September first. In the West, it means the start of a new school year. In the Philippines, it means the beginning of the longest Christmas season in the world. Department stores and supermarkets will soon be holding year-end sales (if they haven’t already) to give way to Christmas stuff. Christmas carols will be played to wear down the buyer and give in to the urge to buy something Christmassy. The power of suggestion.
And when one talks about Christmas, it is inevitably followed by talk about the New Year. And the New Year brings with it the gamut of New Year’s resolutions most people make almost instinctively. As though it makes more sense to give up bad habits at the end of the year and replace them with good ones at the start of the new. Me, I’m beating everyone to it. I finally put into practice a New Year’s resolution that is at least five years old implemented before the first of September.
No, not buy more shoes — are you crazy? If I buy more shoes, the girls will insist that I buy them more shoes and then my new shoes will be useless because the expenses will give me a heart attack and I’ll be dead. So, it’s NOT about new shoes. It’s about walking. As in walking as a form of exercise. We’ve done it a couple of times already. The first time, it was just Speedy and myself. After that, Sam and Alex joined us. For optimum results, the recommended daily brisk walk should be for 30 minutes but with the terrain in our area, the uphill part must be equivalent to walking twice its length if the grounds were flat. Twenty minutes of walking up, down, up and down again and we’re perspiring. We’d be perspiring more if we do the walking during the day but no one wants to get sunburned so we walk at night about an hour after dinner.
So, how did we fare? Speedy cheated. On the first walk uphill, we said we’d go past the subdivision gate and touch the first lamp post on the left side of the road. He stopped at the gate. Fifteen minutes later, we had gone around and were back in the same spot. We all agreed we’d walk up to the gate until we touched it — a shorter climb than the first. But Alex was literally pushing Speedy just so he’d take the last dozen steps to the gate. And he’d been boasting he’s in better shape than I am. Beh!
We’ll go again tonight. Moonlight or no moonlight, I’m bringing my camera along. Added incentive, you know.
I love doing uphill walk. It’s good for the heart. You can really feel your heart pumping.
Are all of you doing it to lose weight? Puwede siguro you can put up a contest – something like The Biggest (Weight) Loser. hehehe.
Naku, not Alex. She’s skinny. And the kids get all the exercise they need in their P.E. class. Speedy and I, well, because we really haven’t exercised in years and we know we should. Weight loss would be a nice extra. Kung wala, okay lang basta, for the record, he pants worse than I do. hehehe
“ber” months na, then allow me to greet you Merry Christmas!!!
LOL And a Happy New Year to you!
~ber months na naman. and even before august end, malamig na ang hangin dito samin. mukhang magkaka-big snow na naman dito by winter. wag naman sana kasing grabe nung dati although masarap magpapicture sa snow (knowing the pinoys, hehehe)
yung mag-asawang housemates ko dito after every dinner, naglalakad sila sa labas ng at least at hour. kaya siguro yung mga tao dito kahit isang kaldero magkanin e hindi man lang naglalakihan ang abs.
minsan sinubukan ko, nilagnat naman ako ng todo. pano naman kase almost spring na nun kaya kakaiba ang hangin
I’ve been thinking about walking around the village to take some pictures too. The walking will be a perk. My hesitation though is safety and dogs.
Kotsengkuba, eh mas masarap maglakad pag malamig, di ba? Di mo marararamdaman yung pawis. Ako, type ko yun.
Em, bring your own dog. We do, actually. We walk Astro and take a walk as well. Eh… Astro’s the boss of all dogs in the neighborhood so be not afraid kami hehehe
Since the climate here is getting milder, I think me and my wife have to do some exercising. Napaka awkward na kasi when we hug. Our stomachs keeps getting on the way. : )
LOL But, seriously, it can be fun. Today, we went swimming instead of walking. A few laps, okay na.
it’s been a habit of my husband and I walk usually after dinner para di mainit. hehe. it also serves as our bonding time. we get to talk about our plans for the future i.e., finances, retirement (although it is early for that!) hehe. at first, it was hard for me, hiningal ako kagad. di kasi sanay mag-exercise; but, now i’m the one actually reminding him about our walks. enjoy walking! merry christmas! hehe
Cheann, that was what Speedy said too when Sam and Alex joined us — bonding time. Much, much better than sitting in front of the TV. Hopefully, by Christmas, we can do six rounds of the uphill-downhill walk without panting hehehe
Glad to hear that you all enjoy walking. I walk 2.5 to 3 miles 5 days a week an hour after dinner. When it’s raining outside, I go to the nearest mall and do my walking there. The only problem is when there is an extra discount on top of a sale price at one of the stores, it’s hard to say no.
“Today, we went swimming instead of walking…”
You can swim? What strokes do you do?
Great New Year’s resolution Connie. 20-30 minutes is a good amount of time. Ako nga, since I started doing my exercise regularly for 8 months now still I don’t exceed 30-40 minutes because I am afraid na ma-burn out. Plus I have a small kid, I don’t have that much time to spare. I just increase the intensity instead. Good luck! You can do it
JMonreal, now you make me thankful we’re far away from the malls hahahaha
Malyn, all except butterfly. Been swimming since 3rd grade.
Thanks, Geri. Best part is that I never really imagined I’d find it enjoyable.
So, that’s what was on TV the other morning. It was kinda odd hearing christmas songs being played this time of year. Looks like you’ll be having christmas songs coming out of your ears by christmas morning. HAHAHAHAHA
Maybe it’s the same trick pulled on you folks that make you agree to have your currency to be devalued by that much and saying OK LANG!
I hate people who don’t tie up their #$%* dogs! I am going to start carrying a stick
That’s a good start for christmas season..:) ako naman, nagpapatugtog na ng mga christmas songs pag ‘ber’ months na. naaalala ko pa nun bata pa ko na maaga mong mararamdaman ang christmas kasi may nagpapatugtog na sa mga radyo pero ngaun di na masyado.
This post reminds me to exercise! I really look like a walking human piglet na. People have been asking me if I’m on the family way na.
I like your pair of Nike shoes, Connie. Cool design!
Jayred, those shoes are so, so kind to my feet. LOL The most comfortable walking shoes I’ve ever owned. Ever.
I like your shoes! pink!
San po nakakabili? Hehe,
Sa Megamall