One Million Steps, One Hundred Days - Take The Challenge!

Take the Challenge - Start Walking!
1,000,000 Steps
100 Days

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One Million Steps
There have been quite a few mentions of a one million step challenge on Facebook and various blogs. My husband, Doug, told me about it a few weeks ago.

I'm pretty competitive and I LOVE a challenge. So I thought I'd challenge him to walk one million steps in one hundred days and I'd do the same. Of course, this really means, "who can clock the most steps in this timeframe." By the way, he's even more competitive than I am. 

The official start date for our challenge - June 1st!

To illustrate how ridiculous it is for me to compete with Doug in reaching this milestone, let me compare our jobs and daily routines.

My husband pretty much "hand" farms our vineyard. Because the vines are planted very close together (European style), he can't get a tractor between the rows. This means he has to walk up and down the 2 linear miles of grapevines whenever he needs to do something to them. He can clock 10,000 steps before lunch!

Doug logs lots of steps farming the vineyard

I, on the other hand, am a blogger, researcher and author. I sit in a chair most of the day. How can I possibly compete with Doug on walking a million steps?

This is where you will find me most of the day.

Getting Ready with our Little Fitbits
My son got me a Fitbit for Christmas so I am all set for this challenge. So Doug had to buy one too. My suspicions were confirmed when he clocked nearly 25,000 steps the first day he wore it. Now I'm starting to worry. But the next day, he was down in the 12,000 range so I thought there was still some hope for me. 

The Fitbit Zip is light and hooks onto your pocket. It's wireless and syncs automatically to your computer so you can monitor your progress. You can find less expensive pedometers, some as low as $20.

The Fitbit Zip Wireless Tracker.
We paid about $49 each.

Upping my Game
I always try to get in my 10,000 steps per day but some days it just doesn't happen. This challenge has inspired me to up my game. Here's how I've modified my work day to get more steps in.

* Every hour on the hour, I take a 5 minute break and either jump on the elliptical (which is a few feet from my desk), do jumping jacks,  or march in place.

* I only buy enough groceries for one day and walk to the grocery store every afternoon.

* I moved my home office downstairs so that every time I need anything in the house, I have to walk up a flight of stairs.

* I placed a step behind the couch so when I watch T.V., I can be doing step aerobics.

When watching TV, use a step or just march in place.

* When I have to mail a letter, I walk to the post office.

* I take out my Zumba tapes a couple of times a week and dance.

The Benefits!
There are many benefits, besides the glory of accomplishing this goal, of physical activity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, physical activity can:
* Control your weight  (depending on your weight and current level of activity, you can lose 5 to 10 pounds by walking a million steps!)
* Reduce your risk of heart disease
* Reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
* Reduce your risk of some cancers, such as endometrial and lung cancer
* Strengthens your bones and muscles
* Improve your mental health and mood and reduce depression
* Help you sleep better
* increase your chances of living longer

Partner Up
It easier and more fun to take this challenge with a friend, spouse, work partner or neighbor. 
So pick a partner, pick up a pedometer, 
TAKE THE CHALLENGE AND START WALKING !

How are we doing?
The totals for the month of June are:
Joanne
328,138 steps
135 miles
48,300 calories
Doug
418,071 steps
192 miles
80,011 calories

By the end of July:
Joanne
671,586 steps
276 miles
98,850 calories
Doug
799,544 steps
367 miles
153,000 calories

We Hit Our Goal!
By the end of August (92 days)  I hit 1,004,085 steps
Doug met the 1 Million Step goal by August 15th, after 77 days!