According to the internet, walking is a waste of time.Β
Suggest it and watch what happens.
The comments roll in.
The defensive ones.
The angry ones.
The ones that end in a question mark but are definitely not questions.
βIβve got bad knees.β
βMy backβs shot, dummy!β
βI hate people. And trees.β
βWhat if we donβt all have the same 24 hours in the day?β
I canβt help with the people or the trees, but your knackered knees and back likely come from your joints finally giving up the ghost after 30 years of carrying weight without building the muscle and strength to carry it.
A vicious cycle.
You think walking is pointless.
You move less, so your weight creeps up.
Your weight creeps up as your strength creeps down.
Your strength creeps down, and your joints think youβre taking the piss.
Can I tempt you to some beanless bean soup?
The Bean Soup Theory describes the tendency to project your own preferences, limitations, or experiences onto content that was never aimed at you. Like someone standing in a town square advertising guitar lessons, you walk by and get very cross because you werenβt looking for guitar lessons. Hat tip Ricky Gervais. (Not on everyoneβs Christmas card list.)
Thatβs social media.
Me: βWalking is good, and it can improve your physical and mental health.
Legaless: βWhat do all of us non-leggers do, smart guy? Insensitive prick.β
I get it: If you are not in possession of a pair of working legs, a post about the benefits of walking might touch a nerve...
A post on the benefits of walking was for anyone with a full set of working legs who is currently only using them to go back and forth to the kitchen, opening the fridge and cupboards in the hope that something more interesting has appeared since 12 minutes ago.
Wait.
Itβs just walking.
Legs or not, itβs not enough to do anything.
I officially broke up with running during COVID.
Walking before was a time-waster.
Why walk 15 minutes when driving takes 2?
Like many during this holiday, I walked my rock-hard tooshie to the bone.
Walking away (away) from the troubles in my life, oh, to find a better place. (to cough in peace)
Most of my clients experience a knock-on effect when they walk more:
Their sleep improves. Tolerance for lifeβs shit goes up. They build a positive association with movement.
One positive. Leading to another. And another.
**
Movement begets more movement.**
The average person is carrying more weight than their body can handle.
In a job they hate.
A relationship they endure.
Will likely never be willing or able to do anything about it.
A daily walk isnβt the fix. But it chips away.
Itβs free. It removes excuses. It works. People hate that.
βImproving my health is more complicated than that.β
Hence why Iβm too busy to do it.
Something that dull doesnβt & shouldnβt move the needle.
And yet...
Depression canβt hit a moving target.
Itβs not a cure.
It wonβt fix your job, your relationship or your joints alone.
If youβve got a serious health condition, a shoulder hanging off or have recently noticed your one leg short, itβs best to see a doctor before you see me.
If, however, youβre the proud owner of working legs, walk them and your flabby tooshie over to my place.