By: Cathy Stark Roche
When I hear the words “walk along the beach” my mind
instantly fills with visions of hand holding, dream sharing, sunset gazing and
perhaps dolphins jumping. In short, romance in its finest form. What does not immediately
spring to mind is fitness. Perhaps it should because, in truth, a barefoot walk
along the beach makes for an excellent summer workout!
The benefits are many, but let’s start with some
researchable facts. Walking in soft, dry sand takes over two times the energy
it takes to circle the track at your local gym. You will burn anywhere between
20% to 50% more calories! The sand molds under our arches, something which may prevent
plantar fasciitis. The act of sinking into sand and pulling our feet out of it
works to strengthen our foot muscles, calves, quadriceps and glutes. Yes, I
said it. Walking in the sand makes your tush look great!
A walk along the ocean is the ultimate in pampering without
those pesky spa prices. The movement of the sand under your feet is the
ultimate foot massage. Sand is also great for exfoliating those rough spots to
keep your feet looking summer sandal ready. When you’re done walking, simply
step into the salt water to rinse off the dead skin cells and soak up some the natural
youth-restoring minerals. Instant pedicure! Just be sure to retouch your
toenail polish after you return home.
I love the fact that many treadmills have televisions
attached to them these days, but the live, changing scenery you will encounter on
your shore-side walk is an even better distraction. With that motivating
factor, you may even find that you walk farther and longer than you had
originally planned as a result. However, you may want to consider keeping your
shoes on if you plan to really put some miles in.
For those who are familiar with the concept of grounding or
earthing, stash your kicks in a safe place and reconnect with the world around
you. Our feet contain anywhere between 3,000 and 7,000 nerve endings with which
to soak up the earth’s energy at sea level. While you’re at it, you can exercise
your sense of proprioception, the body’s ability to sense where all your body
parts are in relation to each other and your environment. In other words, we
don’t need to constantly look to see where our feet are landing and can just
pick them up and put them down with some semblance of confidence. Walking barefoot
heightens that sense. All of this and a free dose of Vitamin D! Just be sure to
wear sunscreen, and don’t forget the tops of your feet that may not have seen
the light of day since last summer!
Still seeing romantic visions of a walk along the shore? You
should and you don’t need to wait to be invited. Romance is synonymous with
love, and as women we sometimes forget that we need to treat ourselves with the
same love and caring we shower on our significant others. Love yourself enough to take that barefoot stroll along the
beach. Dolphins are optional.
Cathy Stark Roche, born and raised in southern California
has called Charleston home for 15 years now. She is the mother of 4 and grandmother
of 2 boys and 2 girls. Committing to her own weight loss and healthy lifestyle
change, Cathy is an Independent Herbalife distributor she has lost over 80
pounds. This success has lead her commitment to helping others who desire a
healthy lifestyle as well. Among other things, she is a boy scout troop leader,
and organizer for unusual and fun fitness and charity events. For more
information on Cathy, her Herbalife program or one of her fitness classes or events email her at Shake&Glow@att.