Daily walking boosts energy

If I’m a little premature and all you want is to survive this week of hectic holiday happenings, you may pause at this point and redirect your newspaper reading to the sports page, or even the comics. (But then again, I do believe this is a slightly different angle on this healthy aging subject. Proven to work.)

First, let me share a story with you — not my own, but it could have been. It’s actually a compilation of stories about people who have become serious about health and fitness.

When I was 54, my daughter asked me to "do something physical for yourself" before turning 55. I took up walking. I walked one house at a time. Then I walked around the block — every day. I started parking farther away from the front door of the shopping mall, so I had a little walk to get inside. I bought a pedometer (to measure my walking pace) and started wearing it every day, competing with myself to see how many steps I could walk in a given day. 10,000 steps was my goal.

And I reached it. And now I walk every single day. You know how I feel? Just great, that’s how I feel. Less stressed, stronger. I know this sounds weird, but I also feel younger. And just a little smug — oh, make that "proud."

Do you know the best predictor for shedding pounds? Maybe it’s one of the best predictors for healthy aging overall.

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It’s not activity level or your starting weight. It’s not one particular fad diet or a specific exercise regimen. Research has demonstrated that "keeping a journal is the best predictor of successful weight loss" and offers the greatest assurance for keeping weight off over time.

Dr. Miriam Nelson, director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tuft’s University and the author of a series of "Strong Women" books, believes keeping a record of what you eat, do and think about is "a serious tool to help people keep committed." She’s kept a journal for years and made it easy for the rest of us to try it by publishing a book titled, "The Strong Women’s Journal" (www.strongwomen.com).

It’s a skillfully designed 52-week book that eases the challenges to keeping track of diet by providing a check-off list to record daily servings of whole grain foods or fruits and vegetables.

It offers reminders about everything from needed medical screenings to exercise tips (make a pact with yourself to walk for any errand less than a mile away), nutrition ideas (an easy healthful salsa recipe) and weight-loss approaches.

The book has inspirational and meditative reminders together with practical tips for improving health and fitness. It’s a book that encourages healthy aging and healthy living.

I’ve purchased the book for my daughter for Christmas, and in it I’ve written, "Do something physical for yourself as you enter your 30s. Woman Strong."

Sharon Johnson is an assistant professor in family and community development at OSU Extension and a member of the Senior Advisory Council. Reach her at s.johnson@orst.edu.