We were very happy with our distance and the amount of check points we found. I felt strong and empowered to walk so far, considering I didn’t imagine many other people covered the same ground over the weekend. Then I read an article in Runner’s World magazine that reminded me my feat wasn’t all that amazing. The author spotlighted Amish and Mennonites in the Pennsylvania area, many who are great distance runners. Their daily life and work regimen help them build great endurance. Their non- pre-packaged food diet (aka fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, meats) and active lifestyle (aka walking 10+ miles a day) means natural, healthy foods and exercise are a part of their every day.
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| Lace up your shoes and walk somewhere new! |
It wasn’t uncommon for most people to end up walking eight to 10 miles for most daily activity (and is still common for the Amish in Pennsylvania today). That would have been around half of my hike or give or take 3.5 hours. When was the last time you walked a total of 3.5 hours in one day, let alone pretty much every day?! Now, you don’t necessarily have to walk 3.5 hours to gain health benefits. First, by increasing level of intensity, you can earn the equivalent of 3.5 hours in much less time. Second, most people simply don’t get 3.5 hours of exercise a day and you don’t have to exercise that long to still be a healthy weight with a healthy heart. The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week and at least two days of strength training. Third, I think it’s a good reminder again that our bodies were designed for being active. I believe we owe ourselves more than a sedentary lifestyle on the couch.
I challenge you to think about your lifestyle. Are you making healthy decisions at dinner and snack time? Are you maximizing your ability to walk or run or ride your bike each day? People talk about understanding someone else’s perspective by walking a mile in their shoes. I challenge you to walk a mile in your own shoes. Better yet, walk two, or eight if you’re currently healthy enough to. It may help give you a new perspective.
Here are a couple of ways I try to work more activity and healthy eating into my day:
1. I use lunch time every now and then to go for a walk. In 45 minutes I can cover around 3 miles. It’s a great break during the middle of the work day.
2. If I’ve had my normal amount of meals and snacks during the day but still feel hungry enough to want/need to eat, I make it a fruit or vegetable. At least I’m getting healthy nutrients without tacking on hundreds of extra calories in my day.
3. I live close to a variety of stores so if I know I’m going to purchase small enough items to carry, I walk those errands.
4. I like taking a variety of snacks, enough to cover several days, with me to work. It helps take the guess work out when I’m ready for a snack and need something quick. By having a few choices, I also limit the opportunity to decide that I just don’t want an apple today and turning to candy; by having variety, I can find something I like.
5. If the weather is nice and I’m not on a recovery day, I simply can’t justify not enjoying it in some way. Even if I can only squeeze in a 15 minute walk or have time for a two hour bike ride, I try to take advantage of outdoor opportunities in great weather.
What ways do you work in more exercise and healthy eating into your day? Feel free to share your tips!
Miss FitGab
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