Have you done your ten thousand steps lately?
I’ve always remembered this catchy ad tagline: Exercise is something you take regularly, but not seriously.
Walking is free. There’re plenty of health benefits associated with it. No arguments about it.
Whether you live in a suburb or an area of a high population density, there’re bound to be places where you can stretch the legs and move around. Luckily, living in Sydney means there’re plenty of outdoor spaces to do just that. I often say to people there’s no excuse for not being fit and healthy if you live in this city.
I love going out and about on Sundays. It’s the only day of the week that I get a bit breathing space. What I’ve been doing routinely is to take my dog out for a drive. We love heading down to a beach or a bush somewhere for a good 3 hour walk. Rain or shine makes no difference to us, we’ll still get out there. It’s my way of recharging the batteries and keeping my fitness at an optimum level.
This routine is something I’m proud of. However, to maintain it hasn’t always been easy. I’m only a human, from time to time I do feel unmotivated. Sometimes, I’d rather be sitting at home and doing nothing, but I’ve never allowed myself to be in that idle state, nor has my boss – my dog Jamie!
Every now and then I just can’t be bothered. When that happens, it’s a battle field in my mind. I remember those times when I was bitten by the lazy bug, it created an internal turmoil. Luckily, at the end I managed to steer clear of it and hit the road. Well, kind of reluctantly to be honest. Perhaps it was my guilty feeling making those decisions for me.
What can be done when you feel like doing nothing but that little voice inside tells you that you should be doing something?
My mindset started to shift after I stumbled upon two old ladies along a coastal walk some time ago. One of them had a walking stick, to keep her balance. They briefly stopped to say hello. They even wanted to have a photo taken with my dog. The radiance on their faces was infectious.
Then on the same trail just a week later, I saw a father carrying a toddler on his shoulders, secured with straps and a saddle, still walking tall, holding his head high and making each step count.
What excuses should I have for not moving at all? None!
Ordinary people like them are an inspiration, the epitome of walk the walk, not talk the talk.
Next time, when I struggle to step outside the comfort zone or do some leg work I’m supposed to, I will think of these people, count 1 2 3, move on as quickly as I can.
If our paths cross and you see a guy and his Shih Tzu dog… That’s us!
Ted Tsai 