Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 21, 2022

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 21, 2022 

HOW TO START A WALKING PROGRAM AND STAY MOTIVATED 

Dear Savvy Senior:
My doctor recently suggested I start a walking program to help get my weight and blood pressure 
under control, but I’ve never exercised much and am 66. Can you recommend some tips? Hate to 
Exercise 

Dear Hate: 
You should follow your doctor’s orders. Years of research have shown that walking may be the single 
best exercise you can do to improve your health 
as you age. It burns calories, which will help you 
lose weight, builds endurance, enhances muscle 
tone and it doesn’t pound your joints. 
It also helps improve or prevent many age-related 
health problems including high blood pressure, 
diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, dementia 
and even depression. 


But walking is not only good for what ails you. It’s also one of the easiest and most convenient 
exercises you can do and is completely free. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes that fit 
well and a little desire. Here are some things you should know to help get you started and stay 
motivated. 

Getting StartedStart out slow if you need to. For many people this means head out the door, walk for 10 minutes, 
and walk back. Do it every day for a week. If that seems easy, add five minutes to your walks 
the next week and keep adding five minutes until you are walking as long as you desire. It’s also 
a smart idea to start and finish your walk with a few simple warm up and cool down stretches. 
Stretching will make you feel better and help prevent injury. 

Most fitness professionals recommend walking about 30 minutes, five or more days a week. Or, for 
optimal health benefits aim for 10,000 steps per day, which is the equivalent of about five miles. 

Your walking pace is also important. While strolling around the park or neighborhood at an easy 
pace is good for you, a brisker pace that has you breathing heavily, but you are still able to carry on 
a conversation, provides better health, fitness and weight loss benefits. 

Staying MotivatedWhile starting a walking program takes initiative, sticking with it takes commitment. Here are 
some tips to help you stay motivated: 

Find a walking buddy: Having a friend to walk with can provide motivation and support along 
with companionship. 

Wear a fitness tracker or pedometer: These devices measure how far you’ve walked in steps and 
miles, providing motivation by spurring you to meet a particular goal and showing you if you’ve 
met it. Or, if you use a smartphone there are free pedometer apps you can download like MyPacer.
com, Google.com/fit or Accupedo.com. 

Join a walking club: To find one in your community, call your nearby medical center, mall, health 
club, senior center, running shoe stores or Area Agency on Aging to see if they sponsor or know 
of any clubs or groups. Or try MeetUp.com or the American Volkssport Association (AVA.org), to 
search for non-competitive walking clubs in your area, or start one. 

Keep a journal: Use it to keep track of your walking minutes, steps, or mileage and total it up at 
the end of each week to see how you’re progressing. There are also free apps like MapMyWalk.com 
and Walkmeter.com that use GPS to map your walk and measure your distance and time, which 
is fun and motivating. 

Have a backup plan: If bad weather, allergies or other factors limit your outdoor walking have a 
backup plan like walking at your local mall, buying a home treadmill or joining a health club. 

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim 
Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. 


FAMILY MATTERS

 By Marc Garlett 

CONSIDER THIS BEFORE YOU CREATE A WILL 
ONLINE 

A last will and testament is the most commonly thought-of document 

when it comes to an estate plan. But really, it is only a small part of an inte


grated plan that ensures your family stays out of court and out of conflict 
if and when something happens to you. 

Do not think you can just write your own will and that will help your family. 

You have probably seen ads from services that tout the idea that you can write your own will 
quickly – maybe even while you are in the security line at the airport (seriously, we have seen those 
ads in our own Facebook feeds). 

Instead, consider the reality that trying to write your own will could actually create far more trouble 
for your loved ones down the road. Your family and loved ones need you to get professional 
support from someone who can help you look at what you own, who you trust, and what would 
happen to you and everyone you love in the event of your incapacity or death. 

Death is unavoidable – and incapacity will happen to many of us before that. These are facts. 

Facing these matters head-on leads you – and your loved ones – to having the best life possible. 
Otherwise, it is the people you love who get stuck with everything you did not take care of when 
you could have. 

Unfortunately, if you go it alone, you may miss important facets of what happens in the event of 
your incapacity or death. For example, you may think that a will is sufficient when what you really 
need is a probate avoidance trust to keep your family out of court. A five-minute will won’t help 
you stay out of court. 

Or you may think your kids are adequately protected because you have a will, but you may really 
need a full Kids Protection Plan® and without it your kids could end up in the care of strangers, 
even if just temporarily. Before you do anything, get educated and empowered to do what is right. 

The right plan for you begins with knowing what you have, and then being clear on what is necessary 
to keep your family out of court and conflict and keep your assets out of your state’s unclaimed 
property fund. If you are ready to write your will, that is great – but see an estate planning lawyer 
first. 

The biggest mistake you can make is not facing the reality of death, the second biggest mistake is 
facing it alone. 

 
Marc Garlett, Esq.
Cali Law Family Legacy Matterswww.caliLaw.com 
626.355.4000 


SENIOR HAPPENINGS 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …MAY Birthdays* 

Beth Copti, Marilyn Diaz, Anne Schryver, Jo Ann Williams, Paul Hagan, Lenore 
Crilly Joann Serrato-Chi, Harriett Lyle, Jean Coleman, Birgitta Gerlinger, Donna 
Mathieson, Luciana Rosenzweig, Linda Wochnik, Marian Woodford, Debbie 
Sheridan, Joanne Anthony, Carole Axline, Kika Downey, Shirley Hall, Annie 
Scalzo, Janet Ten Eyck, Jane Thomas, Ray Burley* To add your name to this 
distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth not required 

THE HART PARK HOUSE SENIOR CENTER IS OPEN!!!! 
SIERRA MADRE SENIOR CLUB Every Saturday from 11:30am-3:30 pm in the 
Hart Park House Senior Center. Join us as we celebrate birthdays, holidays and pay 
BINGO. Must be 50+ to join. For more information call Mark at 626-355-3951. 

DOMINOES TRAIN GAME Wednesday, 5/18 11:00 am— 12:30 pm Hart Park 
House The object of the game is for a player to play all the tiles from their hand onto 
one or more trains, emanating from a central hub or “station”. Call Lawren with questions 
that you may have. 

PAINT PALS 

Tuesday, 5/10 & 5/24, 10:30 am—Hart Park House If you enjoy painting, sketching, 
water color, or making some other form of artistic creation please join our new 
program, PAINT PALS!!! Bring a project that you are working on to the HPH and 
enjoy some quality art time with other artists looking to paint with a new pal. 

TEA AND TALK SENIOR BOOK CLUB Tuesday, 5/25— 9:00 am Staff has 
launched a new book club series, Tea and Talk, which meets twice a month to discuss 
the fun, suspense, intrigue, love and so much more that each selection will have in 
store! 

FIBER FRIENDS Tuesday, 5/17 —10:00 am If you enjoy knitting, crocheting, 
embroidery, needlepoint, bunka, huck, tatting or cross stitch then we have a group 
for you! Bring your current project, a nonalcoholic beverage, then sit and chat with 
likeminded fiber friends. We meet in the Hart Park House 

BINGO Monday 5/16 1:00 pm- 2:00 pm Come on down to enjoy this time with 
friends. We are trying a new spin on BINGO fun so please bring your good luck 
charms and BINGO markers! 

CHAIR YOGA Every Monday and Wednesday, 10-10:45 am Please join us for some 
gentle stretching, yoga, balance exercise and overall relaxation with Paul. Classes are 
ongoing and held in the Memorial Park Covered Pavilion or the Hart Park House.. 

HULA AND POLYNESIAN DANCE Every Friday, 10-10:45 am Bring a lei, your 
flower skirt or just your desire to dance! Hula in the Park is back and waiting for you 
to join in on all the fun! Memorial Park Pavilion. 
SENIOR CINEMA WEDNESDAY, 5/25 1:00 PM 
MERMAIDS 1hr 50min An unconventional single mother relocates 
with her two daughters to a small Massachusetts town in 1963, where a number 
of events and relationships both challenge and strengthen their familial 
bonds. 

SIERRA MADRE SENIOR CLUB 


Every Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the Hart Park House Senior 
Center. Join us as we celebrate birthdays, holidays and play BINGO. 

Must be 50+ to join. For more information call Mark at 626-355-3951 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

DOCTORS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT 

Last year I suffered what 

I was trying to come up with ways to an-
is referred to as a heart at


swer that question, but nothing seemed to 
tack. I got to the hospital in 

settle with her. So one morning, I decided 
time, so there was no any 

to try something different. When she asked 
major damage. I had one artery known as 

me how I was, I said, "I'm terrible today." 
the "Widow Maker" that was 90% blocked, 

That got her attention, and she came and 

which seemed to be a very serious thing. 

said, "What can I do to help?" 
Who knew I even had a heart, but doctors 

That is what I was waiting for, and so with 

are always right. 

a very somber tone of voice, I said, "Well, if 
Coming home from the hospital, I had all 

you want to help me feel better, you could 
kinds of medications to take twice a day, 

get me an apple fritter." 
and my blood pressure needed to be taken 

Unfortunately, it did not work, but at least 

twice a day as well. I didn't think all of this 

I tried. 

was necessary, but doctors are always right. 
I was sure looking forward to my doctor's 

Fortunate for me, The Gracious Mistress 

visit and getting the authoritative word 

of the Parsonage took over as my in-house 

from him. Until then, someone else in 

medical supervisor. Please do not ask me 

the house had that word, and it certainly 

what that means because I have no idea. 

wasn't me. 

She took care of all of my medication every 
day as well as taking my blood pressure. 

I am not very trusting of doctors these 
days. I don't know if they get it right or not. 

I had no obvious after effects of this heart 

I don't depend upon them because I know 

attack, and I seem to be doing just fine. 

a doctor can make a mistake. Sometimes a 
The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 

mistake is worse than the illness. But I take 
several times a day would ask me, "How do 

things as they come and try to think them 
you feel today?" 

through before making a decision. 
The first time she asked this, I smiled and 

Then, the day of my doctor's appointment 
chirped, "I feel with my fingers." 

arrived. 
This was supposed to be a joke, but I was 

After I went through all of the examinathe 
only one who got it, and the other per


tions that doctors like him usually do, he 
son in our residence did not think it was 

looked at my results, and said, "You're fine, 
very funny. 

you're doing good." 
"Stop joking around," she would say every 

When he said that, I looked at him, smiled 
day, "How are you feeling today?" 

and said, "Doctor, can I have that in 
writing?" 

Then I would say, "I'm fine." 
He laughed at me and then left the room, 

"No, you're not," she said. "You just had a 

and I went home. 

heart attack, so you're not doing fine." 
The first thing The Gracious Mistress of 

I'm not sure what it would take to convince 

the Parsonage said when I walked in the 

her I am doing fine. So, I came up with an 

house was, "What did the doctor say?" 

idea that did not work. 
I've been waiting for this moment for a 

"Because of the wonderful work and care 

long time and I was going to savor every 

you have given to me," I said as cheerfully 

delicious moment. 

as possible, "I'm doing fine." Then I would 
smile back at her and say, "Thank you for 

"My dear," I said as soberly as possible, try-
all your care." 

ing to hide chuckles, "the doctor said I was 
fine and doing good, and doctors never 

No matter what I do, I can never get the 

lie." Then I splashed a laugh all over the 

upper hand. 

place. It was one of my finest moments. 
I am not quite sure how a person is sup-

I do not often win like this, but I have 

posed to feel after a heart attack because I 

learned that it takes a lot of work to get 

did not feel any different than before. 

to one win. For me one win is worth the 
A six-month doctor appointment was 

effort. 
coming up, and I was hoping he could give 

While I was enjoying my win, I thought of 

me a good report. But, until then, I was at 

a Bible verse. “Let us not lose heart in doing 

the discretion of my wife. 

good, for in due time we will reap if we do 
Every morning it became the same routine. 

not grow weary” (Galatians 6:9). 
"How are you doing today? And don't tell 

It’s very easy to lose heart and I’ve done it 

me you're fine." 

often. The key to all this is, don’t give up, 
Of course, I could lie to her and manipu


be diligent and sow the right seeds. 

late her to do things for me. That did cross 
my mind, but then I realized that eventually, 
she would find out, and payday would 

Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the 
Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone 
1-352-216-3025, e-mail jamessnyder51@ 

come. 

I would always say, "I'm good today." 

gmail.com, website www.jamessnyderminis


tries.com. 

I did not say I'm fine, but that still did not 

settle with her, and she scoured at me and 
went back into the kitchen. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 
Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com