10000 steps a day - Many ways to it ! Actually ! Really !

 

10000  steps a Day – Many ways to it  ! Actually !  Really !!

Dinesh K Kapila

The fitness bug is there, it’s a wave. One feels overwhelmed. We have sundry doctors scaring the crap out of us, speciality wise, one day it’s the nephrologist, then the cariologists, the oncologists are always there. And Endocrinologists,  In fact I feel for the ENT and Medicine Specialists as they hardly ever figure in the special pull outs of newspapers dishing out advise on how to ward off varied diseases by varied diets and walking and exercising and running and chilling it out. No matter they are themselves running literally eighteen hours work days. And some with paunches. And all of us know about cholesterol, the good cholesterol, the bad cholesterol, the Blood Pressure readings, the pages containing the tests  run into a book.  But you walk, simply walk, and its all Ok. At least it is supposed to be.

In any case I am on 10000 steps a day. The thought of it. It’s the new mantra. The golden rule. There could be many ways to it and sometimes we should realise that too. Plus there is no scientific validity of 10000 steps, its apparently just there from somewhere.  Why not some exercise plus 7000 steps a day or if on the old side, simply 5000 steps a day. Its just that we want to feel 10000 steps are clocked on the smartphone, it makes us feel secure, safe. If  we have to do 10000 steps a day then we have to be focused on this and go for it. But do we know there are varied modes to it. And realistically.

Meditation Gurus teach us that there are many ways to achieving internal bliss. Inner peace. There is no one way. I say there are many ways to 10000 steps a day. Only we fail to realise it. Let us explore. Some modes.  Remember here too there are many ways to it. Always.  

Suggestion One

Now if you were the sincere devoted types in school, diligent, somewhere in the first row or God forbid, second row, go ahead, put on that determined look, chin up, tummy in, start walking. And keep walking and keep walking. And then still keep walking. Lose track of time and space. When evening turns to night, when the hot sun is now replaced by the benign moon, stop, 10000 steps would be done.  This is the best way.   Boring, tiring, useful.

 

Suggestion Two

When you were in school, no matter how many years ago, normally in rows three to five, you would be a pragmatic sort of person. The rule says 10000 steps, it does not say in one straight walk. It’s 10000 steps in a time period of say twelve hours. So break it up.  A bit of a morning walk, maybe a stroll at lunch, and then the evening to complete it, pre and post dinner. And missing the 10000 mark once in a while is ok. It is less stressful, comparatively more relaxed, you are simply getting there in phases.  

 

Suggestion Three

  If you  were in rows six to seven, now we are getting real life, the one’s who get by. With self confidence. Just keep that smartphone in your pocket. It does not leave you at all. From the bed to the bathroom, the bathroom to the bed, the flush to the washbasin, the bed to the kitchen, the walk to the car, from the parking to the office, its just everywhere, in the pocket, counting every step. If possible, if you have to go to the bathroom at night, just carry the smartphone. Every step recorded is a success. And times if a bit short of 10000 steps, simply trot gently in one place or wiggle your hips. After all you are moving. With the phone in the pocket. And if pouring a beer, shuffle your feet, it gets recorded.  As I said many ways to reaching 10000 steps a day.

 

Suggestion Four

This is for the great survivors. The  last rows at school. The all rounders, who enjoy, live a life and still reach where they want to. I know of a relative, never walked, never exercised, simply strolled to the office or market, took limited stress, quite ok at eighty years. Even popped into the ICU, bounced back. Now this is ideal. Or they raise their arms, move a bit around, stroll a bit, potter around in the garden and kitchen, chat with the neighbours and walk a distance with them, do gossip sessions while walking and knowing who does what in the neighbourhood, and the day is done. Sometimes the half an hour walk. Or some exercise or yoga. There is no count. No stress on what percentage of the target was achieved or over achieved. Now this is the real way.

 

So change your row and mode while at school, no matter decades ago, its up there in the brain. And decide what works for you. I once had two smartphones. Separating my personal and retired but still talking professionally at times lives.  It stressed me out. At the end of the day the readings of my steps would not tally. One would say 9800 steps, the other phone 10450. Or 7958 and 8450. How to assess which one is accurate. And should I average. Should I average walking speeds, asymmetry, it got way too much. Now I have one phone. Now the doubt is how accurate it is. How come steps post dinner get recorded at a higher frequency – I feel I walked 800 steps, the phone says no, its 1450. Its frankly a puzzle. And then a Doctor says 5000 steps would do, another Doctor says his patient walks 15000 steps a day. And the confusion increases. So to each his own.

 

Tailpiece – While walking one hot cloudless  day,  I suddenly felt as though a tiny weeny drop of water fell on my head. Puzzled, I looked up. Nothing. Maybe a bird passing by, then the next day again. Actually, as you bald, a drop of sweat falls from a bunch of hair still left at times on your head, now that is the feeling of a drop of rain falling. Realisation !! Now that is an eureka moment !!

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