Member Stories

Hello ,-I have just

“Hello , I have just read a previous story from David who is 59and wants to becomea vittual Walking Buddy. I would be willing to invite David to join my walking buddies. David or anyone else who wants to join if you post email address here I will invite you to our group. Hope this helps Marjie”

Hello All,-My name is

“Hello All, My name is David I am 59, and I live in Queensland, I have only recently joined 10000steps as a result of a friend - who I later found out is not a member anyway, currently I walk for about 1 1/2 hours from 0410 in the morning and have just started to reach my morning goal of 12000 steps. At that time of the day no one is willing to go walking with me, so, it's just me and my dog!!. I am interested in perhaps a virtual walking buddy, preferably in the same age bracket simply as a form of mutual motivation, any Australian state or o/seas country would be fine. I have no idea as to how this would or could work but the 10000steps office suggested to give it a go..Would there be any takers? like to hear from you. Regards...David”

Hi everyone. My name's

“Hi everyone. My name's Andy in Western Australia. I'm 44 now - have exercised all my life but have seen my weight gradually kick up over 120 kg (I am 6'4) over the past five years or so. My training regime always used to keep my weight down but a cycling accident plus years of running in dodgy shoes on tarmac have shot my knees so I was looking for something to supplement weights and kayaking. I'm only on week 2 now - any difference? Well, hard to tell - our new pup seeems pretty fit and I've taken to walking with 15 kgs in my rucksack - just to add to the workout, and that seems to be pretty hard. I really like the motivational factor - I'm much more inclined to take the pooch out in the evening to bump the steps up and enjoy factoring in other exercise. Anyway, watch this space. Good luck everyone else and I'll keep you posted. Todays weight 116 kg. Cheers Andy ”

Hi Raman,--We appear to

“Hi Raman, We appear to be the only walkers over 75, I will be 77 next month. I have now walked over 2,100,000 steps since the 1/1/2007. Just recently I went to a diabetes seminar and learnt that when you have diabetes it is important to use weights as well as walking. I have now joined a gym and have started on the Uni Balance Programme that includes weights. I am trying to stay off the diabetes tablets and keep my A1C level to below 6. At around 6 1/2 I go onto the tablets. I know I won't be able to stay off the tablets forever, as diabetes is a progressive disease. All the best with your walking, I'm sure you will enjoy the site. Bronwen. ”

hi Bronwyn,-it may be

“hi Bronwyn, it may be possible to avoid the pills for diabetes by doing yoga exercises. And the exercises are not all that exhausting or taxing. I do yoga postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama)as part of my daily limbering up. Any yoga centre should be able to tell you which ones to take up. I have seen people walking with weights but had no idea it has to do with diabetes.One lives and learns. Bye for now. Raman ”

Hi everyone-Wow, it is

“Hi everyone Wow, it is fantastic to read your stories. It does give so much inspiration to so so many people. I have started to struggle recently in my commitment to walking and loosing weight, as I have surpassed my goal weight,(Goal 65kg, I am now 57.4 and 163cm short!) but the fear is still there that I will put the weight back on if I cut back on the walking, the drive to walk was been getting a bit low. In saying all of that I dont want to loose any more weight, I want to maintain. So I need to keep on walking, a bit of a dilema! So reading everyone elses struggles and wins, my issues dont seem as difficult. I will get on the treddie tonight. Pat Melbourne”

Hi Jenny--You go girl.

“Hi Jenny You go girl. Just over a year ago I was 98kgs and only 153cm tall and killing myself, people stared at me and even my kids called me names. By Feb this year I had gotten down to 66kgs and a size 12 my kids are now my best friends as we now run together, go horse ridding and spend time together and they are no longer embarrassed by me, I did the 10,000 steps challenge last year and found that walking with some friends became my inspiration to really get out there. Keep going and no matter how hard it is some days to drag your body out of the house do it anyway even if it is only for 10 minutes. I will be joining the challenge again this year and Im hoping to have dropped the last 10kgs that I want to have gone by Christmas. Remember to take it slow as that is the key to not putting it back on again and always keep a smile on your face. Kel”

Hello All,--I started the

“Hello All, I started the 10000 steps program because I was embarrased of what I saw staring back at me in the mirror. My wife was saying that she didn't care what I looked like (Which was great) but it didn't make me feel any better. Before I started stepping (11/05/2007) I weighed 96kgs @ 183cm and I was only completing about 4000 steps a day. I couldn't keep up with my 2 year old son, and with another on the way I was fearing that I would soon trip over the century on the kilo front. I was so scared. I made some tough dietary decisions (Cutting out my best friend sugar was the hardest thing) and I now complete about 12-13000 steps a day. It was hard at first getting the steps up, but having my little pedo' friend (I named him Pedro) and watching the numbers rise is very addictive. I now weigh 85kgs and the mirror and I are talking again. I now give my son a run for his money. Reading the stories of ordinary people has inspired me to achieve something I thought was impossible. I now truly see movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience. Good Luck to everyone - If I can do it, so can you! Joseph & Pedro”

Hi Jenny,--I was also

“Hi Jenny, I was also moved by your story, keep going and you will walk yourself towards your goal. I have been with 10000steps a year now and have slowly walked off the weight. I know it will seem to take forever but it is worth it. In just over a year I lost 18.4 kgs. and I am still walking towards my goal weight. I find the challenges each month are helping me to stay on track and also reading other walkers stories, so never give up and you will feel better about yourself. I recently had a bad fall, tripping and hitting my head on a tree. You should of seen the bad bruising I had all over my face it took 5 weeks for it to clear up, and yes I still did my walking. I hope my story so far will help Suzanne. Newcastle . N.S.W. ”

hi Jenny-Thanks for sharing

“hi Jenny Thanks for sharing your story, please keep us updated. This months chalange should be good for you as you can set the number of steps at what is achievable for you. What a sense of achievement you will get when you complete your first chalange or clock up ypur first million steps. Slow and steady... I'm sure everyone who has read your story is wishing you well. Wendy”

Jenny..--You will certainly lose

“Jenny.. You will certainly lose whatever weight you want to lose, because I can sense from your words the will to do so.. Your mind is now clicked into the "lose weight mode" and you'll definitely lose it. Good luck, and keep us updated with your progress.. And be patient, very patient.. Belal”

hi walkers and especially

“hi walkers and especially Bronwyn and Jenny, I was checking up to see if there were any people over 75 on the programme and was delighted to read Bronwyn's story. Age is no barrier in the effort to stay healthy and take up challanges. And then there is Jenny with her predicament and her determination to get over it. I am sure she will do it, she is already more than half way there, having made a positive start. Keep it up everyone. Best of luck with your goals. I joined only three days back but already feel a bond with the walkers. Raman ”

hi, my name is

“hi, my name is Raman,I live in Kenmore, Queensland, Australia. I am a seventy six yeas old ethnic Indian male. I stopped working recently and have taken up the challenge to do 10000 steps for twenty days in the month to begin with. I have always enjoyed walking but never kept a check on how much I do, and have been casual about exercising. I need to be disciplined and the programme provides the tools to keep a check on what I am doing. I am short, 164cm and the weight is 67kgs, which is OK but I would be happier with a couple of kilos less, around the waist. In any case it is fun to share the story with others and see how we are all aspiring to keep fit and the way we go about it. Diet is important. I am a vegetarian, and I gave up smoking around twenty years ago. I intend to go on a cycling and hiking tour through Cambodia, Vietnam,, Laos,Thailand,Mynmar,Bangladesh on my way to India in January 2008 and mean to be resonably fit by the time I start. Wish me luck. ”

Jenny--Now you have joined

“Jenny Now you have joined the website, you are no longer alone in the world with this. The longest journeys start with just one step and yours was sharing. Good luck, there are people half way round the world want you to succeed so keep going! Jo England”

Hi Everyone--My name is

“Hi Everyone My name is Jenny and I am morbidly obese @168kgs, 160cm tall. I personally think I am going to die if I do not do something soon. I have even had my stomach stapled and I am still getting bigger every month. My only hope left is exercise. So I have a pedometer and I am walking and I go to boxing lessons as it allows me the opportunity to vent my anger. Why am I angry? I am angry because I have allowed this to happen to my body. I did this to me and I need to fix it. I can no longer live a normal life unless I do. I cannot fit in chairs,people stare at me, its an effort to move. I am alone in this world so I have chosen this website to record this journey. I will be successful you just wait to hear. 2300 steps is all I can manage so far, I will get better. Jenny Townsville Qld”

Hi Again--I've just finished

“Hi Again I've just finished my first I Challenge - The Alaskan Glacier Adventure, four days earlier plus I've also hit the 1 million step mark. I'm still working at achieving 10,000 steps a day but I've been adding the other activites to my total, so I can still reach my mark even if my steps at work have been low, I know I can catch up by working out in the gym or swimming a few extra laps in the pool. Since wearing the pedometer and learning how much or how little I do each day at work and at home I can use my pedometer as a gauge/tool to see how much more i can or need to do, then push myself further each day to beat my previous total. I really enjoy participating in the challenges - we're currently participating in the National Heart Foundations "Climb to the top" challenge to stair climb, step, swim, run and cycle the equivalent of Mount Everst during the month of August, so we are preparing ourselves for the challenge (approximately 2212 floors of stairs to the top). See you at the top! Stacey Perth WA Australia (the most isolated city in the world - lots of wide open spaces to walk in)”

HELLO ALL....-THIS IS VICKIE

“HELLO ALL.... THIS IS VICKIE FROM THE UNITED STATES... BANNING, CALIFORNIA.... AN UPDATE FROM MY STORY IN MARCH.... I AM STILL LOSING WEIGHT... DOWN ANOTHER 18LBS....I AVERAGE AROUND 15,500 STEPS A DAY.... AND I ALSO RUN AN AVERAGE 0F 2 MILES 3X A WEEK NOW....I AM VERY HAPPY IN THE 180LBS RANGE NOW....... LOVING THE WAY I AM LOOKING.....I WISH I COULD POST MY BEFORE AND AFTER PICS... THEY ARE AMAZING...... myspace.com/dounome2005 YOU CAN SEE THEM AT THAT LINK... I AM VERY SATISFIED WITH WHAT WALKING HAS DONE FOR ME.....I WILL NEVER STOP.....NEVER..... I AM PLANNING ON DOING THE LA MARATHO9N AGAIN IN MARCH OF 08.... HOPEFULLY WITH A BETTER TIME THAN 9 HOURS.... GOODLUCK TO ALL VICKIE”

Hi to all you

“Hi to all you 10,000 steppers. I am now approaching my 3 millionth step since Feb 07. I can hardly belive it myself. I'm off to North America in a couple of days for six weeks and I expect to be doing some walking in the Canadian Rockies. They have some beautiful walks in the National Parks (Banff % Lake Louise; namely Sentinel Pass and Paradise Valley to name a couple. Check the website OneDayHikes.com and you will be gobsmacked at the variety and beauty of some of the walks. I check out the million milestone every now and again, and I am constantly amazed at the progress of some of the entries. Keep it going guys. I'll try and keep up with you - if I can. Happy stepping everyone. PC49”

Hello,-I am writing from

“Hello, I am writing from Michigan, USA. I just want to encourage anyone considering joining in on the fun. I am not trying to loose weight, but I did want to have an answer when the doctor asks, "are you exercising regularly?" I never had a good answer. Now I do and I am loving the exercise I am getting. (So do the dog and the kids!) For the newbie. Start slow. Strap on the pedometer and keep watching this site and record your steps. It won't take long to get caught up in the fun. I challenge myself to keep raising the bar each month. It's a fun and simple way to get off the couch and enjoy life. Have a blessed day, Beryl”

Hi Everyone-I commenced using

“Hi Everyone I commenced using my pedometer (won through a competition in the local paper, along with 25 of my work mates, we participated in The West Walk Challenge, run by the National Heart Foundation and The West Australian to encourage people to walk more...It worked! (Our team was called the High Milers!) We started competing with each other to see who took the most steps throughout the day...The end result I won the treadmill, raffled it, donated the money to the Heart Foundation and have encouraged others in my workplace to continue stepping out. Iv'e now rejoined the gym and take my dog on extra walks on my days off work (It really adds to my total when I'm only walking 5000+ steps at work... I'm slowly getting fitting and my clothes are feeling looser.. Stacey Perth WA”

Hello Steppers--I first told

“Hello Steppers I first told my story on the 8th January 2007- my tale of quitting smoking and starting walking. It is now 6 months down the track and I am still quit and still walking. This site has many functions for me - I keep track of my steps - this gives me the incentive to keep walking. I enter the I-Challenges - again for the incentive of competition. I want to ensure that I finish what I begin. I keep track of my health history - So far I have only lost 3 kilograms, but this is the right direction and amazing because all of the literature says that weight gain and quitting smoking go in hand. I look at how other people are going, whether I am keeping pace or slipping well behind. I also like to see where I am with the Million Milestones. I feel I am really getting somewhere. In fact there is so much positive here, not a negative in sight. The main thing is that I was able to replace a really unhealthy habit with a really healthy one. To quit is really hard, it can leave a huge void in your life. But doing the steps and walking and cycling every day has given me a new interest. This website has helped me so much. The next 6 months I will concentrate on fitness and weight. But with your help I have already achieved what I thought was impossible. I quit smoking. Never thought I could. But here I am - A quitter. Yeee Haaaaaaaaaa Thanks A ”

I have fibromylagia and

“I have fibromylagia and the pain and stiffness has reached the limit of my capacity after a very bad 3 years such that I was hobbling a lot when walking. I already have to walk with a walking stick. (But I now use trekking poles and when taking dog walkies I use two of those -- one in each hand. I recommend them for posture and per body work out esp as there is no weight load.Standard sticks were causing me to stoop.) So I got my pedometer and starting recording 10,000 steps. I've always walked every day with the dog and while I used that to get back into step this platform is awesome to push me along and give me an aim: 12,00o per day. I also now do boxing workout every fortnight at my local boxing gym with a trainer -- $40 per half hour session.At home so far I can only manage 10-15 minute workouts at that intensity. I'm 58 and been ill for 25 years such that I am an invalid pensioner...and am, so often housebound and bedridden. But my exercise regime got lazy and I had let intensity slacken you see. So I gained weight, and the cycle got vicious.... If I could walk again so that I could go hiking like I used to -- I'd been so delighted.”

Hi every one,-The first

“Hi every one, The first time I shared my story was 26th of March. I have started walking from Feb, now averaging 20,000 steps per day. Started 104kgs, now I am 83 Kgs with a bmi of 24.7!! Took me 10 weeks of a very strict low GI diet combined with lots of steps!! To all those out there who are trying to lose weight.. its not difficult and its not easy either.. The most important thing to lose weight is: eat healty and move more. Before that, once your brain clicks and switches on the lose weight mode.. you will lose it.. believe in it and you'll find your self resisting all types of unhealthy food and moving more.. For me the formula for losing weight was: Less energy input + More energy output=weight loss Tell your brain to stop: Sugar, rice, and bread.. Eat grilled food, salads and lots of water.. sacrifice the less than 1 minute of nice taste in your mouth for 10 weeks, and keep burning calories and you'll find, just like I did find, that you will basically melt away!! You can do it, good luck, and keep moving! ”

One more thing I

“One more thing I forgot to mention.. I want to thank Nick who shared his story on the 20th of February 2007.. Its a very short and brief story but it was the one that inspired me and clicked that "lose weight button" in my brain.. Belal :) ”

Hi everyone, have the

“Hi everyone, have the little walking doo-dad programmed, along with a week of dieting under medical supervision....any moment now I am walking away from the keyboard out into my new life.... I want to lose about 40 kgs and up my activity significantly. The others posted stories are very positive. Cheers for now”