Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Ten Thousand Steps

My new insurance company offers different over-the-phone courses free of charge. In order to obtain a $300 wellness credit--which pays part of my insurance premium each month--I was required to take an online health assessment. Shortly after taking it, I received a call from a nurse at my insurance company suggesting I take their weight management phone course. (Hm? It's free? Count me in!)

I had my first call about a month ago. I spoke with a nice woman, a nutritionist named Lindsay. We spoke during my two hour commute home. (What's turning out to be one of many, unfortunately.) She assured me that I was eating the proper amount of fat and calories and praised me for my weight loss. We scheduled my next appointment with a fitness specialist.

Tonight, I received a call from Kathryn. While Lindsay was easy to talk to, talking to Kathryn is like listening to a recording. "When you think about types of physical activities you enjoy, what comes to mind?" She answered my questions, though, and didn't scold too much when I confessed I hadn't been wearing my pedometer. (Part of the program...and it was free.)
"Okay," she said robotically. "Let's set a goal that relates to your pedometer."
"How about...I agree to wear it every day first? Can that be my goal?" (Did I mention she called right as I walked in the door and I had to pee so bad I was dancing in my bedroom? Yeah. I was.)
Apparently, that goal wasn't good enough for Kathryn. She didn't even laugh. "Your goals should be specific and attainable."
"Okay...how many steps am I supposed to have? Ten thousand? That's my goal. Ten thousand steps a day."
She did have a good suggestion, though.
Ten thousand steps a day on average for the week. I can handle that...because even if I don't get out of bed for two days, the forty million steps that Turbo Kick converts to will even me out for the week.

We came up with some ways I can do it, too...I refuse to park further away from my building, though...it was 20 below zero today.

Future blogs should include a step count. (Maybe. If I feel like you.) Feel free to yell at me if it's not there...I need that sometimes.

1 comment:

Crabby McSlacker said...

Actually, I think you had a great idea for a first step--just getting in the habit of wearing the dang pedometer seems like a really reasonable goal to begin with.

I'll be curious to see how it goes!