I like how Charlotte does these fitness experiments where she mixes things up. This is cool because let's face it, you cannot do just one exercise or routine for the rest of your life as it would bore you to tears.
The Great Walking Experiment
Spring is coming so I decided to do a fitness experiment, and it is going to sound simple but I'm going to make it challenging by adding some caveats. Basically, I'm going to walk every day for at least 30 minutes in the month of March (I'm minus-ing one day because I started the experiment yesterday March 2.) Here's the caveats:
- I'm not going to write down any stats other than amount of time I walked. This is going to be tough because I have to admit that I have a slight obsession with writing down every exercise stat like calories burned, time spent, miles gone, and incline/resistance level. I've even done Excel spreadsheets with charts. Oh yeah, it's crazy. I'll write more about my "stats obsession" a little later, but I know it's bordering on co-dependency, and I want to break myself of that habit.
- I have to walk outside at least 4 of the 7 days in the week. I am one of those who is seriously a gym rat. I work out only in doors, and rarely get outside even when it is beautiful and gorgeous. There is a tape that runs through my head that goes something like this, "Unless you're in a gym it doesn't count as exercise."
Logically, I can see the absurdity in that tape, and I also know that I'm not alone. I know other people who think the same thing. So doing this Walking Experiment is going to help me stop running that tape in my head, and is going to help make me get out doors more. Hopefully, I can help inspire other gym rats to get out doors more too. The benefit of being outdoors is the sun and the air which I enjoy once I'm outside. It's the getting outside part that is the initial challenging part.
- Every day, M-F, I'm going to do a quick blog post of my walk. I'm going to take a picture, and then share that with you all as well as one thought I had during the walk and one song I listened to so you can kind of experience a bit of my walk with me. Doing the post will keep my accountable.
Why walk versus running (which you love)
I chose to walk instead of run because I don't need to gear up to walk, meaning I don't have to put on running bra, workout clothes, or bring along towel to wipe of the sweat. I can walk anywhere and at any time. And the big thing is that walking will help me slow down and enjoy my world around me. I've been thinking how I literally run through life, like many of us do. We have hectic lives and we're running to meetings, running to deadlines, running to the alter, and running to hurry up and get back in our skinny jeans. We spend a great time running around and missing many things around us like oh, the journey of life. What is all the rush and hurry? I asked myself this the other day. Why am I in a rush to do half the things I do? Perhaps, I might enjoy life more if I just slow down.
What we miss when we're in a hurry too much
On my first walk yesterday, I saw these ducks in the picture above. These ducks live underneath the bridge that goes over the lagoon near my house. I never knew these ducks existed and they are so cute. I had such the laugh just watching them waddle. Then they stopped dead in their tracks because they knew I was watching them. They had to "check me out", and I guess I passed because they started to walk closer to me and then along side me. It was so damn cute. I would have missed this whole encounter had I been running. Now, I'm not saying that running is bad. I've been running practically my whole life. I just want to take 30 days to see what life is like slowed down.
So there you go. I'm walking at least 30 minutes every day in the month of March. If you'd like to do the same and share your walks, let me know, and I'll post links. I think this will be great fun.
