10,000 steps a day

I’m not sure if it’s the feral Brisbane heat and humidity or the onset of the even more revolting peri-menopause, but at least two or three mornings a week I’m wide awake at 5am. And I’m really not a morning person.

Anyhoo, it does have an upside. 

While I don’t believe in new year’s resolutions, I do set new year goals (and I set them often during the year too). One of my goals this year (and every year!) is to end the year more fit and healthy than I started it. The past few years haven’t seen success, but this year will be different! This is the year I become closer to 50 than 40, and that is already starting to freak me out a little.

So my primary health goal for this year is to fit into the large pile of clothes that don’t currently do up. Hopefully this will also result in lower blood pressure and cholesterol and better numbers for all the other things that blood tests show. How will I do this I hear you ask!

Well, one day at a time.

I’m currently focussing on getting fitter so that I can walk longer distances without feeling completely knackered! My little fitbit is getting quite the workout. I’ve set a goal of 70,000 steps a week, or 10,000 steps a day. Given I work from home and on many days don’t go out, this is a big leap from my usual 30,000-ish steps a week.

To reach this goal I need to go for at least a 45 minute walk every day.  I’m not quite there yet, but week one was 50,000 steps and week two 66,000. This week, if I go for a second walk today (that’s the upside! A quick walk at 6am on those sleepless mornings!), will be around 61,000. A week of +30c temps with horrible humidity makes it hard to leave the aircon!

I have a few walking buddies – both real and virtual, and this makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE! Especially when I see how many steps Jo, my virtual walking buddy, is racking up in a day 🙂

And for those wondering, yes I am making food changes too. But I won’t bore you with those details today!

Do you have health goals for 2015? What might they be?