stay close to a bathroom! LOL! To avoid hyponatremia put a small pinch of raw, unrefined sea salt in each glass.

4. The Exercise Program: We’re going to concentrate on our “designated walking times” this week. You need to find a workable time, five days a week, to go for a 10 minute walk. Try to not take more than one day off in a row, or you will break the momentum. I’ve put a suggested walking plan below:

So that’s next week’s training plan. Try and find a friend to walk with – even if you walk at different times. Share your struggles, encourage each other, keep track of and celebrate your successes.

Post your results, struggles, triumphs and questions below!

Happy Walking!

Darlene

(This is going out a little early, as our Internet is being shut off in preparation for our trip. Enjoy!)

I hope you had a great week trying out some of the challenges I’ve been listing. Did you manage any or all of the training steps? Post your reaction below, and share with us your trials and triumphs. I would love to hear from you!

We’ve worked through two weeks so far, and I hope it’s been easy to fit these suggestions into your day and create new habits. Let’s look ahead to week number 3. Remember these assignments all start on Monday so you have the weekend to get yourself “kitted out” and “psyched up”:

1. Equipment Needs: Nothing new this week.

2. The Spiritual Challenge: Keep working through “The Epic“, but look for ways where you can sense God’s presence in the things you take great joy in. See my post on Joy if you don’t understand what I mean!

3. Nutritional Focus: Water – yep still working on it! This is a MAJOR KEY to your overall health. This week drink a glass of water while you prepare your daily meals/snacks, in addition to the water you drink in the morning.

If all this water is discouraging you, take time to explore this site

4. The Exercise Program: We’re going to continue to increase our daily steps and focus on posture, and this week we’re going to add some “designated walking times”, which means we are going to start actually going for short walks. We will have trouble increasing our steps much more without them

So that’s next week’s training plan. If you’ve done even some of it so far, please reward yourself with something special – a new book, some great walking music, cool socks for your walking times, or whatever else tickles your fancy. Try to not make it food-related as that can cause problems we don’t want to have to fix!

Post your results, struggles, triumphs and questions below!

Happy Walking!

Darlene

Well, how did you do this week? Did you manage any or all of the training steps? Post your reaction below, and share with us your trials and triumphs. Let’s spur each other on to greater things!

Week one is behind us, so let’s look ahead to week 2. Remember these assignments all start on Monday so you have the weekend to get yourself “kitted out” and “psyched up”:

1. Equipment Needs: See last week for basic equipment, and this week add a timer, either a watch that beeps on the hour, or some other kind of timer.

2. The Spiritual Challenge: The big key with spiritual growth is making sure you’re on the right track in the first place. I love this quote by John Eldredge:

Life, for most of us, feels like a movie we’ve arrived to forty minutes late.

Sure, good things happen, sometimes beautiful things. But tragic things happen, too. What does
it mean? We find ourselves in the middle of a story that is sometimes wonderful, sometimes awful, usually a confusing mixture of both, and we haven’t a clue how to make sense of it all.
No wonder we keep losing heart.

We need to know the rest of the story.

For when we were born, we were born into the midst of a great story begun before the dawn of time. A story of adventure, of risk and loss, heroism, …and betrayal. A story where good is warring against evil, danger lurks around every corner, and glorious deeds wait to be done. Think of all those stories you’ve ever loved – there’s a reason they stirred your heart. They’ve been trying to tell you about the true Epic ever since you were young.

There is a Larger Story. And you have a crucial role to play.

That’s what our Spiritual walk is all about. Understanding the Larger Story and what our role is, in it. John’s book “The Epic” is the best book I’ve ever read on that story. Your Spiritual homework this week is to read it, listen to it, or watch it. It’s a pretty small book, but it will be hard to put down, I promise, and it will probably change the way you see everything.

3. Nutritional Focus: Water

• Now fill your water bottle up full. In the morning drink half before you get out of bed, and drink the other half before you leave your bedroom, to get ready for the day.

4. The Exercise Program: We’re going to continue to increase our daily steps, but this week we’re going to put our focus on our posture, as well.

And there you have it – very manageable tasks for each day of next week. Get your equipment together over the weekend, and off you go!

Post your results, struggles, triumphs and questions below!

Happy Walking!

Darlene