A long way to Disney

My 30 days of walking experiment ended on Day 15. Sometimes you just hit a day that walking 10,000 steps is not feasible. I had a pile of work that day and a few meetings during my normal walking times. Then, when I got home and still had 7,000 steps to go. I had a choice, build paper dogs with my daughter or spend an hour and change walking laps. There was no way the 7 year old was going to be able to walk for an hour with me.

The 7 year old won.

Things I learned from this experiement.

* Walking will not solve all my problems. There is a release of endorphins when I walk that makes me feel great, but it is not the magic cure-all for everything going on.

* I learned that there is comfort in routine. That doing a little bit multiple times during the day adds up to one big goal. That knowing many different ways to do something will help you when roadblocks come up because you can easily do some creative problem solving. I learned I have more determination than I thought I did.

* I did lose a few pounds and stopped the steadily upward weight trend that I was having before I started the experiment. I just don't feel as hungry when I am walking like that. I also do a little less stress eating because my stress is getting burned off while walking.

* Distance adds up over time. 5 miles a day doesn't seem like much, but as of today, I have gone a total of 89.5 miles since starting this experiment. Only 1186.5 miles to go before I get to Disney. I need to be patient with myself. Little by little I will get there.

Summary:

I am not going to stop walking. It is totally worth it, but some days, I just won't hit 10,000. Doesn't mean I'm not going to try! I think I should start focusing on some other factors of a healthy lifestyle though. Much as I wish it was, walking is not the solution to everything. I also need to think about what's on the end of my fork. (ie. eating a plate of bacon from the work cafeteria for breakfast may not be the best idea.)

So, I'm going to try to start carrying my lunch more. Best part is, I have a blog. So, I have somewhere to plan and take pictures. Who doesn't like pictures of food or ideas for lunch at work?

Today's Motivation:

This was not a failed experiment. This was an experiment.

I tried something. I learned what worked and what didn't.  If nothing else, I learned that sometimes, I need to take a step back and give myself a break. And, I learned where I want to focus next. I love science! Failure is always an option!

Day 10 ... and walking

Setting a goal is kind of easy and fun. It's exciting to have a new project to work on. It's exciting to imagine meeting the goal and feeling fabulous and maybe getting a prize.

Meeting a goal is also exciting. You feel accomplished and successful and maybe you have something to show for what you did. Plus, bragging rights!

The middle of goal... the bit that requires the actual work. Let's be honest. That bit is not that fun. It's work! And really, it can be hard to stay motivated. I have managed staying motivated though and I am hitting my 10 day mark!! Woooo!!! I'm a third of the way through.

The thing that has helped me the most the last few days has been routine. I am getting used to thinking about how to get 10,000 steps a day, so no matter what I am doing I am planning my next walk. If I have to drive to work, I already have a plan of how I am going to fit little walks in during the day. If I walk to work and have to get a ride home, I know where to add steps in so I can still reach my goal. Making the 10,000 steps a part of my day instead of something that I just added on to my to-do list has helped keep my walking the last 3 days when life gets busy!

Stats!:

Distance: Monday was 6 miles, Tuesday was 6.5, and Wednesday was 6.5. Not bad distances really. That brings my total mileage to 53.5. I am on I-39 now just passing Lindenwood, IL. Not bad for 10 days.

Mood: Dragging a bit. After writing this entry and looking at my totals and seeing how far I have come makes me feel a lot better. I think I need to look at my map more often. I am tired. I have a lot of life going on right now. My feet are sore from walking, but I need to remember, I am getting somewhere. If nothing else, I am participating in science by experimenting and documenting my results and that just makes the geek in me smile!

Sleep: I am sleeping better. Still stress dreaming, but I am pretty sure that is not related to the walking. I may just need to add mediation to my bedtime routine. Also, some stretchy band exercises would be good. I sleep better when I have some core muscles, as strange as that sounds. We'll see how ambitious I get.

Today's Motivation:

If I want to make changes and I want them to stick, then I need to change my routine.

There's enough surprises that come up everyday that any plans I have to change my life will be derailed in 2-3 days if I the changes I make aren't just part of my daily routine. So, walking is part of my routine now. I can live with that.

Day 7 - Still Walking

I wonder how many of these days are going to start out with, "I almost gave up yesterday." So, I almost gave up yesterday. I woke up feeling even worse and thinking that walking was NOT, in fact, the best medicine. I decided not to push it. If I got 10,000 steps great. If not, that was OK too and I would just start over.

Well, after church I was feeling better so the family and I went for a walk. By the evening I was feeling quite a bit better and my husband was willing to play a video game for me and I got the last 4,000 steps in while walking in place to the soothing sounds of Paper Mario Color Splash.

So, I am still going. I think the biggest thing I am learning as I do this is to not beat myself up. I am more likely to keep going if I give myself some guilt free down time. I have also found that the time I need to put into walking 10,000 steps is really not that much. If I walked for 2 hrs straight and then did nothing else the rest of the day, I would hit 10,000 steps. Broken into small chunks throughout the day makes getting 10,000 steps a doable thing.

Stats:
Distance: 5 miles on Saturday and 5.5 miles on Sunday brings that total to 34.5 miles. I think I am passing Winnebago now and headed to Rockford.

Mood: Content. I am pleased with myself for making it this far. I feel kind of ready for week two.

Sleep: No stressful dreams last night. That may be because some of the things I was worrying about are getting done, or it's because I am walking. We'll see.

Today's Motivation:

Paper Mario Color Splash.

Because a little distraction can go a long way when I am trying to stay motivated. We all have those things that we are willing to do as long as we are being entertained. I am willing to walk for quite a while as long I have something to amuse me. Be it audiobook or television or a friend. Here's to distraction.