Ped X-ing

Manila has been hot and humid these past couple of weeks. Just yesterday, we hit 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 degrees Fahrenheit). That's not that hot but add h-u-m-i-d-i-t-y to the equation (sorry don't know how to measure that!) and it makes it worse. I've been told that humidity is actually what keeps Filipino skin young but it sure is a price to pay when each step you take makes you drip, drip, drip and feel stick, stick, sticky.

What better time for me to decide to take walking seriously than the start of summer in the Philippines!

Allow me to explain. My fellow single mom friend recently purchased a pedometer. We've been complaining about how we don't have time to go the gym. Blah, blah, blah. So she was at the mall recently and decided to buy a pedometer to motivate her to do something... healthy. And, it's a simulation of being on a treadmill in an actual gym. Minus being stuck in one place. It's been a no-brainer for her to use:  wear on belt every morning before walking out the door, keep on all day, remove at night upon arriving at home, and voila, total number of steps recorded, total distance walked, and number of calories burned are all magically displayed on the monitor.

I got jealous. I wanted my own pedometer! So I got one. It cost me around US $ 45. (P 2,295.00). Not exactly cheap for the Philippines but cheaper than a gym membership that I hardly use. (Have a lifetime membership somewhere but I just don't feel like going! *throws tantrum on the ground*)

Anyway. I started using it Monday morning for my daily commute to and from work. I was so excited to see my progress at the end of the day!

Day One

Not too bad. Though my goal is 10,000 steps a day, I didn't come down hard on myself and walk more, more, more til I hit my target. I decided that there's always tomorrow.

And there was. Which is today. My total steps? 9,847. Kilometers traveled? 5.90.

Since I get all sweaty on my way to work (even without the extra push to walk briskly), I decided to commute in a t-shirt. As soon as I got to the office, all I had to do was change into my top and blazer. Once upon a time, this was an excuse that kept me from making the effort.

No more. Truly, where there is a will, there is a way. You just have to want it bad enough. And at this point in my life, I do. It's all about the forward motion. Keeping on keeping at it. Or at least start moving in that direction. Even if it is summer.