Day Two: Using
a Pedometer
Steps Taken:_________________
Miles
Journeyed: ______________
Exercise
Chosen: ______________
Spiritual
Thoughts: _____________
Feelings:
_____________________
A pedometer
is a nifty little tool that counts each step you take. We use the pedometer as an easy tool to track
all the things we do in our walk with Christ each day and subtract them from
our various walking goals. The pedometer is not there to be a jockey whipping a
horse towards the finish line; rather it is there to give you guideposts on how
far you have gone toward the goals that you have set. You will get more comfortable with the
pedometer the more you use it. Strap it
on and take it for a whirl for a couple of days to find out how far you go in
an average day. The minimum
recommendation is 10,000 steps a day for heart health.
So how far
did you go with your pedometer? Were you
able to reach 10,000 steps? Did you fall
short? That is okay. Falling short is all about being human. The trick is to pray about it and get up the
next day and try again. I think every
time a human tries a little harder, God smiles.
If you are so far off 10,000 steps that you do not think you can commit
to Christ Walk, I pray that you consider doing incremental goals. There are ways to “sneak” in extra steps to
your day such as taking the stairs, parking at the back of a parking lot,
walking to work or shopping or school.
Consider taking three 10 minute walks instead of one 30 minute one and
then gradually increasing as your endurance and enjoyment of the activity
increases.
If you are
walking 4,000-5,000 steps each day (which by the way, is the average American
movement in one day), please start by a weekly goal of increasing your steps by
2,000 steps a day for a couple of weeks.
If by the end of the 40 days you have trained yourself to walk 10,000
steps a day, you have made a marvelous transformation. Perhaps your next 40 day Christ Walk will be
to complete one of the routes. And
perhaps the one after that will be to go a longer route. Your Christ Walk is only as short as you
limit yourself. If you never stop
walking with Christ, then you never stop your Christ Walk.
While, I
would again stress that this is NOT a diet, I do want to caution your
understanding that 10,000 steps a day is the minimum requirement for
cardiovascular health. That is heart
health. That is how well your ticker
keeps ticking. I am a big believer that
I want my ticker to go as strong and hard as it can. I would like to maintain a
level of high physical fitness as long as possible so that I can continue to do
what I am called to do. If I do not take
care of my heart, it is certainly not going to take care of me. I pray often that I am able to walk myself
into my grave as I get older.
There is a
difference between cardiovascular health and weight loss. Most individuals who use a pedometer for
weight loss will have to log 12,000-15,000 steps each day. And they will have to watch what they eat. We will discuss food (and how much I love
food) in a later chapter. But be advised
as you start your goals and revise them, that there may be more steps needed to
meet whatever goals you set for yourself.
While we do
focus on steps per day as a part of Christ Walk, because of the analogy of
physically walking with Christ, you do not have to be limited by walking. Walking is simply the most popular form of
exercise, the easiest to do and the one exercise that people are most likely to
stick with over time. I enjoy running, sometimes. I like biking, sometimes. I like walking, a lot of the time. I like swimming, sometimes. I like aerobic classes, sometimes, and I like
weight lifting a lot. I want to write, “Pick
your poison,” but that has a negative connotation. What I want you to do is pick something and
do it. And if you have to pick a lot of ‘somethings’,
that is okay as well. The point is to
think about getting up and doing. Our
bodies were designed to move and do.
Remember,
every 15 minute block of physical activity is worth 1 mile towards your goal,
or if you bike/run/swim/etc faster than a mile in 15 minutes, log the actual
miles! Just move and log that time.
I am married
to a lawyer, so of course I must insert the disclaimer that if you have never
moved before or exercised, or set such a goal for yourself, please discuss with
your healthcare provider to ensure that your physical safety is addressed. They can also be a partner in your journey as
they are goldmines of health information if you ask! Develop your relationship with your
healthcare provider and do not take “no” for an answer. Pursue them until you get the information you
need. And if you are worried that your
physical health will keep you from your journey, do not fear: I have had
individuals with walkers and wheelchairs participate in the Christ Walk
journey. Your trail is only limited by
your imagination. Faith in God will keep
you going along the way.
I also
believe that mental and spiritual nourishment are very important to your
journey. So for every 15 minute period
of time that you are using to nourish your spirit and mind, log yourself a
mile! Research has shown that people who
meditate and pray have lower blood pressures and feelings of stress. This is
all good towards taking care of the temple.
So take credit for it! We also
Christ Walk when we do for others.
Volunteering is a great way to get bonus steps and every 15 minutes of
volunteering is worth another mile. My
only caveat is that this is designed for us to move and walk and think about
our Christ Walk Daily. I encourage you
to spend most of your miles in moving each day.
And when in
doubt about how to move or what to do, pray.
Thoughts to
ponder:
1.
Where you able to start walking or Christ
Walking as you had hoped?
2.
If
not, what were your barriers? Do you
need help overcoming the barriers? Who
can help you?
3.
Did
you feel rejuvenated by the experience of starting a new journey? If so, write it down, so it will help
motivate you along the way.
4.
How
does the following scripture make you feel: Jesus said, “Everything is possible
for one who believes.” Mark 9: 22-24
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