Our mission this week is to take the stairs wherever we can, instead of using the elevator or escalator. If we don't have access to stairs, we need to get an extra 30 minutes of activity in some other way. The idea is to find little ways to get fit that you can sneak into each day.I work from my home office, so the only stairs I have to climb are the ones in my house. I decided to take extra trips up and down the stairs when I don't necessarily have to use them. Every day this week, I have gone up and down both sets of stairs several extra times...the ones that lead upstairs to the bedrooms and office, and the ones that lead to our finished basement.
This is a really good thing for me. Every summer, when we go to Huntington Beach here in Cleveland, there are some really killer steps. They are numerous and quite steep. Going down to the beach is not so bad, but coming back up to street level always gets me. I get out of breath and my legs are very shaky...I have to stop and sit down on the closest bench, and it takes me a while to recover. (And at the top of those steps, there is an ice cream stand...doesn't that figure???)
I am determined that by next summer I will not have any problems with those beach steps. I also researched stair climbing, and found that it is actually a sport! You can check out more about that at www.stairclimbingsport.com . You can burn twice as many calories stair climbing than walking...now there's some extra incentive!
I also snuck in some other extra exercise this week...I parked further away at the bank, grocery store, etc. and got more walking in instead of just finding the closest spot. I've also been doing leg lifts in front of the computer. (You're picturing that now, aren't you?) It all adds up, and I will continue to find more ways to fit in little workouts throughout the day.
8 comments:
Marie, I LOVE your blog, so I have awarded you the One Lovely Blog Award. You can collect it at: http://hgr8scot.blogspot.com/2009/09/and-award-goes-to.html
I didn't sign-up for the challenge this week because I don't encounter stairs very much. I do have one flight of stairs down to my basement and that is it. I like how you have become creative in how to do the challenge without many stairs. Great thinking!
Look at you! I'm so glad you didn't throw this mission away because you don't have many stairs to climb. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you set a goal by tackling the beach steps next summer! And all the other activities you did?! Girl, you GOT this!! Keep up the good work! :)
I am really happy to hear stairs burn twice the calories than walking, but it doesn't make me love them any more!
I live in a 4th floor walk-up. That's at least 4 flights down (to workout) 4 flights up (coming home from workout) 4 flights down (off to work) 4 flights up (coming home from work). That plus subway stairs, and I think I'm maxed out!
But! In the name of challenging myself and pushing myself hard enough to push me off this plateau, I promise to do at least ONE more trip out of the apartment each day. Heck, I'll go for a walk around the block in the evening after dinner :)
Lock and load ladies! Let's blast some fat!
If you want a good set of stairs to climb, check out the Rocky River Nature Center, located in the Metroparks about 14 miles north of Bagley Road. Not only are there plenty of paths to walk, but the scenery is beautiful, especially in the Fall, and the wooden stairs are a real treat to climb!
Great job!!!!
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Iron has made its name through Spiral Stairs
I like exterior spiral staircase.
They give's a nice look.
And the way they designed. I just luved it
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