100 Steps

When I would go into work in the morning, I use to park as close to my gym as possible. I would try to score this sweet spot to where nobody could park on my left side, no door dings and since I was there at 6am, my success rate was fairly high. Then I started thinking, here I am a perfectly fit, able-bodied human being whose legs fine and here I am parking 20 steps from the entrance to my gym. Why? Why was I doing this? Because I was lazy and didnt want to walk that extra bit. Then I started thinking even more; I should be extremely grateful that I can walk and my legs are fully functioning, for there are many others who aren’t so fortunate as me. So I decided to park a ways a way and leave the closer spots to someone who may need it more than me. Now I park a couple of rows over and halfway down the way. One day I decided to count how many steps it takes me to get from my car to the gym and on average it takes me 100 steps. Then I started thinking about the math on it. 100 steps to work and 100 steps back to my car equals 200 steps. After doing some calculating on the treadmill, 100 steps is equal to .05 miles.

100 steps = .05 miles
200 steps roundtrip = .10 miles
Now 5 times a week x .10 = .50 miles

So in two weeks of work I will walk 1 mile. I know it doesn’t seem like much at first but lets break it down a little more.

Roughly 4 weeks in one month x 12 months = 24 miles or
52 weeks in one year x .50 miles = 26 miles

By just adding 100 extra steps a day I will walk between 24-26 extra miles. Wow, absolutely incredible. Just by adding 100 extra steps you literally will go that extra mile. The great part is that anyone can do it, everyone can walk. Now its time to make that extra effort and park far, far away from where you have to be. Enjoy the walk, the sunshine, the fresh air and the wind in your hair. Slow down and enjoy it all. People now are too busy and too much on the go to park far away, always running late and very hectic and frantic in their day. My clients anger me when they park right up front at the gym so they can come in and use the gym for an hour. They anger me even more when I physically see them get in their cars, drive down 20 parking spots, park, and go into the grocery store at the other end which is 125 steps away. Are they really that lazy that they cant walk that extra bit? Are they that tired from our workouts that they have to drive? I think not. Our primal ancestors would walk on average 5-12 miles a day, in search of food. All Im asking for is 100 extra steps. 100 extra steps will put 26 miles on those legs by the end of the year. So please, wherever you are parking now for work, park at the complete opposite end of the entrance. If it takes you 5 minutes, great. If your office is on an upper floor, take the stairs. All of these little things will add up and greatly impact your health. Make the change now and start moving that great body of yours.