10,000 Steps

10,000 Steps – do you know how long it takes to accomplish that in one day? Have you ever had a goal and needed to walk a certain amount of steps per day? Did you make it?

I bring this up because in previous blogs I have mentioned that I am participating in my company’s “Walk to Paris” challenge. We are teams of 10 and we need to walk 7,290,000 steps in three months. We officially began the challenge on Friday, March 23rd and it will end 90 days later. We have been given pedometers that we synchronize weekly to log our steps; and, each morning the pedometer resets itself to 0.

We were given three days to begin walking and get acclimated to the amount of time it would take us to walk. We don’t actually have to do 10,000 steps a day; but, each member has to do 8,200 steps a day and then we would accomplish the 7,290,000 steps.

I am sure that most of you feel that you walk the requisite 10,000 steps per day (what all Doctors and Medical community recommend); but, let me tell you if you have an office position YOU DO NOT. Worse still if you work from home I know for a fact that you don’t.

Just before we began the challenge I worked from home one day – guess how many steps I did? Just over 1,000 – are you kidding me??? It just shows that when I am working from home – I am working. I am sitting in the corner of my couch with my laptop on my lap just typing away or on the phone on a conference call. I get up to go to the bathroom, get something to eat, throw out the garbage and get the mail.

This past week to ensure that I did not have such terrible numbers I walked around my neighborhood for 45 minutes - I did not go home until I already had my 8,200 steps and then any other steps did for the day would be gravy. I have become good friends again with my iPod and I have music urging me to continue the walk. When I get home I am soaking wet; but, exhilarated that I have completed the goal for the day.

On days when I am in the office I am discouraged because I am only averaging 4500 to 5000 steps. I am learning to take the long way to the restroom – but, that also means that I cannot wait until the last minute to go to the restroom which is my nature. The other day as I waited for the food truck to arrive I walked around our lobby trying to rack up my steps.

On the weekends I have no problems reaching my step goal – I don’t even have to walk around the neighborhood as I am able to complete them; actually exceed the 8200 step goal by just running my errands. And on the days when I have Zumba I can actually attain 6,000 steps just from the one hour of Zumba – Sundays I can easily have 11,000 to 12,000 steps done.

Am I seeing other benefits? YES, I have actually lost a pound. I haven’t changed my eating habits although I am going through my period of not being hungry again; but, I am attributing the weight loss to the walking.

Does this exercise require any special equipment? NO. Just a good pair of walking shoes or sneakers and whatever motivates you – for me it is music with a great beat. It always helps that there is a goal in mind – an all expense trip to Paris with the extra vacation time wouldn’t be bad either. If I hadn’t mentioned it the winners of the challenge will receive an all expense paid trip to Paris with additional vacation. We will also be able to buy a discounted airline ticket for someone we would like to take with us. Would it be nice to win – yes; however if we do not I would have incorporated a healthy habit into my life.

I will continue to walk, expand the music on my iPod and watch as my neighborhood changes from spring into summer. At the same time I hope to continue to reap the rewards of weight loss, stronger legs and a tighter derriere.

Find something you can enjoy, then JUST DO IT!!