One Million Steps Challenge

Did you know that there is a term now called “The Sitting Disease”?

The sitting disease does not discriminate.  Yep even us runners.  Just because I run doesn’t mean I’m not safe from this disease.

Does this sound familiar?  You get up from an 8-hour (ish) sleep. You have breakfast, you get in your car, and drive to work.  Then at work, you sit at your desk for xx amount of hours.  Then you get back in the car and drive home.
Once home, what do you do? Sit in front of the tv.

Doesn’t exactly sound exciting, does it? Where is all the movement?

Even kids are not immune to this disease. If anything they are most likely to suffer from it the most.

When I was a kid, I loved playing outdoors.  Living in a country town we had to use our imagination.  We didn’t have an Xbox or a computer.  All we had were our imaginations, a bike or a ball.

Let me tell you, my sister and I had an absolute ball.  I have so many fond memories of exploring our neighbourhood.

Flash forward to now, where I tell my kids constantly “ok no more tv/computer, time to use your imaginations”.  Sure they complain (a lot), but you know what, I love seeing what they come up with, and they have so much more fun.  Added bonus, they learn through play.

Right now they are so loving going for bike rides.  The skate park is one of their favourite places to visit.  We love running up and down the half-pipe when we are sick of riding it.

I also make sure they are involved in some sort of after-school sport.  Swimming is compulsory in this house, so besides that, they do Ballet (Miss K) & Gymnastics (Master M).

Besides, running, I do my weight training, and I try to make the effort to walk up the street to do my errands rather than drive.  (I only live a short distance from the centre of town.)

The other thing is that although I might not work full time, I do work from home. so there are days when I can just work away at the computer.  So although my life is not like that of some, there are some days when I hardly move at all.

This is why I have decided to take up the One Million Steps Challenge.  I started this challenge on June 21st.

What this means is that for 100 days I need to either walk, hike, jog, run, step, climb or do any other movement to log 1,000,000 steps (or equivalent activity) in 100 days.

My end date will be the 28th of September.

Anyone can do this challenge providing you have a device that counts your steps.  You may use a Fitbit, vivofit, jawbone, or even just a plain old pedometer.

I’ll be using my Fitbit, to track my steps.

Let me tell you now, I don’t get 10,000 steps every day.  Some days I get only 6,000, others 8,000.  But then there are days where I get in 15,000+ in.  This is why I’m keeping a track log of my steps in google drive.

If you are not ready for the challenge but want to make some changes consider the following:

• Try to avoid sitting
• Ask for a stand-up desk at work
• Stay active throughout the work day
• If you work from home, consider a treadmill desk
• Take the stairs
• Go for a walk at lunchtime around the block.
• Invest in a seat like the Locus Seat or something similar
• If you are a parent be active with your kids.

---

Do you think your lifestyle will lead you towards the sitting disease?
Have you taken the 1 million steps challenge?
Will you take the 1 million steps challenge?