Category: walking

ADHD · fitness · motivation · self care · walking

Update: Christine is ok with slow progress

Christine Hennebury

So far, I have been going really slowly with my walking challenge and with my 11 things for November and I am totally fine with that.

Sometimes, things move slowly (including me) and it is a lot easier on my brain if I just accept that pace and keep going.

This is definitely one of those times.

November has been a good month (yay for birthdays!) but it has also been a month with lots of rain, lots of meetings, lots of things to get done – and a few inconvenient migraines thrown into the mix.*

So, with all of that said, here are the updates:

My Walking Challenge

I’m 37% of the way through my walking challenge and I have been enjoying the little bit of extra motivation to get moving and the little bit of extra incentive to walk a little further.

A screen capture of my challenge page from the app showing that I have finished 37% of the challenge.
image description: a screen capture of the activity screen from my challenge app. The top of the screen is a spooky scene depicted in purple and green. (That line rhymes!) below that is a map of Salem, Massachusetts with the route marked out in blue and icons representing different people doing the challenge at whatever point they are on the route. Below that are my stats: I have covered 37% of the distance in 39% of the time I have allocated for this challenge. I have completed 18.07 km and I have 29.73 km to go. I have completed 22 days of the challenge and I have 34 remaining.

While I *could* set my tracker to include all of the movement I do in a day, I decided that I only wanted to count deliberate activity. So, my walks count and so did raking the leaves but bringing in the groceries doesn’t contribute to the challenge.

My 11 Things Challenge

Here are my things-in-progress:

  • Journal while sitting on the floor once a week – I’ve done this twice.
  • Practice those three tricky TKD patterns for at least 30 minutes (total) – I’ve done 10 minutes of practice.
  • Plan a personal retreat day – I’m working on it!
  • Rake up some of the backyard leaves (I’m leaving some for the bugs!) – I spent 30 minutes and filled up two paper lawn bags with leaves so this one is done!
  • Do at least one 10 minute meditation per week – I’ve done this twice.
  • Find a way to elevate keyboard for a standing writing session – I’m working with my Brother-in-Law to make this happen. By the way, I’m writing this on his birthday (Nov 17) so Happy Birthday, Dan! 💚🎂

Not bad, hey?

(The reason I’m describing my progress as slow is because I haven’t gotten to some of the bigger items on my list. I’ll get there though.)

I’m awarding myself a gold star for my efforts so far and I’ll update you further in a couple of weeks. ⭐

PS: My sister shared this short video with me recently and I found it really helpful. It’s good to be reminded that the purpose of making a list is not necessarily to get everything on the list done. Instead, it can be about ensuring that you get more done than you would have without the list. Good perspective shift, hey?

*Is there such a thing as a convenient migraine? Of course not! But some migraines are more inconvenient than others. This month they have all happened when I could just stop and take good care of myself without too much of a scramble.

Portland's Japanese Garden-- a path in the woods with green and yellow leaves. It’s Fall, which is Fall Garden walk time
fitness · season transitions · walking

It’s Fall, which is Fall Garden walk time

catherine w

I love gardens all year long. Yes, the spring and summer are the flashiest times to visit, with all the wild colors and shapes and so many shades of green. But I really enjoy the shift to subtler color palettes– the browns and yellows, darker greens, all made different by the softer light and shadows.

A path in Garden in the Woods, a lovely woodsy area near me. Photo by Native Plant Trust.
A path in botanical garden called Garden in the Woods, near me. Photo by Native Plant Trust.

I’m a member of the Native Plant Trust, which gives me access not just to this botanical garden, but also to dozens of gardens all over the US. I’m planning a few free fall garden walks with friends for November.

But before that, I’ll be in Portland, Oregon at a conference. I’m headed there on Wednesday. While there, my friend Norah and I are taking a little break from the conference activity to visit Portland’s Japanese Garden. I can’t wait to see this place in its version of fall color. Here are some pics from their Fall Colors Tracker page:

Trees shifting to reds and yellows
Strolling pond garden path with oranges and greens.

Closer to home, the Mount Auburn Cemetery is putting on its own show of colors. On their “what’s in bloom” page for this week, here’s what they say:

By mid-October Mount Auburn’s landscape is awash in color. As our many deciduous trees and shrubs begin to transform their foliage into jewel-tone shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple, other plants set out their fall fruits and nuts.

Here’s a photo from Instagram from this week of Mount Auburn Cemetery:

A person walking near the stones amidst bright orange and yellow foliage. Photo by Corinne Elicona.
A person walking near the stones amidst bright orange and yellow foliage. Photo by Corinne Elicona.

Readers, do you have any tips for great garden walks in the fall? Let us know.

A long stairway, by Chrisian Chen fr Unsplash. When is 7000 just as good as 10,000? When you’re stepping (says science)
fitness · research · walking

When is 7000 just as good as 10,000? When you’re stepping (says science)

catherine w

We are a numbers-obsessed people (we humans, I mean). We always want to know:

  • How much do I have?
  • How many do I need?
  • Is more ever too much?

These are hard questions. Luckily, I’m not here to try to answer them. But I can tell you one thing: the number of steps recommended per day according to scientific studies is definitely NOT 10,000, but rather 7000 seems to be a sufficient number for loads of health benefits. We’ve written about this before, but a new meta-analysis came out in Lancet Public Health re-affirms this claim.

The researchers found studies meeting their criteria that showed associations between number of daily steps and the following health outcomes:

  • all-cause mortality
  • cancer incidence
  • cancer-related mortality
  • cardiovascular disease
  • cardiovascular disease-related mortality
  • type-2 diabetes
  • dementia
  • depressive symptoms
  • physical functions
  • falls

Here’s what they said:

Three key findings emerge. First, even modest daily step counts were associated with health benefits. Second, 7000 steps per day was associated with sizeable risk reductions across most outcomes, compared with the reference of 2000 steps per day. Third, even though risk continued to decrease beyond 7000 steps per day, it plateaued for some outcomes. Notably, the dose-response relationship might differ by outcomes, participant age, and device type.

So, the latest research analysis is saying that, compared with 2000 steps a day, 7000 is great for a lot of very important health outcomes. In other individual studies, an average of 4200 steps a day provides modest improvement in lowering health risks. And, I might add, activity researchers happen to agree with this blog that every step counts– small amounts of activity contribute to health and well-being in lots of ways that we appreciate.

Oh, and speed doesn’t seem to matter, say some researchers. This from a WBUR CommonHealth article:

Researchers have also tried to pin down whether speed makes a difference. Here, the new Lancet study could not make any definitive conclusions, in part because there are various ways to measure intensity and because differences could simply reflect better overall fitness and physical function.

“We actually don’t see an association once we consider the total number of steps,” says Paluch, who has also looked at this question. “So, essentially, the total number of steps, regardless of how fast you’re walking, seems to have a benefit,” she says.

So– faster or slower, harder or gentler, up or down, to or fro– all of these add up to the message (which we knew already, but science is reaffirming it) that movement is key to a number of the features of well-being and health as many of us think of it.

Oh, last thing: those 7000 steps don’t all have to be all up. Just saying.

A very steep and long stairway. You make the call. By Ozlem for Unsplash.
A very steep and long stairway. You make the call. By Ozlem for Unsplash.

ADHD · motivation · walking

Creativity Walks – more walking, more fun

Christine Hennebury

As I mentioned in my post at the time, when I was in Halifax for the Storytellers of Canada – Conteurs du Canada conference back in June, I did a lot of walking and I really enjoyed the process of getting where I wanted to go on foot. 

Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of opportunities (or time-flexibility!) to walk to my activities on a week to week basis.* 

Either my commitments are too close to get much extra exercise in or they are too far to reasonably walk without adding a lot of extra travel time. (If only regular time worked like conference time, hey?)

And yes, I suppose I could just choose to take longer walks some of the time but I can almost guarantee I will talk myself out of that process on a regular basis. 

Ideally, I would have a meeting or a class a couple of times a week that was within 45 mins walking distance and I could build my schedule around it, including the walk time. 

However, since the ideal situation is not naturally occurring, I have decided to create it myself… 

At least once a week, I am going to go on a creativity walk! 

I’m going to pick somewhere to  walk to where I can read, draw, or write and I am going to shape my schedule so I have plenty of time to get there. And, since I know what my brain gets like, I am also going to create a definite plan for what to do while I’m at my destination and I am going to bring the things I need to be comfortable (a stool or a blanket and some snacks.) 

This combination should help my outing feel like a treat rather than an obligation. 

I’ll report back once my first creativity walk is complete!

*I don’t count my brief ‘walk to work’ each morning because it’s quite short and that stroll is not really about the exercise, it’s about shaping that part of my day.

Technically this post has nothing to do with snails, except for the fact that I have no plans to go particularly fast on these creativity walks, but I just really like snails. Image description: a yellowish-brown snail shell (with the snail inside) resting on the metal railing of a bridge next to some overhanging leaves.

fitness · health · self care · walking

Easing Back To Normal(ish)

Christine Hennebury

Thanks to a whole bunch of massage therapy (Yay for Renee!) as well as a combination of rest, stretching, and curation of my activities, my neck and back are feeling a lot better than they were two months ago.

In fact, I spent the last week at the Storytellers of Canada- Conteurs du Canada conference in Halifax – plane rides, lifting stuff, sitting for long stretches of time during concerts, meetings, and performances, telling very animated stories during my workshops, sleeping in a dorm bed, and walking for long distances with a backpack – and I had very little trouble with my back or neck.

a top down photo of university buildings and trees taken from a dorm room window
The view from my dorm room in Loyola Residence at St. Mary’s University – a very comfortable place to stay, by the way. Image description – a photo of the view from a window on the 19th floor of a building on a sunny day. We are looking down on several university buildings with lots of windows as well as the tops of a lot of deciduous trees with glimpses of buildings and houses here and there.

All of that has really convinced me that I’m ready to get back into more strenuous exercise on a regular basis.

I’ll be careful about it, of course. I don’t want to have any sort of avoidable setbacks and I think the key to avoiding trouble is to only take on activities that let me control the intensity and duration of my efforts.

Overall my capacity for exercise has slowly increased as my back and neck have been healing and I had noticed that walking the dog was feeling easier over time and my new habit of ‘walking to work’ has been very straightforward, exercise-wise.

Then, while I was away, I really enjoyed my long walks, even though they were sometimes difficult. I liked the purposeful feeling of striding* (sometimes ambling!) along to get where I was going and it felt good to be the kind of tired that comes from solid exercise.

I think that longer walks could be a good way to take things up a notch without wearing myself out and possibly putting my neck and back at risk.

Maybe I’ll start with 1 or 2 longer walks per week and see how that feels.

More reports as events warrant.

a photo of a zine cover - a workbook for a storytelling workshop
Image description: a photo of a white paper zine cover that says “The Stories We Wear (a workbook) Presented by Christine Hennebury at the SC-CC Annual Conference – Halifax, 2025” and is decorated with stars, spirals, and dots.

Yes, you’re right, it probably would have been better to share a photo of someone telling a story or of myself leading a workshop but I somehow didn’t take or request any of those – too caught up in the moment, I guess – but I am really proud of how the cover of this little workbook turned out so I am sharing that instead. Meanwhile, to be transparent about it, I couldn’t actually get to the photocopy place before it closed so my fun workbook is going out to the attendees after the workshop instead. During my workshop they answered the questions in their own notebooks.

*Meanwhile I suspect that part of the reason I enjoyed those walks so much was because I had moved walking from the ‘exercise’ category to the ‘transportation’ category in my brain so I’m going to see if I can make that happen in my regular life as well.

functional fitness · walking

What Can We Learn from Universities About Promoting Active Transportation?

Diane Harper

Many universities have limited space for cars, lots of sidewalks and spaces for students to walk or cycle between classes (and often to residences on or near campus). Generally, students can buy most of what they need at shops on campus or very nearby, and there are lots of third spaces such as parks and plazas where they can simply hang out with friends.

They may be the nearest thing some cities have to walkable communities (sometimes known as 15 minute communities). I have seen arguments that they may be part of what has older adults reflecting back on university as one of the best times of their lives. There may be some truth to this.

This week, I returned to living on campus for the first time since 1980 as I have been at a textile conference out of town. I walked a lot! I’m actually pretty impressed with myself, considering that I spent hours every day hunched over textile equipment.

I’m an analyst at heart, so I checked with Google Maps to estimate how far I would have walked as a first-year student at the University of Western Ontario, when I lived in a residence and walked to the music school every day. I walked a lot then, too: at a minimum, I walked to class, then home for lunch, then back to class and home again. That’s over 50 minutes of walking, even before going out in the evening, or leaving campus, or going to a class in a different building.

This week’s distances were similar, by the time I walked to breakfast, to my classes, home to unload and rest, and then back to the class area for evening activities. There were lots of elevators, and car parking and a shuttle bus for those with disabilities, so there were options for people who don’t walk everywhere.

Obviously, university campuses aren’t a perfect model for walkable communities for whole families or people who don’t work on campus. But wouldn’t it be nice if we could incorporate more active transit, third spaces and housing that is close to where we live and shop?

This third space on campus was quite lovely. It has public art, benches, trees, a pub/restaurant, and a mix of older and very modern buildings. Behind where I am standing to take the picture you will find restaurants, some shops, an art gallery, a church and a hospital, all within a five minute walk.
Walking to Work Works for Christine
ADHD · nature · walking

Walking to Work Works for Christine

Christine Hennebury

So far, so good at least.

In last week’s post, I told you about how I was going to “commute” to my desk by going for a short walk before work each morning (with a backup plan for an inside walk if necessary.)

My one week update?

I LOVE IT.

photo of a plant-clogged stream and greenery on a sunny morning.
What’s not to love? image description: a photo of a plant-clogged stream taken from a small bridge on a sunny morning. My shadow and the shadow of the bridge railings can be seen in the lower right and the rest of the photo shows various kinds of greenery, including deciduous trees.

I’ve tried lots of different ways to get my weekday mornings in gear and I have had moderate success with some of them but none of the other things I’ve tried have felt as good, mentally and physically as this short walk before settling down to work each morning.

My walk somehow gives me energy AND helps coax my brain into focusing on the tasks ahead but that’s not the most important part of this whole practice.

By adding walking as a fixed task, I am creating a clear division between the ‘at home’ and the ‘at work’ parts of my morning.

I don’t have a specific time to walk but I know that it is the deadline for the ‘at home’ part of my morning so anything that’s not related to work tasks has to be done before my walk. And, truth be told, I also include a few work-prep tasks like making a cup of tea (I put a cover on it so it doesn’t get cold), turning on my computer, and opening my notebook* to the page with my to do list on it.

Then I put on sunscreen and head out for around my neighbourhood**, walking fast enough to get my heart rate up a bit, and I’ve already noticed an improvement in how that little bit of exercise feels.

Some of the mornings I have chosen to listen to a podcast while I walk but other times I have mulled over a task on my list for the day so I could figure out a way to get started.

And every single time so far (yes, only 6 times but STILL!) I have been able to come home from my walk, head upstairs. and get down to work.

I haven’t hesitated, I haven’t gotten distracted, I haven’t started reading my book or gotten snagged by YouTube, I have barely even overthought it, I have just gone ahead with the first task of the day.

And it all feels great.

I am getting extra exercise on my own schedule (and at my own pace), I am creating a definite start time for my work (which by ADHD logic means I’m “allowed” to have a specific end time), and I just feel more even, balanced, and calm overall.

I know these good feelings aren’t solely due to the walks but I really believe that the walks were the missing piece in the puzzle and I’m so happy that I started them.

a path leads towards a small metal bridge with trees around it
Wouldn’t *you* choose to walk down this path if you could? Image description: an asphalt path stretches towards a small metal bridge on a sunny morning. There is grass on both sides of the path and all kinds of trees down near the bridge and the water.

*Using a notebook instead of an app is contributing to my ability to get down to work right away because it limits how many tasks I can write down AND it forces me to prioritize long before I am actually sitting at my desk about to work. My notebook isn’t the focus of my post but if you want more commentary about the logistics of this, let me know and I will respond in the comments.

In other news, my notebook is very pretty…

a soft cover, dark-coloured notebook that is decorated with moths, greenery, and mushrooms
Image description: a photo of a soft covered notebook with a dark background decorated with mushrooms, moths, greenery, and sparkles.

** I have deliberately decided not to start taking Khalee because she would slow down my process for getting out of the house and because I don’t want to change her daily routine and create a complication in her routine. Also, that dog loves a good amble and I want to walk briskly.

A photo of small white flowers in a little cluster. Christine “Commutes” To Her Desk
ADHD · fitness · walking

Christine “Commutes” To Her Desk

Christine Hennebury

When my kids were small I usually walked them to school. It was sometimes a hassle to get three people with ADHD out the door on time but I really liked that I had some exercise built into my day AND that there could be a clear end to the ‘home’ part of my morning and a clear start for my work day.

Now my morning commute is from my breakfast table to my desk upstairs and lately I have found myself wishing for an office a little ways from my house.

Not that I need a separate workspace, what I want is a reason to get moving for a fixed period of time each morning before settling into my workday.

I don’t really need a separate workspace to accomplish that, do I?

I just need to pick a physical activity to represent my morning commute, do it for a fixed amount of time, and then start my workday immediately after that.

But, as always when working around my ADHD, I need to be careful about how I add something into my day. I can’t add something too long or something with a lot of potential for distraction or anything that will complicate my mornings too much.

All of those things are just as likely to wreak havoc on my schedule as they are to help me shape it.

This is partially why the idea of a separate workspace has appeal – I could convince myself that I HAD to walk to get there – but, realistically, I would never actually waste money/time/space to rent a workspace just to make myself get moving.

So, I am experimenting with an alternative approach – getting all of my personal/home morning stuff done and then either taking a 5-10 minute walk “to work” before settling in for my first task of the day.

I imagine myself walking briskly but in reality I would probably look more like this, trundling along in my comfy clothes. Image description: a GIF of a small child in a fluffy coat and pink leggings walking in a bouncy way away from the camera down a sidewalk.

That might mean walking outside (possibly with the dog but I’m not sure I want to train her to expect a walk at that time) or it may mean an indoor walk of some kind but, either way, I will be ending that walk at my desk with a clear plan for my first task of the day.*

In fact, I started writing this post on Monday morning after a brisk, 5 minute walk next to my desk and it felt pretty good.

Updates as events warrant!

*This is a separate part of my plan to make the start of my work days easier – getting a bit more detailed with my task planning. My right-now brain hates breaking stuff down but my future brain loves when it has been done.

New York City The Magic of the New York Walk
fitness · walking

The Magic of the New York Walk

Sam B1 Comment

by Amanda Lynn Stubley

I have taken a break from regular posting, but wanted to write to share my walking experience in New York. That’s NYC, the Big Apple.

Not somewhere you’d think of going for exercise, unless maybe you’re coming here for the New York marathon. I always find I walk more and exercise better here though.

Maybe it’s the short north-south blocks? Or the fact that it’s faster to walk than take the subway a few stops. But it’s a joy for me. And it seems easier.

I have taken on a management job in my business life, so my last 6 months have been incredibly intense. A new job plus the old job, until I redistributed my work left precious little time for myself. I will ultimately have more time for things like aquafit classes, since I’m no longer a “producer,” but the transition left little time to myself. This meant I wasn’t sure if I would be able to handle my typical level of NYC walking – it’s been fine though!

Yesterday I walked the High Line, the well-known elevated park in Chelsea. I walked Greenwich Village, and then through SoHo, where I bought a new dress. I put the dress on over my shorts and met up with a client I have worked remotely with but had never met. Then I walked the Financial District, saw some music and jumped on the subway to go home. In the end it was almost 22,000 steps.

I feel it today, but not in a bad way. I just got out of the bath and am headed out for Day 2.

What is it about the magic of New York?

And how do I bring that energy home with me?

New dress and New York City streets

A pair of hands holding a globe, but Greg Rosenke for unsplash. 5 ways of engaging in self-care and world-care at the same time
equality · feminism · fitness · inclusiveness · walking

5 ways of engaging in self-care and world-care at the same time

catherine w1 Comment

April is almost here, and I’m in need of a refresh. Since January 20, I’ve felt angry, heartsick, afraid, overwhelmed, and oh so tired. And I see these same feelings in the faces and actions of my friends, family and community. Waiting around for others to do something about it isn’t helping. So, I’ve decided to take a page from the self-care playbooks and do something. Here are a few tips, along with the ways I’m following them. Feel free to join me or pick your own set of tips and invent a plan. And let us know what you’re up to, if you’re so inclined.

Tip #1:Get physical– plan some exercise, with friends or on your own.

One plan I have is to get a lot of steps in on Saturday, April 5 at the Hands Off! Massachusetts Protest Rally in Boston. It’s part of nationwide protests in the US. You can find more info here. I’ll either take public transport or ride my bike with my friend Norah to meet others and gather on the Boston Common. Then we march to City Hall Plaza for speakers. It’ll feel good to stretch my legs and work on taking back our democracy.

Tip #2: Get creative– try something new or familiar that stimulates your imagination, like art or crafts or poetry.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper protest rally without some good signs. I’m definitely planning on making some of my own. The Hands Off folks have provided lots of signs to print, like these:

Hands Off Science!
Hands Off Science!
Hands Off LGBTQ+ Rights!
Hands Off LGBTQ+ Rights!
Hands Off Cancer Research!
Hands Off Cancer Research!

These are great. But I also love ones that reflect our own individuality and perspective in the face of greed and cruelty.

IKEA has better cabinets
IKEA has better cabinets
FOR SALE: Democracy
FOR SALE: Democracy
The classic: It's so bad, even introverts are here!
The classic: It’s so bad, even introverts are here!

Someone has even gone to the trouble of creating a google spreadsheet with sign slogan ideas. My current favorite is “Does this Ass Make My Country Look Small (with pic of Trump). Check them add and feel free to add your own spin.

Tip #3: Get social– join friends or family or your community in some common endeavor, whether it is for entertainment or activism.

Lots of people I know are posting about going to these rallies in their hometowns. I’ll be amplifying this message on my social media, and also talking it up in my friend and community groups. And come Saturday, I’ll be meeting thousands of new friends in my town, with whom I have a very important purpose in common: saving our country from fascism. Not that one protest will do the trick, but it’s a step (or in this case, thousands of steps) in the right direction.

Tip #4: Get outside– take some time to immerse yourself in nature; this can include anything from urban parks to local woods.

We’ll be meeting at the Boston Common on Saturday morning around 11am, which is located outside. The Parkman Bandstand, our meeting point, is surrounded by lovely trees bushes and grasses. Honestly, it won’t look like this in April, but here’s a nice summery pic:

Parkman Bandstand on te Boston Common in summer. Worth visiting this week, too.
Parkman Bandstand on te Boston Common in summer. Worth visiting this week, too.

Tip #5: Get clear about boundaries– say no to the demands or conditions that you know are harmful to your well-being and that of others.

Oh, there will be lots of saying no in my future, and in all our futures.

  • No to illegal firings of federal and state employees working to support health, education, safety, and all the crucial everyday functions of our government.
  • No to bellicose threats to other countries with whom we’ve shared supportive and beneficial relationships with for decades and decades.
  • No to shutting down HIV clinics around the world, cancer clinical trials, measles and other vaccine education, the department o frigging education, and oh, the federal court system.
  • No to kidnapping students and holding them illegally, for no reason other than hate and intimidation.
  • Just no. Hands off, you bozos!

You know what? I already feel a little bit better. See, my self-care plan is starting to work. Of course, there’s actual work to do, and a lot of it, and for a sustained period. But I’ve got a plan. And I hope you’ll make one, too.