Back on the Treadmill
November in Maine is not conducive to outdoor walking if you resist the cold as much as I do. I tend to bundle up early in the season, burrow onto the sofa with a soft, warm quilt and hibernate until spring.
Just thinking about being outdoors sends shivers down my spine. Brrrrr…
At the same time, walking is so important to my health. It helps me get my heart pumping, keeps me focused on not eating too much, and just gives me a burst of energy.
October was also a tough month for walking outside. But rather than breakdown and climb on my treadmill, I just kept hoping for a nice day to walk outside.
Alas, I’ve missed three times as many walks as I’ve taken in the past month and the evidence is clear in my suddenly too-tight blue jeans.
You see, when I stopped walking I started eating more. I started eating more junk as well. My chocolate consumption has probably tripled over the past month… what was once a managable treat became a major food group.
Today I finally accepted that while there may be a few outdoor walking days left, my reality is that from now thru April most of my fitness walking will be done inside on the treadmill. Today I climbed back on the treadmill.
So how did it feel? Awesome!
The treadmill works my body differently than a walk around the block does.
My neighborhood walk is fairly flat with one moderate hill. The treadmill allows me to walk on a continuous incline.
My neighborhood walk is self-paced… typically it takes me about 35-40 minutes to complete the 2 miles. The treadmill allows me to set and maintain a consistent brisk pace so I complete my two miles in just 30 minutes.
Sometimes we resist starting or returning to a practice that we know is best for us. We keep thinking that conditions will improve enough for us to not have to make any changes to our routine. But the reality is that we must constantly and consistently look for and practice the things that will add the most value to our lives.
What have you been resisting? What price are you paying for that resistance? Isn’t today the best day to get started (again)?
