I read recently that if a person walked one mile a day at a brisk pace and did nothing else differently over the course of a year, he or she would lose ten pounds just like that.
It was the “just like that” that hooked me.
I mean, how long would it take to walk a mile briskly? Maybe the time it takes to fix a meal? Or do a crossword puzzle? Probably not much longer. I could talk myself into this, as I’m always looking for an easy way to lose ten pounds, and this seemed as easy as it gets.
But first, being an analytical sort and having failed at other ways to lose weight, I wondered where the “catch” might be. I decided it lay in not knowing what every day for the next year would be like and that I was committing myself to walk in rain or snow or ten below, on holidays and birthdays, during vacations, and quite possibly when not feeling well. There was no disclaimer about what might constitute an acceptable excuse.
Finally, on March 12, I gave up analysis and jumped in – er, actually stepped – in with both feet. So far it hasn’t been bad, although I’m grateful that I’ll have built up a large number of days before next winter swoops in. Hopefully, the desire to not miss will be strong when the winds bite and the rain pummels. It’s quite possible the desire to purchase a treadmill will become strong too.
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