Our Mayne Island TOPS group is wild, but sensible, about walking. A handful of them walk together every day, socially distanced of course. You probably hear them coming! Although not all members can walk daily, those who can, do.
TOPS members have preferred places to walk. I avoid hills, but some enjoy them. Several are keen on forest walks; others enjoy quiet streets. If you have a dog, you’ll probably find a place for Fido to run off-leash for a while. If there’s a bench at the end of the path or along the way, you can sit, read for a while, take pictures of Nature’s beauty, or pose for selfies with friends to post on social media.
How many calories are we consuming? An average apple has 95 calories, but a slice of apple pie has 296. Add a scoop of butter pecan ice cream and that’s 280 more. A baked potato contains 160 calories. An average cucumber has only 66. A bottle of beer has 152 calories, and a glass of Merlot has 98. One cup of whole milk is 149 calories. One cracker is about 35 calories but add a slice of Brie and that adds 100 more. 6 ounces of ground beef contain 405 calories, but one chicken drumstick has 131. These averages give you an idea of how fast and how far you would need to walk if you wanted to walk away extra calories. Calculate how many calories you burn while walking, by looking at your weight and walking speed for one hour:
|
Weight |
2.0 mph |
2.5 mph |
3.0 mph |
3.5 mph |
4.0 mph |
|
130 lbs. |
148 cal. |
177 cal. |
195 cal. |
224 cal. |
295 cal. |
|
155 lbs. |
176 cal. |
211 cal. |
232 cal. |
267 cal. |
352 cal. |
|
180 lbs. |
204 cal. |
245 cal. |
270 cal. |
311 cal. |
409 cal. |
|
205 lbs. |
233 cal. |
279 cal. |
307 cal. |
354 cal. |
465 cal. |
If you’re 130 pounds and you walk at 4 mph for an hour, you can burn off all the calories in that scoop of ice cream. And if you weigh 205 pounds, you only need to walk at 2.5 mph for an hour to burn them off. But if you also had the pie, you would have to walk for two hours. These calculations are based on walking on flat surfaces. Walking uphill increases your burn dramatically.
Many people delight in walking. I once joined a group called the Huff’n’Puffers. As we walked and talked, we became great friends. If, however, walking is not something you can do, how about seated exercises? Even fidgeting burns calories, as does thinking! Everything we do is fuelled by the calories we consume. Remember to see your doctor before making any serious change in your daily diet or exercise program.
TOPS is not just for the able-bodied. It’s for everyone. We’re all intelligent people who take off pounds sensibly. Come join us at TOPS. We meet every Wednesday morning at the Community Centre, from 9:00 to 10:00. We wear masks, social distance, and sanitize whatever we touch. (Your first visit is free.) If you want to Take Off Pounds Sensibly with us, please call.
Submitted by Amber Harvey