Walking Women: Randy Peyser
Today’s Walking Women Interview is with Randy Peyser of California.
Q. Randy, what inspired you to start walking?
A. I was a skinny kid who didn’t understand why people had weight problems until I hit age 65. That’s when this thing called “my metabolism” slowed down. So, if I even “looked” at a cookie, I gained weight. My doctor gave me the news: you’re in the obese range. She promised me she could help me lose weight. In addition to calorie-counting, drinking a certain amount of water and eating a certain amount of protein per day, she told me to do 150 minutes of exercise a week. She specifically advised walking. So, I got with the program. I started walking just around the blocks in my neighborhood five times a week for 30 minutes each time. After a few weeks, I noticed I wanted to walk further. My 30 minutes a day became 45 minutes, then an hour at a time.
Q. How long have you been walking?
A. I started in the fall of 2019. I discovered that if I walked pretty much as soon as I woke up, I actually accomplished it. However, if I waited to walk until later in the day, it didn’t usually happen. I would get too involved with whatever was going on in my day. So, I made it my priority to walk first thing, Monday through Friday. Even during the winter when the winds were whipping and the air was frosty, I would wrap myself in scarves and mittens and get outside. At first, I would feel cold when I started my walk, but within 5 or 10 minutes, my body heat would kick in and the cold was surprisingly doable.
Q. What changes (body/mind/spirit) have resulted from your walking?
A. When I started, I was 207 pounds. The weight started dropping off fast once I stuck to my walking routine. I set a goal to get to 185 and accomplished it within 6 months. I’m now holding at 180 pounds. I wouldn’t have even believed it was possible before. Emotionally, I feel better after a walk as well.
Randy Peyser, Believer
“I wouldn’t have even believed it was possible before!”
Q. What happens if you don't walk?
A. If I don’t walk, my body feels weak. I have to stick to it.
Q. What does walking mean to you?
A. Walking is great for my state of mind. I feel internally more expansive when I walk, especially if I’m walking in beautiful nature somewhere. I live near the Sierra Nevada’s, so nature is abundant and there are beautiful trails and wild mustangs everywhere.
“Walking is great for my state of mind.
I feel internally more expansive when I walk, especially if I’m walking in beautiful nature somewhere.”
Q. What are your biggest walking challenges?
A. My biggest challenge is arthritis in my feet. I can’t walk as much as I’d really love to now because of it.
Q. What's your favorite place (or places) to walk?
A. I love to walk on dirt trails that are relatively flat and where my dogs can run freely and safely. I also use walking poles so I stay balanced on uneven or rocky ground.
Q. What advice would you give to women who know they should be walking but aren't?
A. My advice is, this is about being disciplined. This is about making yourself YOUR OWN PRIORITY. As women, many of us are great when it comes to taking care of others, while neglecting our own needs and our own sense of well-being. Walking is a gift you give to yourself. When you walk, and you do so consistently, you will come back from your walk refreshed and revitalized. You might lose a few pounds, and if you do it first thing in the morning, I can guarantee you will come back to your home ready to meet the day.
Such wise words and sage advice Randy! Thank you so much for sharing your walking story with us!
Randy Peyser
ghostwrites and edits books and helps people get book deals with literary agents and traditional publishers. She is the author of Crappy to Happy, as seen in the movie, Eat Pray Love. Her authors have been Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestsellers, and have been featured in TIME, Oprah and Cosmo magazines and in airport bookstores. Visit www.AuthorOneStop.com to learn more!
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