Monday, January 7, 2008

Pushing four miles before dinner

This is day seven of my walking new year. Nearly four miles walked and the sun hasn't gone down yet. Tomorrow I look at the scale and no matter the result, I still have 51 more weeks to go in 2008. How did I get started down this path?

I just decided that I really need to make health more of a priority and walking is something 99% of us can do. So, if I can do it, you can do it, too. I sit a lot and I can feel a huge difference because I'm getting up and walking at least a few times a day. Maybe that's my metabolism getting in gear...

I also know that I'm about 90 lbs. heavier than I was when I met my honey, Marianne, in the 80's. I thought of myself as "husky" from a fairly young age. I don't think you could call me slender after about second grade, but that husky label was a disservice. Even wrestling my freshman year in high school I thought of myself that way, but really, that wasn't close to where I'm at now and many people probably thought I was in fine shape. I kept thinking of myself as heavy until I made it really come true.

Our son, Stuart, will be in college in August or September of 2009 and it will be great to be in much better shape by the time he graduates from high school. We've talked about him being an old man and me being an old, old man in our rocking chairs someday and I would like to be there when that happens.

While I was thinking about New Year's resolutions, my brother was going to the hospital late New Year's Eve with pancreatitis and he was there for days. He's only 51, but he was in incredible pain. I know he can do better, but he'll have to restrict his diet and at least walk on a regular basis. No beer for a long time, if ever, if he wants to make sure that pain doesn't come back. I'm almost 45 and I want to be in a lot better shape when I get to 46, let alone 51.

My honey wants me to be around for a long time, too. And, as someone who enjoys public speaking, this journey will give me more to talk about. Last but not least, I do care about people having better lives, so if I can write about this and some of you find it encouraging enough to make positive changes in your lives, I'm doing more of what I'm supposed to do while I'm here.

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Starting with this post, I'll include a link that I find important or interesting "underneath" the title of the post. Take a peek or ignore it - your choice. Click today to find one of the most important designers in the world. William McDonough is helping us design a more living, livable and lasting world. He's also involved with the Make It Right Foundation, which is helping New Orleans build houses the right way for a healthier planet.

Walking with Mellow, talking with Denny

I was out with my dog, Mellow, a few minutes ago and my neighbor, Denny, and I started talking. I urged him as I urge all of you to walk more in 2008 and beyond. He related that he had just committed to a gym and it occurred to him that we all need to walk more. I agree.

I encourage you to walk 40 minutes more each day than you are currently walking. If you believe you can't walk that much, what about 30 minutes? Stretch yourself. I absolutely do not believe that you can't find 20 or 30 or 40 minutes to walk. If you have to, you can do it 10 minutes three or four times a day until you figure out how to schedule in the time to walk. Do it now. Get up and walk outside, or if you must, walk inside. Walk!

You can record how much you walk by visiting Lime.com and registering with them. Visit my walking log by clicking on the title of this post. You'll probably want a pedometer. I bought one last summer and I'm sure you can find one between five and 20 dollars. Mine records my steps and I went out to Palomar college to find out how big my steps are. Actually, I found out that 575 of my steps equals one quarter mile so 2300 is one mile. You can do it. Go!