I Have This Treadmill

Every one of my physicians thinks I should walk. Well, maybe the ophthalmologist and the retina specialist haven’t mentioned it, specifically, but I think they would be on board with it.

My primary care doctor suggested walking every day, outside, which I can tell you right now, from a lifetime of experience with me, is not going to work. All it would take would be a little rain, some heat, some cold, some traffic, walking clothes in the laundry, those sorts of things, to make me say, “Oh, not today, maybe tomorrow.”

My kidney doctor wanted me to drive each day to First Baptist Church of Woodway and walk around the track in their indoor gym, which is “free and anybody can come.” Really? Getting dressed in walking clothes, driving 15 minutes to a gym, where I would walk for a while, then driving all the way back to my house? I just knew that I wouldn’t keep that up.

The cardiologist said I should walk, but didn’t give me any guidance about how that should happen.

Then, my physical therapist gave me the best reason for walking. I was seeing him to relieve sciatica, and part of my session each time was walking on a treadmill. He explained why walking is good for my spinal health (nourishing spinal structures), and it made a great deal of sense, and I did not want the sciatica to return. So, we got the treadmill.

A cousin described her experience with a treadmill in the house, and also said that many of their friends had one but ultimately didn’t use it. They were gung-ho about it for a while…a short while…then it sat around as a grim reminder of how much the treadmill cost and how they never used it any more. She said one friend said to them, when they got theirs, “Oh, just wait. In six weeks, you’ll be hanging your laundry on it.” And she said, “It is in the room where the washer and dryer are. So, yes, we do actually hang laundry on it sometimes.”

I said the treadmill had to be with a television, because it thought it would probably be boring to walk, just staring at the walls. So it went into the living room. I watched Lifetime movies. Then I watched reruns of The Closer.

I tried listening to audio books, because I like that and listen to them when I’m doing housework or yard work. That did not work at all on the treadmill, because, I think, my mind is used to my body being very engaged in work while the audio book is coming in. Walking on the treadmill was not enough action.

One Christmas, we moved the treadmill from the living room (where the tree, gifts, etc. was, and the treadmill really was in the way), and the treadmill went to our bedroom, where, truly, truly, I hung bags from the arms of it, and more bags were on the tread, itself. Every day I moved the things on the tread and walked. (You can quite easily walk on a treadmill when a dozen bags are hanging on the arms.)

Now, it’s in the room where my desk is, with my computer and and television. It’s perfect. I can watch television programs and I can watch programs and movies on the computer.

Do *not* look at the time-elapsed display while you are walking!! It can be *really* discouraging to feel so weary and realize how short a time you have walked, and how far you still have to go.

Here is the secret for successful treadmill walking. Do not look at the time on the treadmill! If I’m watching, let’s say, an episode of NCIS that I got from the library, one episode is about 40 minutes long, which is about how long I usually walk each time. If I feel worn out and wonder how much longer I have, and I look at the treadmill’s display of how long I’ve walked, it often says 25:00. Twenty-five minutes!!! I can’t walk another step! And I walk for about 3 more minutes and have to get off. I just shouldn’t look. If I’m watching a program from a network’s website, those have commercials. Counting the number of ad breaks can tell me about how long I’ve walked. I shouldn’t look at the display. Ever!! It’s defeating to feel worn out and see that I’ve only walked 11 minutes.
 

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.
Isaiah 40:31 (The Message)

I understand that this scripture reference is a metaphor. But still, I like it.

My sister sent this to me. I keep it on the treadmill. In case you can’t read them, the words in the speech balloon are “Make it stop. Make it stop.”
(characters copyrighted by the Hallmark company)

My goal each day is to walk 3 times for 40 minutes each time. I’ve never yet gotten there. But I usually walk twice. And, if I can keep from looking at the display, I can get 40 minutes (or close to it) in each time. I’m planning a trip to New York in May. I don’t want to lag behind everybody else.