10,000 STEPS

10,000 STEPS A DAY IS WHAT’S RECOMENDED BY ALL THE HEALTH EXPERTS. BOTH MY PARENTS WALKED FOR EXERCIZE. THE O.D. CALLED IT A FART WALK AFTER A MEAL, AND MY MOTHER WALKED DAILY UNTIL SHE WAS UNABLE.

OVER THE YEARS MARY AND I HAVE USED PEDOMETERS TO COUNT OUR STEPS.  THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHILE AT LAKE TAHOE FOR THE SUMMER WHERE WE BOTH DIETED AND WALKED, AND WE EACH LOST ABOUT 25 POUNDS.

IN THOSE DAYS A PEDOMETER HAD TO BE CLIPPED ON THE WAIST OF YOUR PANTS, AND YOU WOULD EITHER FORGET IT OR LOSE IT, IF YOU BENT OVER TOO FAR. NOW THERE IS ONE AT WALMART THAT YOU CAN SLIP INTO YOUR POCKET.

THIS ONE AUTOMATICALLY RESETS AT MIDNIGHT FOR YOUR DAILY TOTAL, AND ALSO KEEPS A RUNNING TOTAL WHICH WE RESET WEEKLY ON SUNDAY.  OUR GOAL IS TO WALK 75,000 STEPS A WEEK.

THE FIRST WEEK ON THE MOUNTAIN I SET A NEW PERSONAL HIGH OF 101,500 STEPS IN ONE WEEK, FOLLOW BY 84,000 STEPS THE SECOND WEEK.

I THINK IT’S THE FRESH MOUNTAIN AIR THAT GETS US GOING. WE’VE BLOGGED ABOUT A COUPLE OF OUR HIKING SPOTS AND DUE TO THE DAILY AFTERNOON MONSOON RAINS WE’VE STAYED OUT OF THE FOREST AND USED MOSTLY PAVED TRAILS.

THE SHOW LOW CITY PARK HAS A NICE PAVED LOOP AROUND THE PARK, AND THERE IS A RIM TRAIL JUST OUT OF LAKESIDE THAT’S PAVED AS WELL.  BOTH OF THESE TRAILS ARE INTERPRETIVE TRAILS WITH SIGNAGE THAT TEACHES YOU THE NAMES OF THE TREES AND OTHER PLANT LIFE.  NOW WE CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ALLLIGATOR JUNIPER AND A UTAH PINE.