Simple Caprese Salad For One

One of my goals for this week is to eat soup or salad for lunch. Here's a simple salad recipe you can throw together without much prep:

Ingredients:

Mozzerella sticks (I like the ones from Trader Joe's)
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Fresh basil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar

Put two or three mozzerella sticks in a bowl, and then pour a good helping of tomatoes on top of them. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar on the tomatoes and cheese, and then add basil on top.

That's it!

If you want to make your salad even more delicious, add some chopped avocado to your bowl.

Enjoy!

Gear For Your Feet

If you're going to be a serious walker, the right gear can make a huge difference. Hooking up your feet with the right shoes and socks will make you feel better, and enable you to walk just a little faster and longer.

For shoes, shop at a running store. A place that caters just to runners. Yes, I know this can be incredibly intimidating, but it must be done! Employees at running stores are trained to look at the way you walk or run so they can pick the shoes that will best fit your biomechanics. They'll be able to tell if you overpronate, if you have flat feet, and a bunch of other technical feet stuff.

Usually the people at running stores are super nice and helpful. But once in a blue moon, they can be snooty. If they are nice, buy the shoes right then and there. If they're jerks, thank them for their help, and then buy the shoes they recommended from Road Runner Sports. They have a great VIP program, and wonderful customer service. They're also really nice to walkers.

Socks are another item you'll want to purchase. There are a lot of cool athletic socks at running stores, and sporting goods stores. Whatever you do, stay away from cotton. Cotton socks will give you massive blisters. Go for a technical fabric instead. I like Thorlos, Smartwool, and the Champion socks they sell at Target.

Your feet will be doing a lot more work than they are used to if you're just beginning your walking program. By using good shoes and socks, you'll make your feet much happier.

Image from bookoffers.com.au.

Health Goals for this Week

This week has been full of unpredictable weather in the Pacific Northwest. We've had our share of rain, hail, and even a good dose of sunshine. It's been a good time for me to formally begin my walking program.

Although some of my walks were indoors, I was able to get out into the neighborhood a few times this week for outdoors walks. It's so nice to see all of the spring flowers, and enjoy the warmer weather.

This week I'm focusing on getting my walking habit off to a good start, and making sure that I'm eating to properly fuel my walks.

This Week's Goals:

1. Walk five times.
2. Eat soup and/or salad for lunch at least four times.
3. Drink two big glasses of water each day.
4. Eat one apple each day.
5. Read 10,000 Steps Blueprint - The Daily Habit for Weightloss and Lifelong Fitness
6. Research and purchase a pedometer.

Welcome to WALK TOUGH

Thank you for visiting WALK TOUGH. As a former runner, and a mother with a lot of baby weight to lose, I decided to start this site to motivate myself, and others, to walk more. 

For various reasons, I am not running any more, but I miss the training, the races, and the goal setting of training for events. Walking is a way for me to get back the things I miss about running without landing myself in the hospital!

After doing a lot of research, and beginning my walking program, I am convinced that walking for fitness is the solution to a lot of what ails us. Stressed out? Walking will help. Overweight or depressed? Walking can help with that too.

As I researched walking, a lot of what I found was geared more towards senior citizens. Senior citizens are awesome, but we shouldn't all wait until we're over 65 to begin a healthy walking program. 

That's why I created this site. To bring together anyone of any age who wants to get healthier by walking.

So...is anyone out there? Are you a walker too? Pretty please leave a comment below so I know that I'm not alone!