Monday Stress Buster - Go for a walk with someone special

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I'm a big fan of step trackers for one reason: What gets measured gets accomplished. 

I use the step tracker on my Apple watch. Beth uses a fitbit. In either case it keeps us focused on the daily "Holy Grail" of steps: 10,000.

Recent evidence suggests that 7,000 steps will have the same benefits, but we are committed to the 10,000 step goal, so we stick to it.

One thing we've learned: If we go for a two mile walk in the day, the goal is a lot easier. If we don't - it's nearly impossible (or it will mean a lot of marching in place in the house).

We live on a dead end country road so we can go out for a two mile walk on the road at any point in the day (weather permitting).

That means that the 10,000 step goal encourages us to take a walk. What follows from that is three benefits:

1. It gets us outside in the fresh air, and away from the computer.

2. It gets us somewhere around 40 minutes of low impact "aerobic" exercise. I hesitate to call it full blown aerobic, but if we move quickly enough it will put our pulses in the low end of the aerobic range.

3. It gives us the biggest stress reducing benefit of all: Time together with each other.

When we walk we talk about future plans (later that day or three years away). We talk about what we've learned. And most importantly we just enjoy the other's company.


Full disclosure: This wasn't on a walk at home - it was on vacation in Ireland


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