Sunday, July 24, 2011

Day 205 - 10K

Want to know how to drive your downstairs neighbor nuts? Sign up in a step program at work where your challenge is to walk at least 10,000 steps, or 5 miles per day. Of course, it's not the challenge that will drive your neighbor nuts, rather your execution of it. What do I mean? Well, for the past 3 years I've been afraid to do any heavy/active workout video or game playing (Wii console) because I didn't want to stomp all over my floor, which is someone elses ceiling. I've tried to be considerate of the noise I create as I never know what my neighbor's sleep pattern might be, but give me a challenge that I'm dead set on obtaining, and that sure goes out the window!

Picture it. I arrive home after a long day and look down at my pedometer to read, "9,320" steps. What? I need 10,000!!! Now, let the jogging in place while I brush my teeth begin! This of course opens the doorway to jog in place while I pack my gym bag as well. These two activities only add another few hundred steps, so it's at this point I decide to run circles around my living room. Did I mention that it was after eleven o'clock, at night? Said circular running activity of course leads my two cats to scatter to the dining room and look on from afar, assessing that I've obviously gotten into their catnip. After twenty laps or so, I go back to the bedroom and jog in place while unmaking the bed (yes, I actually make mine, most days!) and upon finally looking down see the magic number, "10, 020". YES! Mission accomplished! Hopefully there's no permanent damage to the neighbor or my cats!




Why 10K a Day?
•Every minute of walking can extend your life by 1.5 to two minutes.
•Helps manage weight
•Decreases risk of heart attack
•Lowers your risk of stroke
•Boosts good cholesterol
•Lowers stress levels
•Improves sleep

3 comments:

  1. Do 10k steps really deliver?

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  2. I kinda want to get one... but I'm scared that I'll become completely obsessive; just another component to the eating disorder.

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  3. Hey Erin - thanks for the comments! Wanting to reach a certain number can definitely become addictive/obsessive (hence this post!). The biggest benefit I think using a pedometer is that it's allowed me to see how inactive I am at times. Meaning, I feel like dog training is a very active job, but in reality my pedometer only shows about 3-4,000 steps at the end of the day. So using the pedometer tells me that, "No Lynn, you really shouldn't "treat" yourself to that mega-burger and fries" today!

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