IF PAIN KEEPS YOU FROM WALKING
Susie Maines leaned against the counter, hoping to take pressure off her aching hips and knees. But it was no use. At 325 pounds, she could hardly stand for 8 hours a day as a clerk at the U.S. Postal Service. She had to accept a hard truth: I’m going to have to retire. My body just can’t take this anymore.
To save money after retirement, Susie moved in with her sister Becky, who also struggled with weight and joint pain. The sisters decided to team up to get healthy with the help of SparkPeople.com. They cleaned up their diet, but exercise remained a mystery. Susie admits, “I refused to try. I felt like I couldn’t do it.”
Truth be told, while wearing a size 36W, Susie could barely walk 30 feet without having to catch her breath. Still, walking seemed like the easiest place to start, so the sisters tried to take a few more steps each day.
As pain persisted, Becky got the idea to buy Nordic-style walking poles to relieve pressure from their joints and steady their balance, which allowed the sisters to walk pain-free. In fact, after using them, Susie says, “I never had any issues with my hips hurting again.”
How walking poles speed slimming
“Knee and hip pain is a common reason older women list for not being able to exercise,” says osteopathic physician Joseph Tieri, D.O.
But using walking poles can help counteract pain, stability and balance issues, plus improve confidence. In fact, in one study, women were 130% more likely to stick with a walking program that included poles than one that didn’t—a factor they attributed to the comfort and confidence they gained with the walking poles.
With the pain gone, the sisters started walking a couple miles a day. Susie says, “It just got easier and easier and I thought, ‘Oh man, I could just walk away these pounds.’” And she did! She shed 186 pounds, and Becky dropped 187 pounds, all with the help of those simple walking poles—and each other. “If Becky hadn’t joined me on this journey, I don’t know where I would be.” Now, Susie says, “I’m in better shape than I was when I was in my 30s.”
To provide stability and relieve pain during your walks, shop for an adjustable walking pole that extends to at least 45 inches (like Montem Ultra Strong Trekking Poles, MontemLife.com). To set the length, hold the pole 3 inches in front of you with the end of the pole on the ground. When the pole is the proper length, your elbow will form a 90-degree or slightly greater angle. If you experience hip or knee pain while walking, Dr. Tieri suggests walking on softer surfaces like a track or grass instead of pavement and wearing a neoprene knee brace that slips on like a sock.