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Samantha Hayes Reporting Two Utah women who admit to being "out of shape" are leading the way in a new exercise. One weighs more than 300 pounds while the other has type-two diabetes. But those challenges, along with a sense of humor, helped them discover something called "Nordic Walking."
This is a total body workout, although at first Nordic Walking is a sport that looks like something is missing. Donna Mirabile and Elizabeth Foote are used to friendly jabs. They know their workout may look a little odd, but it does work. And with chronic medical problems, that's something both of them are excited about.
Elizabeth Foote, Nordic Walker: "The first time I did this I went out three times. My blood sugar dropped 20 points. So that got my attention. The fact my knees didn't hurt got my attention. I could breathe and talk while I did this and that got my attention."
The key to the workout is the walking stick, engineered by a company in Germany, the Leki has a rubber foot on the end that helps the women balance and reduces impact. Nordic Walking also burns more calories.
At 340 pounds, it's about the only exercise Donna Mirabile says she can do comfortably. She has lost weight and seen other health benefits.
Donna Mirabile, Nordic Walker: "My last blood pressure was 120 over 60; cholesterol went from 256 to 143."
Leki trained both women to instruct Nordic Walking, and their success was recently reported in the Wall Street Journal. Mirabile and Foote say it's exercising for the un-fit. And it turns out that's the biggest selling point!
