The Power Within… Just Change Your Mind

If Everyone Simply Walked

O.K. I know you’ve all been waiting patiently to hear what my brains cells have been stirring up for our next health and fitness challenge. I worry that you are at all curious about my brain cells, but subconsciously, through these articles, I know you truly are wondering what this woman can come up next. O.K, you asked! But first, I must pre-empt my thought patterns so that you all can join the same “page” that I’m on with my thinking about your fitness.

I recently decided to tackle a “pile” of magazines that have been occupying my floor for a number of months. I tend to save my favorite health and fitness magazines, planning to find the time to read them in the future. I figure they are always a great source for article topics, if I were to ever fall short. Anyhow, I quickly glanced at the covers of my “Health” magazines and on three consecutive magazines their primary article was about “Walking.” “Walking off belly fat,” “Walking for weight loss,” “Walking for life!”

Previously, about a month ago, one of my members and business associates offered to give me a whole bunch of pedometers that were never used. They’ve had them sitting in their business closet for a couple of years now and just happened to offer them to me. Hmmm…

A week ago, the Senior Center, which is a place near and dear to my heart, called me and asked if I’d be willing to be part of a “Fitness Kick-off.” It’s a walking program that they are starting at the beginning of June with the support of AARP.

Lastly, Bryon came home the other day and said to me, “did you hear what John McCain said in one of his speeches recently? “ If everyone in America would walk for 30 minutes a day, we’d have no health care issues in this country!” No, I didn’t hear that statement directly, but it was repeated to us through our members, maybe you heard it? Another hmmm!

So have you figured out what the summer challenge is going to be? It’s a challenge that everyone can do, no matter what or where you live! No matter how old or how young you are! No matter what your health and fitness levels are! No matter what vacations you have planned or what businesses you need to manage! It’s going to be a simple challenge with great rewards!

Your summer challenge is to walk! Yes, to simply walk! MedX will be beginning a three month walking challenge to take you through the summer! Over the next couple of weeks your goal is to sign-up at MedX for this challenge, there is a $10 entry fee and you must pick up an official “Walking Log” (which must be turned in, in order to qualify for the prize money). The top 3 finishers will win a split of 50% of the entry pot, with the remaining 50% going to a local charity of the overall winner’s choice!

If you do not already own a pedometer, we will give you one that has been donated by iii-image inhancement, inc. If you own your own pedometer, then simply use that pedometer (but you must still officially enter the challenge at MedX and pickup a log). Here’s the key, make sure that your pedometer measures your steps and not the miles you are walking. We all know that we have different stride lengths. So put your pedometer on your hip, clear it and then walk across the room counting your steps. Your pedometer should match the steps that you just took! Don’t worry about the miles or any other calculations! If the pedometer doesn’t match the steps that you just took, try putting the pedometer at a different location on your body (closer in or further out on your hip). If your pedometer ticks off 5 steps for every 1 step you take and there is no adjusting the location to make the steps accurate, then consider that pedometer bad and find one that works for this competition.

Research has shown (you might remember the “10,000 step challenge” that was so popular a number of years ago) that every step counts! So first thing in the morning put that pedometer on your hip and take it off the last step at night. Write down your steps every day and make sure that you are achieving the success that you want. Even during exercise classes, wear that pedometer and make the class count as well.

I know that walking counts! I know that walking works! I know walking reduces weight! I know that walking reduces stress! I know that walking improves health! I know that if everyone walked, there would be a lesser health care problem in our country!

Sign-up at MedX, between Monday, May 19th through May 31st. The challenge officially begins on June 1st and concludes on August 31st. Daily log recording is mandatory and must be turned in at the end of the challenge in order to be considered for prize money!

O.K. That’s what’s been happening in my brain cells!! Let’s do it, who wants to go for a walk?

Deborah Holmes

May 13, 2008