Walking for Fun and Fitness
By Bonnie Stein, M.Ed., C.P.T.S.
Be The Frog That Jumps
There were five frogs sitting on a log. One decided to jump. How many were left?
Still five. Deciding to jump is not the same thing as jumping. Deciding to start an exercise program is not the same thing as actually doing it.
Many people have good intentions, but they don’t take the action that’s necessary. I love Zig Ziglar’s story about people who are going to take some action as soon as they get around to it. You’ve heard such excuses.
“I would exercise regularly, but it’s so hard to get going around the holidays. So many parties and all the relatives in town. As soon as New Years is over, I’ll start back to my walking program . . . I know I should be walking, but this is such a cold winter. It’s dark by the time I get home from work. As soon as spring gets here and the weather is a little warmer, I’ll get back to my walking . . . Well now, isn’t this the rainiest spring you’ve ever seen? Every time I want to walk, it starts to rain. Soon as the weather gets better, I’ll get back to exercise . . . Well, you know summer is almost here and the kids are about to get out of school. There’s so much to do to get them ready for camp. As soon as the kids are off to camp, I’ll have time to start back to walking . . . Whew, I just can’t remember a hotter summer. It’s way too hot to be exercising outside. As soon as the weather cools off a bit I’ll get back to my walking . . . You know, the kids are just about to get back to school. I have so much shopping to do. As soon as the kids are back in school, I’ll have more time to start walking again . . . You know, the holidays are just around the corner. So many parties and all the relatives in town; I’ll just have to wait till the New Year.”
Is there a perfect time to begin? Yes, the perfect time is now. When I lived in Atlanta, we racewalked outdoors 95% of the year. Now that I’m living in Florida – it’s almost 100% of the year. I racewalk outside even in 95 degree and 95% humidity in July. Most of us can do it safely by carrying water. When it was 25-30 degrees in Atlanta we layered up, wore gloves and hats, and racewalked anyway. If it’s hotter or colder than that, you can walk on a treadmill. Or find an alternative exercise such as aerobic classes in a gym or a video tape, or a stationary bicycle. One of my exercise physiology professors used to say, “You can’t be fit only six months out of the year, when weather conditions are perfect.” If you’re going to walk for fitness, you’ve got to be able to figure out a way to do it all year long.
It’s not easy being fit. If it was easy, everyone would be fit. And we know that everyone is not fit. More than 90% of the American population agrees that they should get more exercise, yet, research shows that less than 20% of Americans exercise enough to make any difference in their fitness level. What are those other 80% doing? They’re making excuses. Too hot, too cold, too humid, too rainy, too tired, too many kids, too much work.
Dr. Anthony Abbott of the International Fitness Institute in South Florida says, “Fitness is not a commodity to be stored, rather a condition to be renewed on a daily basis.” For diabetics, it’s essential to figure out a way to fit in exercise every day.
Do you think you have the time to exercise every day? I asked that question to an audience of 200 recently and less than a dozen people raised their hands. Then I asked, “How many of you could find the time if I paid you $100 for each day you were able to walk an hour? Almost 200 hands went up. Time is not the issue. We all have the exact same 24 hours every day. Priority is the issue. Each one of us makes a choice as to where we’re going to spend our precious time. Are you wasting away exercise minutes by watching TV, spending too much time on-line, chatting on the phone?
Make a decision to embrace a renewed commitment to your health and fitness. Take action today. Be the frog that gets off the log and JUMPS.
