Healthy Hike: A seashore walk to remember
Listen to this articleThe goal is movement to gain and maintain great health and healthy weight, but that in no way means it can’t also be truly spectacular and thoroughly enjoyable. Late one afternoon our family had taken up temporary residence in the beautiful San Diego Sheraton Hotel and Marina situated, as its name implies, right on a large marina filled with dozens of luxury yachts and directly across from the Pacific Ocean.
My wife and daughter wanted to rest and I wanted to walk so they curled up and I headed out. Leaving through the main entrance to the hotel I walked out the front entry way and on to Harbor Island Drive before turning left and walking a short distance to Harbor Drive. Turning right on Harbor Drive my goal was a little restaurant directly in front of the Wyndham San Diego Hotel a mere 2.2 miles away.
At first I enjoyed the view of air traffic flying in and out of the San Diego Airport on my left and the beautiful San Diego Harbor area on my right. The first major nautical attraction was the U. S. Coast Guard facility off of my starboard side. The sun was beginning to set across the big blue Pacific Ocean and as my walk continued my eyes were treated to a vast display of dazzling yachts and many more modest vessels in the harbor directly to my right.
Gradually I came upon the dock from where the Hornblower cruises launched. This evening they were just getting ready for a three-hour dinner cruise. Yes I was tempted but my goal was to walk not float and bloat so on I went.
To my left the busy San Diego Airport has been replaced by the far more serene Waterfront Park. Next up on the right was the Maritime Museum followed immediately by the beautiful Star of India sailing ship. Finally my dining destination was nearby and across the street and so I had to move just a wee bit away from the sea but its full majesty and beauty remained in plain view.
It was an absolutely refreshing and extremely enjoyable mini-hike; a mere 2.2 miles from the front door of the Sheraton Hotel to a little café where I enjoyed a modest meal before returning to the hotel on the same route. All in all I walked on this one trip 4.4 miles burning off 440 calories along the way, more than my snack added so it was a win in every way.
Should you want to determine how many calories you will burn on any given walk of a known distance you may do that quick, easy and free at this website.
And by the way upon returning to the hotel my wife and daughter were fully refreshed and so the three of us went for an evening stroll around the hotel property and its marina and then a little beyond exploring and completely enjoying the moment, all while continuing to burn off those calories. All in all I walked about ten miles that day consuming one thousand calories all while being totally immersed in the surrounding beauty and enjoying very much being with my wife and daughter.
Now I realize not everyone has easy access to San Diego, California but it really doesn’t much matter where you live so long as it is outside of a war zone, if you put your mind to it I am positive you can find all manner of areas virtually anywhere on earth that allow the duel benefit of enjoying the sights while burning off those calories. Great joy and great health actually work very well together. So stop reading this and get up and take a hike.
Tell your walking tale and win a book
Yes indeed walk for health and also for joy and then share your walking experience to inspire others. Please write and email your favorite walking experience to me at: [email protected]. Where did you walk, what did you see, how long was your walk and anything else you want to reveal. Please include a few photos with your email. Submissions will be accepted now though November 10th 2016 and the winner will receive a free copy of “Lose Live” the ultimate guide to good health and weight loss. Your story will also appear in this publication. Together we can feel great and begin to win the war on obesity and ill health.
You can, at any time, get your very own copy of my true and real guide to effective and permanent weight loss, Lose Live available at lulu.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Just be sure to keep checking in right here for regular updates. And if you have a question or comment for me please send your email to: [email protected]
Copyright © 2016 Ron Irwin
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Photos provided by Ron Irwin
Ron Irwin was born in Chicago, Illinois a long time ago. He served in the Marine Corps in Vietnam, became a trial lawyer, TV and radio host, CEO of a public company and once held an Emmy. He never won an Emmy he just held one. Ron has written and published twelve books. His most important book to date is “Live, Die, Live Again” in which Ron tells of his early life and his unexpected and very temporary death in 2012. That experience dramatically refocused his life and within the pages of that book Ron reveals how he achieved a much healthier life, ridding himself of Diabetes, Cancer and Heart Failure. Now Ron enjoys writing about many things including health topics, travel [he has circled the globe several times], adventure, culinary experiences and the world of performing art. Ron’s motto is “Live better, live longer and live stronger because it feels great and annoys others.” Contact the author.