Physician Told Her Give Up, Fitness Fixer Made Her Able

Another reader named Lisa wrote in with a success story. This Lisa had not been active for many years. Her doctor had told her the way to stop injuries from running was to give up running. She is now successfully doing marathons, changing to healthy movement, and working as a professional photographer. Lisa P writes:

"I had done some running in college and wound up with a stress fracture on the ball of one of my feet. I remember the doctor telling me to stay away from running in the future.

"I have enjoyed visiting your site for many months (more than a year for sure) and find your practical, everyday life approaches to body movement and exercise right on. The idea of walking a marathon was a "no-brainer" once I found out that walking was allowed.

"As someone who grew up in a home where shoes were always worn, I never got the chance to let my feet walk around barefoot for any extended periods (or distances). My feet couldn't handle "feeling" everything as they had been encased for so long in any number of supportive shoes.

"I remember reading a post of yours about hiking in flip flops and tried to imagine myself doing anything in flip flops or another simple shoe without a lot of cushy padding and support in "all the correct places." I am using my muscles to adjust to uneven surfaces while walking barefoot or with minimal padding between my feet and the ground. I think this has improved my body mechanics. Doing it myself helps in a way that wearing special shoes to do it for me does not. Time will tell of course.

Walking may take more time than running, but I've become a faster walker with training and will surely realize my goal of completing a marathon in under 6 hours this fall.

"I've made an effort to reduce and or eliminate certain things from my diet such as refined sugars, hydrogenated oils, and processed foods. This most certainly has contributed to the results I get in training. As I near the actual marathon, I will be walking upwards of 30 miles a week. It is amazing how my stamina improves as the miles add up.

"Attached is a photo of me at mile 25 of The Nike Women's Marathon, the first marathon I completed.

"Oh, one other thing that I have you to thank for is my regular routine of push ups. After every training walk, I do push ups and am currently doing 36. Won't be long before I get to 40!

"Thank you,
Lisa"
PS There's a link to my fund raising page here"
Check out my latest marathon challenge:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/epa/phil09/lisaphillips

blogger is still having much photo upload trouble. If this photo of Lisa does not load, click http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3449/3831220282_2ed9899488_m.jpg

Going barefoot by itself, or wearing special shoes will not automatically put your foot in healthy position or increase balance skills. You can walk in healthy or unhealthy ways when barefoot, and in healthy or unhealthy ways even in an expensive corrective shoe. You can easily change how you move to healthy ways without needing devices, and save time and money. You can change to healthier eating and reduce a grocery bill greatly, by no longer buying unhealthful food. Click the labels under this post for all Fitness Fixer articles with ideas on each topic.

Related:

• Previous Lisa (Lisa H) who wrote: Less Pain Means a Happier Lisa
• Video of 67-year-old Leslie doing 30 push ups - Are You Stronger Than A 67 Year Old Lady?
• Exercise and Aging - Don't Limit the Patient to Limit the Pain
• Autumn Yard Work - Limiting the Person Instead of the Injury Again?
• Walking Softly Benefits Olympic Wrestler
• Spotting Back Pain During Running and Walking - What Do Abs Have To Do With It?
• A Reader Asks About Osteoporosis and Walking Lightly

Not Related, Random Fun Fitness Fixer:

• Fast Fitness - Cooling Exercise Drink

Labels: nutrition, readers inspiring story, running, shoes, walking

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