Staying on Track
Hi Everybody,
I’ve been hearing from lots of you saying that you were so excited about a new project or goal in the beginning, but now that the initial excitement has worn off, you’re having trouble staying on track.
And the question that follows is: How do I manage to stay so excited about my writing and/or walking?
The truth is I don’t. I mean, I love what I do. Most of the time I feel so grateful to be able to write the books that are in my heart and to have incredible readers who look forward to reading my next one. Most of the time I feel truly lucky to be able to walk the beach every day.
But sometimes I just don’t feel like it. At all. Not one bit. Sometimes I’m exhausted or grouchy or discouraged or whatever.
But I do it anyway. Because I know if I do it, I’m going to feel better. And if I don’t, I’ll feel even worse than I already do. It’s simple. And yet so hard. Which is often the way it goes with the important things. You’ve got to do the work. Sometimes you’ve just got to fake it until you’re feeling it again.
I believe the key is to paint yourself into a corner with a specific, manageable, non-negotiable plan. I talk about finding your version of my two pages a day all the time. (If you need a refresher, read or reread my book Life Glows On: Reconnecting With Your Creativity to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life.) You can order the ebook or paperback here: https://amzn.to/3klHGEM
I use the same specific, manageable, non-negotiable approach to stay on track with my walking. I walk 10,000 steps a day, seven days a week. It’s the magic number that studies show cuts your risk of cardiovascular disease, thirteen types of cancer, and dementia. (I talk about the other great walking benefits here: https://clairecook.com/10-awesome-walking-benefits/.)
The books in my The Wildwater Walking Club series actually use the narrator’s daily step count as chapter headings. When Noreen’s life is imploding and she can’t drag herself out of bed, we know because that day she walks maybe 24 steps.
In my own life, I find a way to walk those 10,000 steps. Most times I feel like it. Sometimes I don’t. But I do it anyway, because I know if I don’t finish all my steps that day, it’ll be easier not to do them the next day. And the downward spiral we all know so well will begin.
Sometimes I walk all those steps on a gorgeous day at the beach, or I discover a new favorite walking neighborhood. Other times I find myself with another 2,000 to go at the end of a long day, so I walk in place in front of the TV while I binge a show. For me, 10,000 is manageable. (It’s somewhere around 5 miles a day, depending on your stride length.) If that’s too many steps for you, do 5,000. Or 2,000. And work it up from there.
Whether you’re talking pages written, or classes taken, or steps walked, or another fitness activity you prefer, consistency over time is the most important thing. More steps than 10,000 doesn’t equal more health benefits, and it causes more wear and tear on your joints, so I don’t keep trying to ramp up my daily step count, just as I don’t keep trying to ramp up my daily page count.
One thing that really helps me stay on track with my walking is a fitness tracker. I personally think when it comes to fitness trackers, less is more. I don’t want to measure my sleep, my heartbeat, my blood pressure. I don’t want to have to link it via Bluetooth and have to go to my phone to analyze data. I don’t want to join yet another online community. I just want to know how many steps I’ve taken, and then I want my fitness tracker to leave me alone!
That being said, I use an Apple watch. I like it for other things, but I totally DO NOT need it for counting my daily steps. In fact, all the fitness metrics are so ridiculously distracting that I downloaded a free step-counting app and uploaded it to my watch and I use that instead. This is the equivalent of buying a car and parking it in your driveway so you can sit in it to drink your coffee, but I don’t care if I’m wasting features. I only want my step count!
So if you’re looking for a new fitness tracker, I’d suggest thinking about which features you want, instead of looking for one loaded with all the things. I’d also look at the size of the screen, because it really helps if you can actually read it. You also might want to find one with free returns, so you don’t end up stuck with a fitness tracker you don’t really love.
I hear good things about a simple fitness tracker called the Cloudpoem. (I also like the name, of course!) You don’t have to link it to a phone, and you don’t need an app to set it up. It’s also under $40, with free returns. Here’s the link if you want to check it out: https://amzn.to/3xPTDpt
If you want more features and a fitness tracker that links to your phone, I also hear good things about the Fitbit Versa 3. It has an easy-to-read display and built-in GPS to help accurately track distance. It also gives regular reminders to move and drink water. (That drives me crazy but you might love it!) It’s more expensive, but it also has free returns. Here’s the link to check it out: https://amzn.to/41kho6r
If you’d like to donate your existing fitness tracker to a good cause so you can justify buying a new one (or am I the only one who thinks like that?), I just found out about a nonprofit called RecyleHealth that collects still-functioning fitness trackers and gives them to underserved populations. Feel free to tell them I sent you!
If you want more walking inspiration, you can buy your copy of the books in The Wildwater Walking Club series in paperback or ebook for yourself or for a friend here: https://amzn.to/3if22hG (Tip: If the link doesn’t open for you, just copy and paste it into your browser.)
Talk to you soon!
CLAIRE COOK wrote her first book in her minivan at 45. At 50, she walked the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere of Must Love Dogs, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, which is now an 8-book series. Claire is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author of 23 fun and inspiring books for 40-to-forever women. Get your free gift at ClaireCook.com.
