Jim could have told me that good shoes are vital for avoiding sore legs and feet. His job requires him to be on his feet for 10 hours a day, but he’s also required to dress in a white shirt, tie, and dress pants, which means dress shoes! Most dress shoes are made for just that - dress up. He has been able to find work shoes that are comfortable and support his feet, but they’re also dressy enough for work, and they have a non slip sole so he doesn’t trip and injure himself. He’s also ordered work boots with a steel toe which he uses to do work around the house. Good shoes for work really DO make a difference, especially when you’re not sitting at a desk all day. Oh - and this site offers free shipping for orders over $100. For someone like Jim, who orders 2 or 3 pairs of shoes at a time, that’s a nice perk!

This weekend provided proof that walking in the wrong shoes can cause you a lot of pain.

We went to Disney, and I packed two pairs of shoes. The first pair, which I wear ALL the time, gave me a blister on my heel, so I decided to wear my flip flops (which I only packed to wear to the pool) to the parks on Saturday. On Sunday, I paid dearly for that! My calves were so sore and achy.

I’m quite confident that one of the reasons I was able to make it 60 miles in last years walk was due to the excellent sneakers I had. They were so great, that when I needed sneakers for the 2007 walk, I bought the exact same pair! Why fix what isn’t broken?

I’ve always been lucky when it comes to my weight, and not having to watch what I eat. I can easily eat 6 meals a day, drink 5 cans of soda, and top it all off with a bowl of ice cream and not gain an ounce. At least, I used to be able to do that. Once I turned 31, I noticed I had this extra 5 pounds attached to me, and not in any of the places a girl would appreciate 5 extra pounds, if you know what I’m saying! I realized that I don’t have the metabolism of an 18 year old anymore, and for the first time in my life, I didn’t fit into my pants, and I wasn’t pregnant. My husband assures me it looks good on me, and maybe it does. I’m up to 115 lbs now, and I’m still considered to be underweight for my height, which is 5 foot 8 inches. I’m fine with the extra pounds, and I’m nowhere near having a gut or even a muffin top, but that doesn’t mean I can’t find out about weight loss and staying in shape.

LookCut.com is a new weight loss portal that has information about virtually any aspect of weight loss, from meal plans and routines, to diet and discoveries, to fitness and news about the weight loss industry. I really like that the site has information on what they call “the overlooked and overpowering affect of age related physiological decline”. Isn’t that what I’m experiencing? Obviously I’m not at a point where I need to diet, or go on a meal plan, so this site is perfect for me since it has information for all types of weight loss goals. The site offers articles, forums, and even a store where you can buy vitamins and weight loss supplements. The forums aren’t that active - there’s definitely an opportunity here to build a community, and I’d like to see some tools added for people to track their goals and weight loss.

This is a sponsored review.

While you’re out walking for exercise, wouldn’t it be great to be giving your abs a workout at the same time? A new product available at TVTopTen.com called the Slendertone promises that you can have firmer, stronger abs in just 8 weeks, without doing stomach crunches or special ab workouts! The Slendertone Flex works the muscles in your abdominal region using electricity to stimulate the nerve pathways for those specific muscles. You can wear the Slendertone to work, while out shopping, or even walking or while you exercise. You do need to use this product in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise - it can’t work miracles. But it CAN help you to tone those abs. During the clinical trials, 100% of the participants reported that their abs were firmer after using the Slendertone! The package is only $14.99 and includes the unit, batteries, a Flex belt, gel pads, and an instruction manual, as well as a 2 year warranty.

I emailed back and forth a bit with my tent mate, Kim, about the 3-Day earlier today. I’m planning on bringing an air mattress and a portable pump for our tent. As I told Kim, if I’ve got to sleep in a tent, we may as well have some level of comfort for our tired, aching bodies! Adding to the fun, we’ve never walked together, so it remains to be seen if my pace will match Kim’s, and vice versa. Oh, and the heat - you can’t forget about the oppressive Florida heat, even in October!

Good times.

One of those celeb reality shows on HV1 had people talking about detox and colonics and such. The very idea of going to someone for a colonic creeps me out, but I don’t think I’d be afraid to try some sort of natural body detox in the privacy of my own home. With the kids going back to school, my routine is all out of whack, and I’m feeling tired and unmotivated. I’m not sure if it’s just the chance in our routine, or if my body is letting me know that I’m getting sick, or what. I eat a lot of junk, and drink a lot of Coke, so I’m sure that’s got SOMETHING to do with it. I wonder how I’d feel if I got all of that crap out of my system and started eating healthy and completely kicked my Coca Cola habit? I’m not a health food not, but turning 31 made me realize I’m not going to have my great metabolism forever. Maybe I should clean up my act from the inside out? Has anyone ever done this at home body detox? Were you happy with the results, or could you barely notice a difference?

I can definitely handle the potential side effects of a decrease in gas, shiner hair, and nicer skin. Gosh, who wouldn’t want those things?

Did you know you can send me a letter, a note, or a card during the 3-Day? (Sorry, no email!) It’s great to get back to 3-Day camp after a long, tiring day, and find letters from friends waiting for you to give you the lift you need! You need to postmark your letter by October 5th in order for it to reach me during the walk.

Please send letters to:
3-Day Camp Post Office
c/o Colleen Caldwell (WALKER)
PO Box 5487
Sarasota, FL 34277-5487

You’ve got to put my name on the outside for it to get to my mailbox at the 3-Day, so don’t forget!

While I was filling out school paperwork this weekend, I noticed that the schools had sent home information on WIC to all of the parents. I was on WIC when I had my first child, and it was a huge help - especially the formula! There are several programs like WIC that offer assistance to mothers once the baby is born, but pre-natal care is just as important. This Pregnant Care card program is designed to ensure mothers-to-be who don’t have insurance, and don’t qualify for Medicaid can pay a reduced rate (negotiated by the large network behind MaternityCard.com) for doctor visits, hospital stays, sonograms, labwork, and more. If you’re paying cash for your pregnancy, this program is worth a look!

I just found out my company has a volunteer program, and I may be able to get my day off for the 3-Day as an extra paid day, instead of taking a vacation date. Sweet! If you’re walking this year, talk to your human resources department to find out if your company has a similar program. If not, suggest that they start one! It’s a great way for your company to encourage charitable acts in your local community, and it’s a great way to organize a team building event too. Have your company spend a day at a soup kitchen, or working for Habitat For Humanity, or participate in Memory Walk or Relay For Life. Do good as a group!

I’m so over hearing about Lindsay Lohan and her issues. For the life of me, I don’t understand why someone who doesn’t love that girl make sure she gets help before she hurts herself or someone else. Does anyone else remember a very talented River Phoenix dying outside of the Viper Room? I’m sure all of his friends and family regret not being able to help him.

If I ever had a problem with drugs, I know someone in my family would love me enough to find drug rehab for me through a referral program like this one. It’s a shame that more people are too afraid to speak up.