Pressing On

7.5

Whew... where did two months go? The world has turned upside down in just 8 weeks, and yet it might make more sense now than it did before. Slowing down, and totally changing perspective on what it ‘normal’ can be a good thing.

Hopefully you are weathering the global coronavirus response in a measured and compassionate way. Extraordinary times can require an extraordinary response, and out of that we’re sure to grow.

How’s your pantry? If ever there was a challenge to our eating and activity habits, it is now. With 7+ weeks of quarantine and counting, knowing how to stock a healthful, life-giving pantry is crucial. Thankfully, we have been able to keep all our staples on hand, and our whole crew is healthy.

When it comes to physical activity, remember great sites like Darebee.com, CrossFit.com and Spartan.com. There are months worth of healthful workouts available to keep you toned, fit, and challenged, and maybe thriving more than if you were going to the gym.

For me, I’m 5 months into my 1000 running goal for 2020. I picked up a side goal of 100 miles in a month (which I completed for April, today). I’m also going to do 100 miles in a week, likely next month in May, just to see if I can do it. My average resting heart rate is down to around 48-50... so there are definitely benefits to an active running habit.

Make every effort to lean into these strange and unprecedented times. While it is unsettling and even scary, press on in a confident way, and try to savor the time away from the old normal, while leaning into the new normal.

By the Way

Do what you can to establish a regular body weight training regimen. I think the social distancing we’re under will definitely teach us that we never needed a weight machines and spin classes. Find your own groove, keep it interesting and varied, and stick to it.

Burpees and Calories

6.21

Soon enough it will be the holidays, and we'll be treated to the joys and foods that make holiday celebrations so memorable. With all the festivities come calories and loads of inflammatory foods that our bodies would do better without. But there are some simple disciplines we can put in place to help.

The reality is, our body weight comes down to basic calories-in-calories-out calculations. Our caloric needs change as we age, and it is different for men and women, but to maintain our current weight, our nutritional food intake needs to yield a zero-sum with our activity. If we favor food, we gain weight; if we favor activity, we lose weight.

Try out this great calorie calculator from Mayo Clinic - it shows the estimated calories you need to maintain the weight you are, based on current height, weight, age and activity level.
Click here for the calorie calculator

My Garmin tells me I burn about 2700 calories a day, mainly because I do 40 minutes of functional training on weekdays, and 1-2 hour workout-run sessions on Saturdays and Sundays. On a heavy workout day when I'm also cutting the lawn, that might be a 3500+ calorie day...

The point is, we only need to get our bodies moving to burn some calories. Walking is a great, low-impact activity to burn calories. So it swimming. So are burpees! Burpees are one of the best all-body exercises (arms, core, legs, plus coordination, and aerobic stamina.)

Spartan did a great article a few weeks ago about how many burpees are needed to overcome our less-than-healthy food choices. Check out the article here.

This is a great time of the year to incorporate simple activity disciplines with our healthy eating choices. The foundation we build now will serve us well a few months from now when holiday festivities are everywhere, and that foundation will serve us well for a lifetime.

By the Way

There are innumerable activity calculators that show calories burned with certain activities. Try out one today to see how much activity will get you some good burn. Here's one from www.healthyeater.com  - click here for the calculator.

Barefoot and Grounded

5.18

Some time ago I posted about 'grounding' or 'earthing' as a way to combat inflammation in our bodies, and bring us back into connection with the natural electrical ground we get from contact with the Earth. Check out the link for those details.

I have been bringing grounding into my life a bit more lately, because some months ago I bought my first pair of 'barefoot' running shoes. You may also hear these called 'zero drop' shoes. The point is that there is no height difference between the heel and the rest of the sole of the shoe (think flip flops or plain sandals.)

The benefits of barefoot or zero-drop shoes appear to be numerous, and are new enough to shoe technology that there is more to be written on the topic. For now, zero drop shoes are recognized as bringing your feet, ankles and legs (along with all the related joints) into a more natural form of walking and running.

The 'barefoot' trail running shoes I bought have been great. I never had knee or joint issues, and rarely had calf cramps, and such, so there really wasn't anything for me to measure or overcome. But long story short, the Merrell Trail Glove 4 running shoes have served me very well through dozens of miles of running, a half marathon, and two Spartan races.

Are barefoot shoes for everyone? Some would say "absolutely!"... and so is walking barefoot. Other specialists contend that significant walking barefoot causes poor foot and joint health. I tend to disagree, and figure it all works together (fix your diet, build up your activity level, start going barefoot for walking and running, and you'll probably be good to go.)

So think about some healthier footwear next time you are shoe shopping, and consider flats, or sandals or some zero-drop shoes. You may walk right into a new and better part of your wellness lifestyle.

By the Way

Some great brands of barefoot shoes and zero-drop shoes are Merrell (mostly running and trail), VivoBarefoot (great selection, but a bit pricey), and Xero Shoes (originators of great minimalist shoes).
And remember that our bodies get all kinds of benefits from simply going barefoot in our daily life.

A Good Run

3.31

About six years ago I started focusing on healthy choices, both in what I ate and my level of activity. The years have gone by fast, a lot has changed and continues to change, and I like to think I've created some good, healthful habits that will sustain me for decades to come. One of those habits I enjoy is running - it's become a renewable adventure that I look forward to as the seasons and years go by.

I started running in 2012 when our older son ran cross-country in middle school. I went to a few 'open' practices in the summer, learned some basics from my son, and began the glorious struggle that is running. It feels like such a natural part of my life now, that I'm surprised it's only been four years.

What's great about a fitness habit is that it can be as full of adventure as you want. There are always new venues, new stretches, new workout buddies, as well as mastering the fundamentals of whatever your choice of exercise may be. To me, that freshness will keep things interesting for many years, and all I have to do is keep an open mind and willingness to change things up.

I've been challenged and privileged to do a lot of business travel in the last 6 or so years, all around the country. Being away for business comes with downtime that I like to fill with a good run or workout. I've had great runs in Las Vegas (right on the strip), Dallas, Atlantic City (on the boardwalk), Tubac, AZ (near the border with Mexico), Boston, Seattle, National Harbor (outside of Washington DC), and most recently in Indianapolis.

I have a fairly high sense of adventure, so I'm not put off by running in an unfamiliar city - I actually like wending my way through a busy metro area, learning about the downtown as I go. And most of the time, I'm joining plenty of other locals and visitors who are doing the same thing, out for a early morning or late evening run, because they are focused on their health.

How about you? Do you enjoy a good workout, or walk or bike ride or hike so much that you are drawn to the next adventure to do it? A consistent level of physical activity will yield a lifetime of health benefits, and the best time to begin is today. Get up and get moving and soon enough you too will have a fun and regenerative habit to add to your wellness.

By the Way

A great way to solidify your workout routine is to have a fitness buddy. Even if you can't find the right time to run or hike or workout together, just sharing the stories, accomplishments and challenges of your physical activity will help to keep you both sharp, engaged and growing in your wellness.

Find Your Energy

3.11
It's training season! I started my 2016 running last month... do you have a _________ season? (walking, jogging, biking, hiking, running, weight training?) With the days getting longer and warmer weather on the way, it's the right time to get outside and engage the season to invest in our wellness. When we do, we often catch a groove of stamina and focus that springs from the fresh air, and the feel-good enzymes and hormones generated by your workout. It may not always work, though...

I was out for a 'long' run on Sunday, and about a mile in, I couldn't believe how drained I felt. Have you ever felt that way? I had run almost 6 miles late on Saturday and ate some birthday treats at a family party Saturday night... and here I was paying for it Sunday morning, the day I was supposed to do about 10 miles.

1-2 miles in, my legs were already yelling at me, and by 4-5 miles in I was basically ready to pack it in. And in recent years, I 'never' pack it in - I've been very resolved that once I begin my runs, I'm in it for the distance I had planned to run. And no walking during the run, either. I felt like I was wimping out, but I just had this thick, dragging, tired, worn-out feeling dogging me. And I couldn't shake it.

So about 6 miles in (and still 4 miles from home on the return leg of my run) I actually walked about 3-4 minutes. Then I ran some more. And then I walked some more. It was a brisk March morning, and I couldn't believe how refreshing it felt taking a bit of a break in my run. Every time I started back running, I had a good amount of energy to go at it again... until I didn't. And then I walked some more.

All in all, I ran about 8 1/2 miles Sunday morning, and walked a bunch in between. But it turned out to be a good run, and a great investment of my time and effort. Looking back, I probably needed a bit more recovery time from Saturday night, or just a shorter run Sunday morning (and it would have helped to skip the birthday treats...) Any of these things would have helped me find the energy I needed for Sunday morning.

How about you? If you find you're coming up short on energy this season, mix it up and see what helps. Maybe a bit more recovery time, or a better diet or just an appropriate break in the midst of your workout. Stepping back from our physical activity for a bit may give just the perspective we need to help us dig in and get back at it.

By the Way

If you don't yet have a step goal in your wellness journey, start today. Get a pedometer and set a simple goal of 5,000 steps a day and see how you do over a week, and then a month. Once you can consistently hit that goal, add 10% (another 500 steps) a day, and work at that for a while. Keep doing this and in no time at all you'll be at the much touted 10,000 steps a day, and you'll be giving your body a blessing.

Simple Wellness - Get Moving

3.8
Can't Sit Still
Eighth post in a Simple Wellness series

After a few short runs and logging about 6 miles total this year, I got out for a real run (two actually) today.** It was great to be out on the road and launch my running for 2016. I have about 4 weeks to prepare for the first organized run of the season (a 5-miler) and two weeks after that is my first half-marathon of the season.

Why do I bring this up? Because getting our bodies moving is vital to our wellness journey. Experts would say we need about 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week. The American Heart Association supports the guide of 10,000 steps a day as a target for consistent physical activity. For me, I've found that some simple goals throughout the year keep me active enough to maintain my wellness.

The point is, regular physical activity can't be a phase or a fad or just something nice to hope for. Our lives are at stake. Our bodies are meant to move, to be physically pushed on some regular basis, and to be taxed with some movement on a daily basis.

I've noted about lymphatic circulation in Power Pantry before. and how vigorous physical activity is basically the only way lymph fluid circulates through our bodies, filtering and eliminating toxins from our bloodstream. Without vigorous physical movement like walking, running, and other 'cardio' activities, the toxins stay in our tissues. Stored toxins in our fat and organs wait to do damage over time as they build up. 

If you find life has gotten sedentary, start by setting some simple goals. Get a pedometer and consistently log 2,000 or 3,000 steps a day. Once you do that for several weeks, bump the level a couple of thousand steps. As your body moves toxins out of your system, there's a good chance you'll find energy you haven't had in a long time, and a growing desire for additional physical movement. That's a great virtuous cycle, and a strong underpinning of simple wellness.

Get moving today. Don't put it off... I know how hard it is to find the motivation, and we can find ourselves asking, "why am I doing this?" daily. But soon you'll turn some corners physically and mentally. Your body will thank you, and it will reward you by feeling better. From that motivation, you can build toward 10,000 steps a day or more, and you'll be on your way to wellness.

**By the Way

Even though I just started my running for this season, I've been logging a lot of activity for months. Some time ago, I set my step goal at 15,000 steps a day, and I've been doggedly pursuing that every day since (through jumping jacks, burpees, mountain-climbers, jumping rope, running-in-place, etc.). Some days I don't get there; many days I do.

Combine that with a lot of core work (planks, crunches) and upper-body workouts, and I'm in fairly good shape. Problem is, I may not be in the right shape for running, but the season is young... 

Take a Hike

2.74
It's funny to me how dog owners are well programmed to walk their dogs daily, as a healthy routine for Fido, and because it's the right thing to do as a pet owner. Yet, a majority of our US population don't get the recommended amount of physical activity (aerobic or strength training) suggested by the CDC. It's great that we're so good to our dogs (about 40% of dog owners walk their dogs regularly) and I'm not sure why we don't translate that better into our own lives.

I think it is a matter of inertia, or momentum. If our day is done and we're "at rest", we tend to stay at rest and skip any exercise. Or if our mornings are consumed with getting the day started, and kids off to school and getting our own work underway, then it's easy to let another day go by without getting our blood pumping.

My remedy? Do something! I was away for a few days at a conference and I had to challenge my boundaries some to get in a workout. We were at a retreat center in the woods, so there was no fitness gym, and no tall stair towers for running the stairs... there were a lot of trails, though.

What I settled on were numerous walks in the woods, before the day started, and at break times and even one hike in the dark. It was a good challenge, and I got through rain and wind and slippery, wet leaves just fine. I even had the chance to see 8 turkeys and one blue heron that I scared up from their nighttime roosts. Very cool...

There is always something we can find to get our pulse up and to put in a daily workout. All we need to do is do it. So try getting creative for new way(s) to break a sweat, and grab a friend to go with you. I'm sure you'll be glad you did.

By the Way

I had posted last year that full-body active exercise is necessary to get our lymph system going. Our lymph glands need physical movement to 'pump' the lymphatic fluids throughout our bodies, to grab toxins and return them to our liver and kidneys for elimination. Don't miss the value of this vital function... all we need to do is get moving.

Training Update

2.22
I've been training for my first half marathon, and feel like I'm way behind. While I've been doing fairly well on my pedometer and 'active minutes' on my Fitbit, I haven't really been logging enough miles. I admit I'm a weather wimp when it comes to running in the rain or winter conditions.

There's no looking back now, though. I'm signed up for a 5 mile run in two weeks, and the half marathon the next weekend after. And I'm really looking forward to these! I love the challenge and the thrill of doing something which seems way beyond me, and (hopefully) succeeding anyway. I just
need to do the icing on the cake, which is to get my miles up to 10+ miles a day for about 3 days a week.

Mind you, I'm not going to do anything (too) crazy. There is no reason to risk life and limb just to finish a half marathon. Some wise running counsel would suggest that you combine brief walking breaks in your run, if you're not accustomed to the demanding longer distances of half and full marathons. Sounds good to me...

I typically run a 9:45 to 10:00 minute mile. That's not a bad pace, and not a good pace either. But in my mid-40's, I'm more than satisfied with that, and will try to maintain that timing for this half-marathon. We'll see.

I had a half marathon on my list of things to do in 2014, and it didn't make it to the top of my list. Now that I'm putting it out there, though, it creates enough focus and accountability that I know I'm more apt to see it through. And frankly, I really like running, so it will actually be enjoyable for me to finish off this training and complete the half.

Do you have some big challenge  you've been picking at, like me? Maybe it's time to make an imperfect plan and tackle the issue. It doesn't have to motivate anyone but you, and if you start today, it probably will. That's what a power pantry wellness-lifestyle is all about.

By the Way

I tried something kind of dumb and definitely out of the norm this weekend. Because I'm feeling behind on my training, I wanted to step it up a bit, and decided to go out for a run with extra weight. Thirty pounds of extra weight. I know serious (Olympic) athletes do things like pulling weight sleds and diving for tractor tires in the deep end of the pool. The point is to tax your body well beyond the normal exertion of the upcoming run. Well, I certainly did tax myself. I actually logged about 1.2 miles carrying 2-15 pound dumbbells... but now that I think about it, maybe I was the dumbbell.

A Good Pal

1.75
A couple of months ago I got a Fit Bit Zip tracker, and I'm now just about acclimated to the feedback it provides and finding the time and energy to keep it happy. What I like about wearable trackers is that they don't lie. I have great days where I'm busy and active and log 17,000 steps, and other days where I'm lucky to crack 6,000 steps (like today - I'm totally blowing my averages...)

If you don't yet have a good quality, wearable tracker, maybe the holidays is a time to put it on your wish list (and talk it up with family) in the hopes you'll get one in your stocking. I have found that just keeping the tracker with me daily, and downloading and reviewing my stats, gives me enough motivation to go do something every day. Another cool feature with Fit Bit is the weekly progress email they send. This email shows me what I've accrued for steps and any other things I've tracked (manually).



With daily tracking in mind, I was encouraged to get an email from our wellness folks at work which highlighted some top apps to help us survive the holidays in a healthful way. Here is one of them which appears to do really well at encouraging physical activity and healthful eating:
My Fitness Pal- www.myfitnesspal.com

The holidays are a wonderful time to enjoy relationship and connection and family traditions. But having these bountiful, yearly interactions doesn't have to come at the expense of our power pantry journey. I think there is plenty of benefit and opportunity to do both. So keep that tracker on your Christmas list, and let it enhance your power pantry choices. It keeps physical activity top-of-mind, and that's the best way to survive the holidays with your hard-fought health intact.

By the Way

I like that My Fitness Pal has a ton of apps to connect to a variety of trackers. I can download the Fit Bit app for it and the Fitness Pal food tracking then integrates with my physical activity stats recorded by my Zip tracker. Very cool... check out their web site and see if it might work for you.

Time for a Walk

1.65
Fall is my favorite time of year... time for the harvest, saying goodbye to the summer heat, and looking forward to the reset of long winter nights. It is also a great time to get outside and enjoy the sights and smells of the change of seasons. Have you been out for a leisurely walk lately? Have you taken the time to detach a bit, breath deeply, and get some great, slow-paced exercise?

As we work on our wellness choices and power pantry additions and deletions, we need to consider our physical activity as well. Experts (like the American Heart Association and the CDC) suggest 150 minutes a week of aerobic / cardio exercise (like a brisk walk or bicycling), and some form of strength training (legs, chest, biceps, core, etc.) on at least two days a week. If we can do something (get out and take ourselves for a walk) several days a week, that is at least a start to meeting these simple weekly goals of physical activity.

Make the commitment to regular physical activity, as part of your wellness lifestyle choices. You can plan a short in-home workout (knee bends, push ups, running in place, stretching, crunches...) or if you have the time and money budgeted, get a membership at the gym. The vital encouragement here is to do something.You'll be glad you did.

By the Way

Always remember that responsible dog owners take Fido for a couple of walks a day, and the vet says that's how it should be for Fido's joints to stay healthy and digestion to function well. If it's good for our dogs, why isn't the same advice just as valuable for us? Give it a shot this fall and take time for a walk.

A Great Fit

1.55
I posted last week about needing a new pedometer because yet another one of mine died. Thankfully, I found just the solution on Monday. The Fitbit Zip is a good starter device for the 'higher end' trackers that are out there. This is a pedometer on steroids, as it tracks, in real time, your steps, an estimate of calories burned, miles covered, and intensity of activity. You can log food consumed, various physical activity besides steps, your weight, sleep, heart rate, blood pressure and even glucose level. To make it even more cool, the Zip will sync with your Fitbit profile online and chart all your results to the hour and/or date. Very cool.

Now I have all this data accumulating in the background, able to show what times of the day I'm more active and when I'm not, how many steps I'm logging, and the intensity of my physical exertion. It's interesting to see the ebb and flow of activity: when I'm around the house in the morning, especially when I have time for my workout, then while I'm at work, and later when I'm home again. Seeing the data on bar graphs is valuable because it gives a real representation of when I'm expending energy.

There is also something interesting to me. I was a bit surprised to see that it logs calories being burned while we're sleeping. Once I thought about it, it made perfect sense. Even when we're sleeping, we're still burning a minimal amount of calories. As I sit here at 11pm, I've burned an estimated 2,260 calories so far today. Hmmm... my burn seems to be passing my intake today... maybe I better get some dessert.

So this has opened up a whole new world for me. It's still in the glowy phase, and I'm sure the interest and shine will settle into something more normal and sustainable before too long. But for now, I'm intrigued and enjoying my new whiz-bang gadget.

If you haven't taken the plunge for tracking your steps, maybe it's time you gave it a shot - it's a great complement to your power pantry lifestyle. You can get a very reasonably priced pedometer, some as affordable as $5, and you're on your way. Once you see the thousands of steps accruing by simple efforts like taking the stairs and parking a bit further from the store entrance, I think you might catch the fit bug as well.

By the Way

What made my Fitbit purchase even sweeter is that I found it half-price at Target. I've heard that they will sell Fitbit trackers at deep discounts when a newer model comes out. Mine happens to be from 2012, but I can't tell any difference from the 2014 full price models. So I got a cool gadget for cheap - that's a great deal.

Step by Step

1.52
Another pedometer of mine died yesterday, and I'm already missing the real time reporting of steps throughout my day. I've been using a pedometer for about 3 years now, and very consistently for about the last year and a half. Why? I know that daily movement is vital to our health, circulation and stamina. And having some kind of guideline or means of tracking is vital to knowing what kind of day we're having. The bummer is that the affordable pedometers I buy last about 6 to 9 months.

Did you know it is recommended that we log 9,000 to 10,000 steps a day? The origins of that level of activity go back to the 1960's in Japan where they marketed an early pedometer for walking clubs, called a "manpo-kei", which means '10,000 steps meter'. Numerous studies have agreed that 10,000 steps a day, or enough to burn about 500 calories, is a great target for physical activity.

Pedometers have actually been around for hundreds of years. Leonardo Da Vinci conceived of one for military use, and Thomas Jefferson had working models that he may have actually invented. See this Wikipedia article for other great facts about pedometers: Pedometers on Wikipedia.

The sad thing is that most Americans log between about 500 and 3,000 steps a day. We're much too sedentary as a society, and the solution is as simple as taking yourself for a walk. (All responsible dog owners know that Fido needs to get out for a walk one or more times a day, so why don't we insist on the same level of care for ourselves?) If you're convicted to increase your number of steps and physical activity, simply stage your step count incrementally higher until you are consistently where you need to be.

Nowadays I find myself logging 7,000 to 16,000 steps a day, and the great thing is that everything counts: walking from the car to the office, climbing the stairs wherever possible, cutting the grass. I even stand at my desk - that's an interesting issue for a future post. For now, consider increasing your activity to get something close to 10,000 steps. You'll be glad you did.

By the Way

I'm now shopping for my next pedometer. I'll be so glad to have that daily reminder and encouragement for activity. Many of the simpler pedometers can be purchased for well under $20. You can also get into more technical models like the Jawbone Up, or Fitbit (with three models to choose from). These are high-tech and quite sophisticated, allowing you to track everything from steps to sleeping time to food, as well as other physical activity. You can even 'compete' against friends and family members who have the same device as you. What a great way to integrate physical activity and movement into our daily routine. Here's to stepping up!

Vital Movement

1.41
I'm thankful for a habit of regular exercise that I've had for over 20 years. Thankful because it's so hard to teach an old dog new tricks. Because exercise is a habit for me, I don't need to think about it; being active just comes naturally. What I didn't know until a few years ago is that there are three primary components to exercise which are really vital to a balanced and reproducible regimen. I also learned that a wellness lifestyle really requires some kind of regular physical activity to compliment a power pantry and improved choices.

Here are the three vital components to an exercise program:

• Flexibility - stretching, loosening of joints and muscles groups, which helps prevent injuries and maintain range of motion and reduces stiffness. Includes toe touches, windmills, reaching for the sky, calf and thigh stretches, hip and shoulder stretches, etc.
• Strength - concentrated exertion where you work specific muscle groups, which builds  and tones muscle. Includes push ups, pull ups, squats (deep knee bends), lifting weights, crunches, etc.
• Cardio - general exertion to increase heart-rate and build overall endurance. Includes jumping jacks, running (including running-in-place), jumping rope, etc.

Sounds simple enough. The key to applying these three elements in a regular workout is to do something. I've always done a simple workout at home with sets of push-ups, crunches, squats, and now with stretching and running in place. The difference in the last several years is that I organize my brief workouts better in my mind, and can maintain consistent, injury-free exercise patterns for years on end. I used to leave out the flexibility part, and overdo strength training, which resulted in strained muscles and stiff joints.




Don't forget that things like walking the dog, cutting the grass, scrubbing the floors and vacuuming all count toward a daily exercise goal. A simple goal of 15 minutes of exercise a day, four or five times a week, gets you a valuable hour or more of physical activity every week. So get moving, and enhance your wellness lifestyle and the effectiveness of your power pantry.

By the Way

Cardio and endurance exercise also serves another vitally important function: it is great for the lymphatic system. Our lymphatic system is the body's waste collector and garbage stream, carrying away toxins and cleaning cells while supplying them with nutrients.The only way the lymphatic system can 'pump' is through physical activity. Literally the movement of our arms, legs, torso, and our body movement in general, keeps lymph fluid coursing through our bodies, doing its good work. Things like running, jumping rope, jumping jacks and 'rebounding' (jumping on a small trampoline) are especially beneficial forms of cardio for the lymphatic system. Jump to it.

An Extra 11 Miles

1.13
Eleven miles seems like a long way to walk... and it is. But if there was a simple way to add an extra 11 miles to your year, would you be interested? I've had a habit of parking 'away from' the entrance to stores and malls and offices, including the office where I work. It wasn't until recently that I actually figured out what those additional steps yield.


The parking lot where I work isn't that big, and the walk from the back edge to the front door is about 40 yards. If you multiply that times the number of trips back and forth over a year, you literally end up with eleven miles in a year! (From the car to the office door and back on about 250 working days of the year). I have rerun the numbers over and over because it was hard for me to imagine that it equaled over 11 miles.



When we choose to live a wellness lifestyle, there are practical, simple investments, and small sacrifices which we can make to benefit our lives immensely. The simple act of walking an additional 40 yards, a couple times a day, pays a big dividend in physical activity. And when you're at the mall, it saves a bunch of time: instead of cruising the parking aisles looking for the illusory open spot right next to the main entrance, just park where there's an open space and walk.


Some other movement generators:

• cut the grass with a push mower (or better yet, an old-fashioned reel mower)
• grab your gloves and a bucket and weed the flower beds instead of using weed killers
• the old standard of taking the stairs instead of the elevator / escalator 
• hand saw some boards for a home project (instead of a circular saw, etc.) or chop some wood instead of renting a splitter
• in winter, shovel show instead of using the snow blower
• hand scrub some floors instead of using a mop or swiffer

(why does all this sound a bit Amish...hmmm, they're usually pretty healthy, though...)

You get the idea. It can be quite physically rewarding to invest a bit of each day doing something to move, flex and stretch our bodies instead of using a power tool or shortcut to do it. It really isn't a big deal in the moment, but it sure does add up over time. So what simple activity can you add to your day?

By the Way

Ben (son #1) and I are signed up for our first run of the season: the Sauder Egg Run on 4/19. This will be our 3rd year participating. It is a 5 mile run, and right in Lititz - simple enough. The greatest benefit to me is that it creates a specific goal to train for. Without something like this on the calendar, I would find 10 reasons to not get out and train. With it on the calendar, I stay motivated to eat better and get running. I even get out with 2 or 3 of our kids for training runs (Ben running with me and Joe and Becca biking along with us.) It is a worthwhile investment of time and energy. What training goals do you have on your calendar?