Walker
8 years ago by
I walk. A lot. I’ve always walked. It’s part of our culture in France, and in New York, it’s the same. No one has a car here. I haven’t even gotten my American driver’s license yet (even though I actually do really miss driving!)
I quickly realized that walking so much allows me to stay in shape without even thinking about it.
The summer my dad came to see me in New York, he wanted to try absolutely all the restaurants possible. Of course, it was a lot of fun introducing him to all my favorite foods, like fish tacos from La Esquina or the incredible steaks at Peter Luger in Brooklyn — we ate from morning to night, but even so, I lost five pounds in ten days. It’s because we spent all day long walking. In fact, that’s pretty much all we did: walking and eating.
Ever since, I continue to stay active. Unlike when I’d just arrived and didn’t know the city very well, I rarely take the subway now — and taxis even less. New York is really a walking city. The Studio is exactly 30 minutes from my apartment, so I walk at least an hour per day. A few months ago, I started tracking my steps on my iPhone (I use the Breeze and Moves apps), and tried to always get up to 10,000 steps per day (I don’t know where that number comes from, but it has a nice ring to it, and basically, it’s the equivalent of an hour and a half of brisk walking per day) and recently, I started using the Apple Watch, which is even more precise.
During my walks, I listen to music or podcasts, or I’ll have a long conversation on the phone.
I really like the idea of being active without thinking about it, while doing things you enjoy. I’m starting to rethink my whole way of staying fit. I even made a list of activities I’m trying to integrate into my everyday life, without thinking about “exercise” or “performance”. Moving apartments was one of them. Going to hit balls at the golf range, or going bowling. Taking a walk with a friend instead of sitting in a cafe. Anything but collapsing on the couch and scrolling down a screen, basically.
(And it’s a good excuse to adopt a dog, right? What do you think?)
I even started belly dancing again, without worrying about whether I’ll tone my thighs or how many calories I’m burning per minute.
As a result, I’m going to dance almost every day! Which makes me walk even more!!! (I can’t wait to tell you about it, because I’m totally and utterly terrible at it, and it’s hilarious. But I don’t care!!! I’m having so much fun!!!)
All of this just to say that walking is a really virtuous cycle. It’s the easiest and cheapest thing to do in the world, and you don’t even need any equipment. I love it!
Translated by Andrea Perdue
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Hello Garance!! Je me reconnais tellement dans ce que tu dis…après 3 ans à Paris je viens d’emménager dans le Sud Ouest de la France pour un nouveau boulot. Ici impossible de se déplacer sans sa voiture, j’habite à Biarritz et travaille à St Jean de Luz…à moins de longer pendant 2h la nationale à pieds! Et je peux t’assurer que j’ai vu la différence sur mon corps. Je ne marchais pas tant que ça à Paris mais mine de rien le 5ème sans acsenseur, les marches du métro..etc. Bon du coup je me suis mise à la piscine deux fois par semaine (et au surf mais c’est pas encore ça…), un mal pour un bien mais la marche il n’y a que ça de vrai! Bisou du pays basque
Au lieu de se fixer des objectifs sportifs ou de subir les obligations de se bouger, c’est vrai que c’est beaucoup plus facile de les intégrer à un but ou une nécessité…et la marche et l’activité en général les rendent positifs ! Marcher pour aller au boulot, prendre le vélo pour faire de nouveaux trajets vers une soirée ou un restaurant… Merci de partager ces petites réflexions néanmoins ultra-importantes et tellement authentiques. Have a good Walking Day !
I wish it was easier to walk in my town, I love wandering around and I absolutely love your idea of staying in shape without really thinking about it. Makes it more fun then being in some gym.
Who is your sweater dress by? I just love it and am trying to find something like it. Merci!
I couldn’t agree more ! J’adore marcher. C’est la seule activité physique que j’aime sans y penser. Et habiter à Paris c’est génial pour ça. Même crevée je rentre chez moi à pied surtout en septembre quand il fait si doux en fin de soirée. J’ai laissé tomber les sports qui me demandaient un effort pour y aller, je sais par expérience que j’abandonnerai dans les 6 mois.
Bon je crois aussi que c’est lié à l’âge, plus j’avance et moins je supporte les contraintes de toutes sortes inutiles.
I absolutely agree with you. For most of July and August I was hitting 10,000 steps every day (I took it on as a challenge, really). Have fallen off the wagon in the last 2 weeks. Your post makes me inspired to start again!
I love this post for so many reasons! First, a bit YES to the dog. Show me a dog that has behavior problems or is hyper and I’ll show you a dog that isn’t getting walked every day. Except for when I’m traveling without her, I walk my current dog (and the one before that, a lab who lived to the very old age of 15) every day. It’s the only way to start the day. And, here’s the thing, you have to go, even in bad weather.
And your attitude that it has to be incorporated into your daily life is also spot on. As a woman who just turned 60, that has always been my attitude and I think I am in pretty decent shape as a result. I love walking, and swimming, which I do three times/week. But now you’ve inspired me to think about adding dancing to the list!
Bravo and Merci, Garance!
Can you talk about the shoes for your walks? Half an hour in heels sounds so painful! lol. But, wearing “comfy” shoes to the office every day is just depressing! Do you pack a pair of heels and change? Or keep heels at your office?
Try Tanya Heath’s shoes which have engineered heels that can be changed for styles and height. I have a pair and they are great.
The shop is based in Paris and they ship worldwide. 3w.tanyaheath.com/en
I would love to hear this as well! Low heels = blisters, but ballet flats = not enough support/ achey knees. Are there any cute sneakers that offer good support? Something that I can change out of when I reach the office but won’t look *too* ridiculous walking there?
Yes, please : )
Bonjour Garance, je suis totalement d’accord avec toi sur le fait que la marche, c’est le sport le plus facile et le plus efficace du monde… Surtout si c’est dans les rues de NY! Ton blog est toujours aussi génial!
Bisous
Emma
Je suis tout à fait d’accord! Je ne fais pas de “vrai” sport, mais marcher et aller à la fac en vélo suffit, c’est joindre l’utile à l’encore plus utile ^^
Cécile
http://www.maxcebycecilej.com
I love this! The sidewalks are so rough on my shoes, though. Would you give some recommendations for shoes that won’t fall apart the first week of walking 10,000 steps, are stylish, and provide enough comfort and support that I can walk briskly for an hour and a half (or more!).
love how you styled this
http://hashtagliz.com
You just inspired me to walk more as I’m one of those who go by their car everywhere! A couple of days ago we went for a really long walk with our friends and Kids in the zoo and it all showed how lame is my shape!
Thanks Garance :) gonna walk more now !
http://lifestylebyola.blogspot.com/
I was walking an average of 8 miles a day, the month I was in Paris and I swear I lost at least a pant size, despite daily pain au chocolat, frites, and way too much rose and Aperolspritz!
I LOVE “hidden exercise”. Where I live, moms drive their kids to the bus stop — 2 blocks! I love new york or any urban area you can walk to everything you need. I can’t but look for opportunities. Stairs instead of elevator.
Walking is one of the reason I could never live in a suburb. Not being able to walk around the place I live is just not an option. It’s the best way to get the feel of a place and you alway find something new along the way! It’s also great way to meditate and introspect. Walking and Dancing, I love it!!!
Shoes? I must know!
moi non plus je n’ai pas de voiture, 2 chiens (sisi et 2 chats aussi), je n’habite pas en ville mais au pied de la montagne et j’ai une ligne de train à 5′ à pied et une autre à 15′ (parce que ca descend dans ce sens sinon 20′ dans l’autre). Souvent les gens ne comprennent pas comment on peut vivre sans voiture (et moi je ne comprends pas comment on peut vivre avec ce boulet de métal encombrant qui pue et pollue), ils ont tous oublié ce que c’est de marcher un peu (5′ ouha, 15′ ouhaaa). Ca ca me stupéfait.
Je fais aussi tout ca en vélo selon le temps, l’humeur et… la tenue ! J’ai testé lundi la descente en vélo en mini robe en soie DVF avec la robe qui remonte à la culotte, humf… Et en marche, ou je mets des chaussures confortables assez jolies ou des marchables avec des jolies dans le sac où il y a déjà mon mac et un pull ou veste en rab au cas où le temps change etc, bref ca finit par peser, ca fait un gros sac (donc obligation au final de passer au sac à dos sinon trop mal au dos et bonjour osthéo) et péjorer le plaisir de la marche. Alors comment tu fais toi ? Les chaussures, le type de sac, le poids du sac…?
Salut Garance, je t’ai déjà lu à propos du chien, je ne sais plus très bien mais tu avais des exigences quant aux poils et les aboiements si je ne m’abuse ! ja ja Je me dis que le jour où tu ne sauras plus quoi nous raconter je serai orpheline sans te lire alors je vote oui pour le chien et les marches que vous feriez ensemble car j’en suis sûre que cela t’ouvrirait un univers que tu raconterais de façon toute aussi géniale que le reste…
Par ailleurs, je voulais précommander ton livre sur un site et je me suis posée la question de savoir si tu l’avais écrit/rédigé/pensé plutôt en anglais ou en français?
Besos
I’ve always enjoyed walking, and love that I live in a city now where I’m so much less dependent on my car. I take the bus to/from work every day, but have been considered walking home a few days a week instead of taking the bus to get some more exercise in. My total bus commute (walking to the stop, waiting for the bus, sitting in traffic) can take up to 35 minutes and walking should take about 50 (it’s about 2.5 miles). I think this post has finally given me the push to try it out!
i also walk a lot and enjoy it, but, as other persons mentioned, I end up choosing comfort over style -no more heals and pretty clutches- and sometimes I feel I m a donkey carrying huge bags with my stuff for the day : computer, books, agenda, phone, lunch box, sometimes a 2nd pair pf shoes or a cardigan… Could you make a post about wearing the right shoes and bags when walking to work?
True that about travelling. When ever I go to a new place, I walk so much that I get fitter.
In my city, I love to bike. I dress to bike.
I have 10 thousand acres of desert I walk in daily…. I pick up rocks and work my arms out with them!! I have always lived right on the edge or in the woods so that I can walk daily from my house….
Love what you are wearing and I am a walker myself. Good for us, especially after all those ‘How sitting for long hours can kill you’ articles floating around. Hope this inspires more people to do the same!
xx
http://www.fuss.co.in
You are so right. I am from NY, and didn’t get my driver’s license until I was 21 and living in northern Arizona. I never have driven myself in the city, it just doesn’t feel right. I will cab it or take subway to get around. Way better on stress level too. It can be a bear to drive in city traffic.
Adore this piece. My favorite post here in while. Thank you.
YEs. walking inNYC. It is the best.
What a nice shot! I love your style! and I love to walk also, even though since I’ve got a car and a bicycle I walk less but in the weekends I like to take a long walk in search of fashionable people to photograph. Keep up the great work, the walking and the dancing… I never imagined you’re into belly dancing you appeared more of a modern dancer to me or even ballerina :-) All the best! Maria
After being ill, I am walking again – yay!
And I’m also walking 10 000 steps per day.
It’s so great – for the mind, and for the body!
New York is just the perfect place to walk though – great idea to have your studio 30 minutes away!
Pareil, j’ai un compteur de pas (non connecté)… et quel délice de penser en ‘marche’ ! J’aime aussi beaucoup, quand j’ai le temps (je le prends aussi !), traverser ma ville, observer une nouvelle perspective, les saisons, les buildings qui se construisent, la lumière. Là où je vis, les transports en commun fonctionnent bien, le paradoxe, c’est donc que les gens à pied ou à vélo l’ont choisi… et il règne une ambiance hyper sympa le matin, sur le chemin du boulot, les gens se sourient, se disent bonjour. Le bonheur, en vacances, de prévoir des randos ! Ah oui, marcher, c’est la vie !
PS : Il parait que les 10000 pas, c’est calculé pour un Japonais moyen qui mange 3500 calories par jour. Donc beaucoup trop pour certaines personnes, pas assez pour d’autres. Ce qui m’importe, c’est de toujours aller un peu plus loin que là où j’aurais été, sans podomètre. Quand c’est 10000, c’est 10000, quand c’est plus, c’est plus, quand c’est moins, tant pis, ça sera mieux demain.
If you keep thinking about adopting a dog just do it, go for it! I just did that this summer and it’s been wonderful. Just get one from a shelter, there are so many dogs in shelters and they don’t ask for a lot. And they have so much love to give! They’ve usually been hurt and have trauma which makes it harder to train them but it also reassures you every day that adopting was the best thing you did because typu won’t let your dog to be hurt anymore.
I completely agree with your view about walking. It’s such an underrated exercise. I used to live in London and it’s another great city for walking, especially during summer.
Hello Garance !
Je suis comme toi, j’adore la marche ! Vivant à la montagne, j’ai un super terrain de jeux !! :)
Pareil! Je marche tout le temps et comme je suis une grosse fainéante niveau sport, j’en fait mais sans y penser!
http://ladiesandcroissants.blogspot.fr/
Adoptes un chien!!!!!
J’adore marcher, mais depuis que je suis sur Marseille je le fais beaucoup moins qu’à Paris. Sûrement car ça monte un peu plus, qu’il fait plus chaud et que toutes les rues ne sont pas forcément agréables pour les piétons. Mais j’aime toujours ça et je marche très vite, je m’en rends compte quand je suis avec d’autres personnes qui pour moi trainent vraiment la patte, j’ai d’ailleurs toujours pensé que c’est ce qui faisait que je suis mince sans faire attention.
J’imagine que tu ne portes pas de talons et que tu adaptes tes chaussures du coup pour aller au travail ? Moi je n’en porte pas justement car ça m’empêche de me déplacer aussi vite que souhaité. Je n’ai d’ailleurs jamais compris qu’on porte un vêtement ou des chaussures qui entravent le déplacement ou empêche de s’asseoir… La marche c’est la vie ! ^^ bises
Garance…
Je te lis depuis…8 ans? Et je laisse très rarement des commentaires. Mais dernièrement, vraiment, je me dis: trop hâte que les célébration du livre et des 10 ans du blog arrive!
(Tu passes par Londres, promis?)
Pleins de bonnes ondes!
I love walking too. I walk everyday to and from work and I really enjoy it, specially in the afternoons, after a looooong day at the office. At first I used to listen to music but now I prefer having that time to think, daydream… just let my mind go wherever she wants.
I live in the North of Germany so those walks can be a little (ehem…) bit cold /windy / snowy… but I don’t care. I wear a huge coat and my snow boots. Sometimes jumping in the snow after a hard day in the office is just what the doctor orders.
However, this walking thing has changed the way I dress and the size of the bags I carry. I want to be comfy and not carry a huge weight with me. Has that happened to you too?
xx,
E.
http://www.theslowpace.com
Oui alors je réfléchis à cela depuis un pti moment, même si me rendre à mon boulot ne peut se faire qu’en voiture dans mon cas. (Frontalière Annecy/Genève) Mais j’envisage un parcours incluant de la marche plutôt qu’aller jusqu’à mon parking pro. Mais rassure-moi tu à 2 paires de shoes ?? Il me semble que c’est usuel à NYC ? Merci ;)
You actually pushed me to go walking!!! I also loved the idea of meeting a friend while walking, very nice suggestion which i will adopt soon!!( i am from Cyprus so is still too hot here!!) By the way your blog is excellent i admit i am addicted to it!! I love the way it is transformed from last year and the fact that it is related to a lifestyle rather than a fashion blog is what really makes the difference for me!!! Thank you!!
NYC really is a walking city. I’ll admit that I haven’t been walking as much as I used to; mostly because I’ve because I’ve just been so tired when I leave work. But it’s a good idea. Maybe go one subway station further than normal and walk those extra blocks. I have the Apple Watch too and anytime I choose to walk rather than catch a train, I’m always amazed at how much my exercise portion jumps, haha.
coffeeslag
COFFEESLAG 06/26/15
Walking is one of my most favourite past-times… I walk alone, I walk with my husband, I walk with my friends, I walk for fun, to spend time in nature, to photograph, to go to the super-market, to pay my bills. My best friend and I used to go for 2-3 hour walks. With no specific goal apart from spending time with each other, in nature, breathing the fresh air and… walking! This is the reason why I don’t like living in remote areas where the car is your only option.
Keep walking Garance ;)
Where does this gorgeous dress come from? Thanks!
J’aime beaucoup marcher. C’est facile, gratuit et permet de decouvrir, dans mon cas, la nature qui m’entoure.
Inspired! Excellent advice.
I mostly walk or ride my bike around the town where I live. We have one car and my husband uses it, even though it would do him some good to walk to work, too. But he starts work at 6 AM and so he’s not in the mood to walk at that time of day. Can’t say I begrudge that. Anyway, walking is truly one of the simple pleasures of life, that’s for sure. Looking forward to a future post on what shoes you like on your jaunts.
Comme beaucoup, j’aprrouve à 100% l’idée du sport sans y penser. J’habite Paris et je marche beaucoup. Et rien de plus gratifiant quand mon appli m’envoie un BRAVO qui clignote quand j’ai atteint mon objectif.
I couldn’t agree more! Walking is a way of life, it’s always good!
Best Regards,
Angelina
just-angelina.com
I love to walk in my city too. I do walk an hour every day, and as you said is the perfect way to do your thing and be fit in the same time ;)
By the way I am going to visit Paris in the end of the month… another great city to walk around!
J’adore marche également et je suis hyper inspirée par les démarches artistiques qui prennent en compte ce type de déplacement (la flânerie, la déambulation, la dérive situationniste). j’aime notamment la marche sans but….
mais après avoir vécu à Paris et à NYC je suis à LA et ici la marche est très difficile, voire quasi impossible (trop grandes distances / autoroutes urbaines / no man’s land entre quartiers)… c’est d’ailleurs une difficulté pour moi pour appréhender cette ville.
Do add pushing a heavy stroller to your walking and you’ll get arm muscles too!
I was in NYC for 2 months with my then 4 month old baby and as you know, alone with the baby & stroller, pretty impossible to take the subway so walk it was. And since I was always in a hurry to meet a friend etc it was power walking.. power walking from downtown C21 to Macy’s 34th street, pushing through the crowds in Soho and keeping the rhythm. From midtown to uptown 59th street etc. I was fit and I lost weight! Best exercise regime ever.
Now in Paris, it’s hard to power walk with the stroller on the Parisian sidewalks cos they’re just too darn narrow so I miss it. But well, I’m running after my toddler now so it’s still good ;-)