Have you ever seen one of those ads featuring a product
that can change the oil in your car while baking a loaf of bread simultaneously allowing you to automatically check two items off your to do list on a Saturday morning? While this may be quite an embellishment in
real life, how many times have you watched an infomercial and been left with no
clue as to the product being advertised, much less what you might do with it or
when you could possibly put it to use?
Let’s rewind the tape to early 2007 when a circuit board
in a wooden box helped to launch what grew to be a $4 billion company. Like any other finished product on the market, it may not
work for everyone, but fortunately, I have found it to be a tremendous help to
me.
Christmas Day 2015 I received a gift card, so I decided
to purchase my own step recording device. Prior to this, I had never really paid
much attention to how many steps I would have walked on any given day.
The benefits of walking only thirty minutes per day have
been touted by medical care providers, health care institutions, insurance
companies, sports enthusiasts, athletes, nutritionists, and the list goes on by the hour.
I would like to list just a few of the advantages of planning
to hit the dusty trail, sidewalk, asphalt, dirt road, green belt, or path of
your choice:
- Weight loss
- Increases bone density which
is a challenge for aging women
- Lowers risk of Type 2
Diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure
- Absorbing your 15 minutes of
outdoor Vitamin D
- Releases your body’s
endorphins so you can be a Happy Camper
- Improves your coordination
and balance
- Boosts circulation and oxygen
supply
- Strengthens your muscles
- Helps to prevent dementia
- If you are unable to afford
a gym membership or have health issues such as a suppressed immune system which
prevent you from attending the health club, walking is free!
- You can enjoy the scenery
and critters along the way
Having owned my new wrist
apparel now for just a short three months, a major surprise has been the
psychological aspect of it. One
definition of psychology is the mental
and emotional factors of governing a situation or activity. I am much more cognizant of my daily steps with an increased effort toward trying to achieve at least the number featured in the above photo.
I received a telephone call
from one of my relatives a few weeks ago.
About five minutes into the conversation, it sounded like he had entered
a tunnel. When inquiring as to his
whereabouts and what he was doing, he responded, “I am walking inside a large
store. I need to get my 10K steps in
today!” Alas, he’s dialed into the
psychological factor as well.
What was the most
challenging aspect of this whole exercise?
It’s probably not what you thought it might be. Stopping in the middle
of our living room when the device registered 10K to capture the picture was
more difficult than one might imagine!
