Making that choice that changes your life.

Evening sco81, nothing wrong with what you say, the car trouble was a blessing and your post is ok. This is my opinion you understand. I can relate a lot to what you say because I am a retired ADI and used to spend all day and most evenings sat on my bottom. But when I started walking more after retirement it helped no end . Regards.

You won't get any negative, exercise is so important.

For me, walking the dogs is one of the highlights of the day. Exercise, fresh air, enjoying the scenery.
Can't imagine life without it - and then there are the health benefits too.

I learnt to drive later in life aged 30 and up until that point I not only walked everywhere but had my young son on a seat on the back of my bike and cycled him to nursery and all sorts of places! I loved that time and think back fondly! Sometimes we cycled in the snow and sometimes I got him chips to eat at lunchtime in his seat at the back, on the way home! Priceless! I was probably at my fittest, I then learnt to drive but also got a very active collie so was walking loads. Since then the dog has become elderly and my son is 17! I feel so unfit! I always intend to cycle to work but my bike is still hanging in the garage! Perhaps I should think of your post as inspiration?! I think it's great and keep it up, it's easy to get back in the car!

The comfort zone is over rated. Fun starts well beyond that.

It's not just the physical impact it's the mental impact too, walking, exercise and fresh air is vital for a healthy mind. What a brilliant post, very inspirational

The difficulty comes where somebody wants to walk, but physical issues may sometimes make it impossible..

I think any movement is good, anything at all, even if it is getting up out of the chair, particularly when obesity is an issue too. Agreed about the fresh air, also beneficial when there are problems with mood, depression and so on.

I would love to take long walks in the fresh air I used to all the time I also at one time used to run about twenty miles a day.
But all that ended when I got Myasthenia gravis now it's a virtual impossibility for me. I'm glad for others who are able and find it beneficial but sadly its not for every one.

I started walking part of the way to work (about 3 miles) when I hit 50. I thought that if I didn't keep my body reasonably fit in my 50s I would probably be going physically downhill in my 60s. It was difficult at first and I got shin splints for the first few weeks, but I persevered and the splints went. I got to really enjoy the walking, I was quite a fast walker and felt like I was flying along with my feet hardly touching the ground. I used to walk along back streets, across squares and parks as much as possible to avoid the traffic pollution on the main roads.
I liked the fresh air and being out in natural light, especially when it was sunny. I walked through Regents Park and it was great seeing the changes with the seasons. I looked forward to the first crocuses in Spring, then the blossom then the leaves on the trees.
And the ducklings, goslings and cygnets arriving on the lake after Easter. Then the leaves turning gold, red and brown in Autumn.

It made me feel good as well as keeping me fit. It didn't cost anything apart from needing decent walking shoes. And it didn't take much time. Instead of about allowing 40-50 minutes for the vagaries of travelling on the Underground and buses, it took only 10-15 minutes more to walk part of the journey. In the summer I would sometimes take the same route on my way home.

The only warning I would give you is not to overdo it. At the time the government was advising people to walk 10,000 steps a day (about 4.5-5 miles depending on the length of your stride). I started pushing my daily target up to over 20,000 steps a day and ended up doing more than 25,000 steps a day. During my lunch break I would walk 3 times around the block where I worked, a total of about 2,500 steps.
It ended with me getting plantar fasciitis. A painful condition of the foot which is caused by excessive pounding or weight on the muscle sheath on the base of the foot. It hurts to put any weight on it, and I was hobbling around for months. It was extremely painful for the first 3 months, and when I got home I would just lie on the sofa. It took almost a year to get over it.

Since then I have limited my walking to between 10-15,000 steps a day usually. I still enjoy walking though I can't walk as fast as I used to, and feel that it helps both my physical and mental health.

Oh yes. I used to aim higher too. Only 10-15,000 steps, but fitting them into my life was no mean feat.

But my knees and lower back really struggled, even on a keto diet with comparatively low inflammation (always had hyper mobile joints and have a v unstable sacro ileac joint). So now I try not to go above 10,000 and stick mainly at 7,000. (=approx 3 miles a day). It won't win me any fitness awards, but I figure my knees will last longer that way.

Couldn't agree more with @Sco81 as I've turned into a fresh air exercise addict. After coming off my diabetes medication,I manage my type 2 with diet and exercise, I went through the same sort of process as o/p - it's gone from being a necessity for keeping my bs levels down to a daily delight, helps mental and emotional as well as physical health. Great thread @Sco81