10,000 Steps

We've all heard that we need to walk at least

 10,000 steps a day to be considered active.

I do not want to be considered "sedentary". I sat behind a desk for too many years. I try to walk or ride my bike instead of driving. Sometimes I walk up to 7 miles in one day, and then other days I only go a few blocks. Some days I don't go anywhere. I need to be more consistent, I want to be more active everyday.

Do you keep track of your activity? Is it necessary?

I've looked at some "Body Bug" things that you wear on your arm and sync to a computer to track your activity. I'm thinking that this is totally unnecessary - I do not need another electronic thing. With these devices, you keep track of everything you eat and enter it in the program.  I have tried keeping track of activity and food on a free online program and never kept up with it. I would start out good and then forget a meal or a day or an activity, then the charts would be off because something was missing, and I eventually gave up on the process.

My iPhone has several apps that I can use to track my walking. The free apps will tell me how far I have gone on one outing. I would have to pay for an upgrade if I want to see a comparison from one outing to the next. Again, I think this upgrade is unnecessary.

I just need the motivation to get out more and walk or bike everyday. Even if its not 5 or more miles a day. How many miles are in 10,000 steps? I don't know for sure. The free pedometer that I received at the health fair calculates the distance different than the "GPS based app" on the iPhone. If I average the information from both it seems like 10,000 steps = 5 miles.

Does any of this tracking really matter?

 Can't I tell that I am doing the right thing, by how I feel?

And walking on the sand uses different muscles that walking on the sidewalk.

So, how do you calculate the benefits of that?

The weather definitely plays a part in all of this. I don't feel like going out if its gloomy or rainy.  Sometimes I look outside and I think its colder than it is. When I get outside and start walking and realize that its not so bad, I wonder why I waited to go outside. I used to be a morning person. Now on cool mornings, it seems to take me longer to get ready to go out for a walk or to go to town.  I'm hoping to get out to take some sunrise pictures on the beach before I leave this area.

How do I get myself motivated to get outside no matter what the weather is?

I have to remind myself that I may miss seeing the spoonbills,

or a sailboat in the sunset,

or any of the other amazing things around me.

Yesterday, before I left for a walk, I sat in the RV and watched people walking by and riding their bikes. Sure they were wearing hats and coats - but they were out doing something. And, all in all, it is not that cold here, and it will only be like this for a day or two before the temps increase.  I walked 5.75 miles and had to start shedding layers, the sun finally came out as I was walking back to the RV park. Seems like it gets warmer here later in the day as the sun begins to set.

I guess, I'm just frustrated with myself for not being more active right now. I keep thinking, don't be so hard on yourself - you have made a lot of changes recently and its time to just relax and enjoy the slower pace.

There are so many things I want to see and do.  I would like to do some hiking and kayaking. I feel like I need to be in better shape to do these things, and need to push myself to get out and walk and bike more to get ready for some different adventures.

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Maybe I've just stayed too long in one place. I needed to stay put to receive mail and to get some paperwork done. I procrastinated on some things, so I stayed here and gave myself a deadline to get it done. I have accomplished most of it and hope to finish things up this week.  I guess this is another reason why I have not been outside as much as I would like to be.

I'm trying to find the balance between staying in one location for more than a day or two to explore the area, or just driving through town and not really getting to know the area. Many of the parks offer a reduced price if I stay in one place for a week or a month, and I figure I am also saving on fuel by staying put in one place for a week or month. I'm thinking - what's the rush - you don't have to see everything this year. 

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We had a lot of rain over the weekend, and I was surprised to see that the rain actually increased the size of the pond next to my RV site. All of the cement pads and streets near this corner are gently sloped towards the pond. During the heavy rain, I was watching all of the water going into the pond. Seems like there are more birds attracted to the pond now, I am seeing different birds this week.