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Monday, July 14, 2014

Get out of that chair


This weekend was very restful.  My husband, a little sore and swollen from traveling, had a bit of jet lag.  He had missed his lazy boy chair and made up for his absence by spending as much of this weekend as possible with his butt glued to the seat.  Even though it was a beautiful sunny summer weekend, we kept mostly indoors napping and catching up on television programs.  Yes, it’s a sedentary life.  Each year it becomes more sedentary, at least for me.  This might be the reason why I cannot stand for very long and often seem to be in pain. 

My husband doesn’t get much activity, but what he does get is still more than twice of what I might do.  Our workplace just completed a six-week challenge for employees to be more active.  T-shirts and other prizes are awarded just for participating and the top go-getters will win nice prizes.  When an employee signs up they select a daily step goal.  The lowest goal they allow is 6000 steps.  I am lucky if I walk 2000 steps a day.  Over the six-week challenge, my husband walked more than twice of what I did.  He does our shopping and most of the errands requiring walking.  I hardly seem to go anywhere anymore besides work or over to my sisters.  To become more sedentary, I am afraid, would mean being housebound.  I’m probably heading that way and if I want to avoid it (I do), I need to start moving more. 

While I work to change my eating habits, I also need to increase my activity level and decrease the total time spent sitting.  I sit while I work, play at my computer, read, watch television, eat, and nap.  I am a champion at sitting not walking. Last week, I walked an average of 1800 steps per day. 
This week I plan to step it up.  I’m not sure that means that I will take a walk outdoors in the public.  It does mean however that I will find ways to rise from my chair more often throughout the day for some movement.  Because of my stiffness, joint pain and overall sluggishness I need to move more.  I need to move more before I can’t.   This week I start.  I will increase my average step count this week and then increase it again next week.  I imagine a day when walking and activity will be more a part of my day than sitting around.  It may be far in the future, but the sooner I start, the sooner that day will come.

11 comments:

  1. You can do it!! Every step counts :). I always find it helps to have a goal in my mind. What about aiming for 2500 a day?? Good luck I know it's not easy.

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  2. Good plan!
    I got a puppy so I have to go for walks. Starting out with short walks because he gets tired quicker than I do... or he did. We're already up to 30 minutes with him dragging me along. Didn't go today, though, because it was cold and rainy. Probably should have gone anyway.

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  3. Our bodies crave movement! Keep increasing your activity goals slowly and you'll start to crave more and more!

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  4. By any chance do you have a pedometer? Great way to see how many steps you are taking, then just increase it just a lttle bit, like 100 more steps the next day. You will be amazed how you will be moving around.
    Hope your day is wonderful

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  5. I promise you--if you take it as slow as you need, but remain consistent--you'll be shocked what your consistency will give you. It will progress you quicker than you imagine. I barely made it a quarter mile when I started at 505 pounds...and really, I don't think it was even a quarter mile---it was one time around an auditorium building... And I thought it would literally kill me...I made it back to the van and I returned the next night... I did about the same distance...next night, a little more--- and within a week I was up to almost a mile...within two weeks I was doing a mile... remarkable considering day 1 was a slow wobble for me--while praying that it wouldn't overwhelm me...
    Hang in there-- even if you need to start at only 5 minutes... start as small as you can---and realize it isn't the length or time that matters, it's your consistency.
    Great post, my friend. Thank you!

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  6. Been there and some days I still am. I can tell you from experience that you'll feel better both physically and mentally if you move more. Every half hour, get up and do a lap or so around your house or work area. The steps will start adding up. Good luck.

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  7. That's the way to do it! Slowly and increasing bit by bit. You'll be amazed as you progress

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  8. Slow and steady wins the race. Check out some youtube videos for inspiration! I do that all the time - find one where someone started out just barely able to walk around their block, but ended up being able to run half marathons.

    Not saying you need to do that, but if I am close to my 10,000 steps and I haven't gotten there, I walk around the house during commercials.

    Hugs! So far Mayo has been a great experience, I know we'll find the answers for Tony. Hugs!

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  9. Each and every step is good .....slowly, slowly increasing.

    You can do it.

    All the best Jan

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  10. I mentioned you in today's post :) Thank you for your vulnerability, transparency, and honesty.
    www.founditatthemarathon.blogspot.com

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  11. Hope you have a great weekend! Hugs!

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