If you read my post about the 2010 HealthFlex HealthMiles Challenge, you may know why I’m looking for creative ways to get my steps in each day.
My newest experiment is a temporary workstation on our treadmill (pictured below). I tried it out for about an hour this afternoon and it worked pretty well, although my typing at 3.5 miles per hour is a little erratic! 🙂
I’m not sure how much I’ll use it (I’ll use most of my treadmill time, especially early mornings, praying, reading Scripture, thinking about my sermon, and listening to worship/inspirational music), but I also may use this temporary workstation to watch the DVDs from Willow Creek’s Leadership Summit as well as online video resources like The Nines and Aha!. Or, I could read books, such as Secrets from the Treadmill and When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box!
its less aggressive, but I elevated my computer desk by 10 inches so that i stand to use it. Better than sitting all day.
Yeah, I’ve always liked to stand as much as I can … and walk.
I remember reading once that people process information better while walking.
I often pray/think/plan while walking, so this was a natural next (albeit big) step (although I think I’ll only use it when I rally need to, not as an everyday activity, but it’ll be there if I need it).
Neat workstation. I’m not sure I could manage typing and I also have trouble reading while treading. It is a good time to think,plan, and pray, as you said! Music is my best time passer, but I sometimes listen to books that I’ve downloaded on my Ipod. It’s kind of sad that my nano books-to-read “pile” is as deep as my printed backlog! Watching the news is a good time for me to get a few thousand in. I still can’t fathom the 30,000 steps/day routine! Of course, you have toddlers. I’m sure that helps!
I’m not crazy about using my laptop while on the treadmill (mainly because of the static), but reading/browsing and watching video/DVDs is much better/easier than typing!
I agree that reading on treadmill is tough. I prefer to read printouts (Scripture passages/sermon text) over books. I can read a few pages at a time but it’s difficult/stressful.
It’s funny (or sad) re: the 30,000 steps: my steps/day since last year’s challenge have been lower than the months before that challenge.
Incidentally, before last year’s challenge, I had only done 30k one time (as a test-run a couple weeks before the challenge). And the only time since that challenge (where I did 30k all 29 days) was a few days ago (again, as a test run, more for mental preparation than physical).
In other words, I’ve now done 30k 33 times (through today), but only 2 of those times have been outside of the HealthFlex challenge (and both of those times were in preparation for the challenges).
Not sure what that says, except maybe that I view 20k a top goal, generally, not 30k.