20 Minute Walk Challenge

Being an endurance athlete, I've had some clients ask if I expect them to do what I do in terms of working out. I can't express enough that this could not be further from the truth. The training I do is to support my personal goals and I know most people don't have the time, nor the desire, to do the same. My goal as a trainer and coach is to get people moving and feeling better about themselves. Help them to be motivated, to want to move more, and to be excited about fitness. I do not believe for one second that to be healthy you need to participate in endurance sports or train 20 hours a week. I actually recommend to most of my clients that they do some sort of moderate level activity 30-60 minutes a day on most days of the week. While I say most days of the week, I suggest 3 days a week at a minimum and if you're able to get in exercise 5 days a week, then that's even better! As for the activity, I recommend something they enjoy, as this is key to sticking with an exercise program, and resistance training. The activity needs to be more intense than the daily chores around the house however, as it's important to get your heart rate up and break a sweat. If you feel 30 plus minutes is too hard to fit in at once, it's absolutely fine to break it up into 10 minute sessions.

 

The bottom line is that everyone needs to be moving and it doesn't take hours and hours in the gym or running countless miles to reap the benefits. Being sedentary is killing us and exercise will not only extend your life expectancy, it will reduce stress, make you feel better, you'll be happier...you'll smile more. :-)

 

In a recent article* I read, "researchers concluded that exercise that burns around 100 calories a day, such as a brisk, 20 minute daily walk, can reduce the risk of an early death by 16 to 30%." That's it, 20 minutes a day can help us live longer. Why wouldn't we do it?? What if I challenged you right now to go for a 20 minute walk every day for 2 weeks? Could you do it? Will you do it? I'm accepting the challenge myself, who's in with me? We ALL have 20 minutes a day, so no more excuses, let's go for a walk.

*http://www.acefitness.org/blog/5258/study-lack-of-exercise-twice-as-deadly-as-obesity#.VPdq3v6pcBs.email