You may think that exercise equipment is too expensive or takes up too much space. Well maybe you already have some and don’t know it. You likely have a stepper. It’s right there, going between the floors of your house. Honest. It will work just like the machine. Maybe even better because it will actually take you somewhere! Try bringing in packages one at a time. Taking laundry downstairs piece by piece rather than filling up a basket full before heading down. Remember, when you weight less you’ll be carrying less too.
TODAY: GO UP AND DOWN THE STAIRS A FEW TIMES.
If you don’t get time to do a full workout, don’t give up. You only need 30 minutes a day, and it doesn’t have to all be at once. It only takes a mere 10 minutes at a time. Start with 10 when you wake up. 10 at lunch. And the last 10 in the evening, while watching TV is fine, or take a walk after dinner with your spouse or ride your bike with the kids. You may even have a basketball hoop at your house that has been ignored for a while. Take a few shots and dribble away some calories.
You get the idea. Now get motivated for a few minutes.
TODAY: GET 30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE.
Walking is good for your heart beat. It helps keep it beating! Studies ahow that mortality rates among retired men who walk less than one mile per day were nearly twice that among those who walked more than two miles per day. The health benefits and weight loss that comes from walking outweigh… you.
TODAY: WALK
They have now found that the benefits of any aerobic exercise lasts for an amazing 72 hours! It turns out that studies show that it helps your glucose levels and gets your metabolism revved up for three full days. Don’t get it in your mind that you can just skip a couple of days. But it means that if your schedule only gives you three days a week to ride your bike, run, fast walk, do a stepper, etc. you will be in much better shape but if you do more than that you’ll see more results. It also explains why on your day off you still feel better and feel better about yourself.
TODAY: WORK UP A SWEAT.
Yesterday I told you to dig out that pedometer you have. I know one is around your house somewhere. McDonald’s even gave them away just a few months ago. The reason to use the pedometer is to find out how much you usually move around each day just doing what you normally do. They say that we take an average of 5,000 steps. I think that’s a bit low. Or maybe the average person is really sedentary. It may be revealing for you to find out this benchmark for exercise.
The next goal is to simply step it up. Add 1,000 steps to your total. Then the next day add some more. You get the idea. Think of the little device as giving your fitness a treat. Maybe you could call it a “peds dispenser”.
TODAY: TAKE MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE NUMBER OF STEPS.
You probably have a pedometer in that drawer of stuff you ignore. Likely you put it on the day you got it and never again. It’s also likely that you simply didn’t see how it could be of any benefit. Well I have a plan for you to put it to work. You see we all get exercise every day without even knowing it. When you get up from the couch and walk to the refrigerator you get exercise. When you walk to the car to drive a block to the store you get some exercise. (I hope you see some of my sarchasm here.) To cut to the chase, (another pun) the average person takes about 5000 steps a day. But just like the car commercials say, “your mileage may vary.” So today dig out that pedometer and find out how many steps you are taking. Tomorrow we’ll take this plan one step further.
TODAY: DIG OUT A PEDOMETER YOU ALREADY HAVE, OR GO BUY A CHEAP ONE.
On this 41st Anniversary of the first moon landing, let’s use those famous words to get moving.
Here is some more walking data to chew on. Walking is great because anybody can do it. It doesn’t really take any special equipment other than comfortable shoes and a watch to keep track of your schedule. There is a proper way to get the most out of it though.
Start every walk by doing a few stretching exercises so you warm up your muscles for 5-10 minutes. Then hit the bricks. Walk at a brisk pace that will get your heart rate up a bit and generate a sweat. Do that for 30 minutes then slow down to an easy speed for 5 minutes to cool down. Then finish by doing a few more stretches before hitting the shower.
On a couple of days weekly (like weekends) walk twice as long. If you can’t do that yet, work up to it.
It’s important to remember that you should never take no more than 1 to 2 days off a week. Believe it or not, you’ll actually get hooked on the habit after 14 days.
It all starts with that first step. You’ll feel better, sleep better and make “one giant leap” to dieting success.
TODAY: DO I REALLY HAVE TO TELL YOU TO WALK AGAIN? I KNOW, I’M NAGGING.
Daily Nag, Exercise | Diet Nag | 
October 27, 2010 6:46 am | 
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