5+ Million Steps In a Month

Hey there - it’s Don.

Happy Friday!

Quick announcement before jumping into this week’s newsletter.

After working 1-on-1 with dozens of guys over the last 16 months, I’ve dialed in my coaching system.

Layman’s Fitness Coaching is now live.

It has a new name (now “Layman’s Fitness Coaching”) along with two new tiers.

These new tiers are 40-50% off the highest one.

This is a proven framework to help Christian guys get lean, strong, with more energy, and all from home.

It’s ready whenever you are.

Let’s jump into this week’s newsletter!

🔎 Inside

• 5+ million steps in a month

• Weight maintainers do these 6 things

• A bite-sized theology of food, Sticking with your good habits even when your willpower is gone, and more…

First time reading? Sign-up here.

💪 Deep Dive

Click here to read this on the Layman’s Fitness website

5+ Million Steps In a Month

Last month the guys in the LF Coaching program competed in a step challenge.

In 4-weeks, over 5 million steps were logged by the entire group.

That’s 2,200+ miles of walking.

To put that in perspective, that’s about the length of the Appalachian Trail.

Lots of good steppers in that crew.

In this newsletter, I’ll share the 5 main takeaways we had from that experience, along with 15 practical ways to get more steps in each day.

#1 - Be intentional

The goal of the step challenge wasn’t to have the most number of steps.

It was to have as many days of 10,000 steps within 28 days.

Bonus points were given if you got to 12,000+ steps.

This meant, rain or shine, 10,000+ steps were to be had that day.

This type of intentionality is a mindset that thinks “today I’m getting 10,000+ steps no matter what”.

And a lot can be accomplished with that mindset.

This mindset is similar to implementation intention, if you’re familiar with that concept from James Clear’s book “Atomic Habits”.

It works.

#2 - Be resilient

Logging 28 days of 10k (or 12k) steps in a row is tough.

Life is unpredictable, family stuff comes up, work trips come up, and other responsibilities need to be met.

Lots of walks were had after dark.

One of the guys even pushed through pain with bone spurs on both heels.

But intentionality turned into resiliency.

#3 - Be creative

These are busy guys.

With families, jobs, and other responsibilities.

So part of the step challenge was finding creative ways to overlap steps and walking with the things that we were already doing.

The possibilities are endless… from moving around while playing with your kids, to taking conference calls while walking, to catching up with a friend while walking.

The only limit is creativity.

#4 - Be early

One thing I learned was that if I was able to get a 35-45 minute walk in the morning, the step goal was much easier to achieve.

But if I didn’t get that morning walk, the step goal was very difficult.

Those morning walks became one of my favorite parts of the day.

I started doing my morning devotionals on foot. Praying, memorizing Scripture, etc…

My prayer life is totally different now.

I even memorized half of the book of James (and I’m awful at memorization).

Try adding movement to your mornings. See what happens.

#5 - Be competitive

Just being honest here…

I probably wouldn’t have logged as many steps as I did if the other guys weren’t doing it too.

My motivation is limited.

But I got a boost from these other guys. And now I’ve got a habit that’s stronger than it was 28 days ago.

And that’s thanks to these fellas.

Iron really sharpens iron (Prov. 27:17).

15 Practical Ways to Get More Steps In Each Day

Here are 15 ways to get more steps in each day.

You don’t have to do all 15.

Start by picking one to work on.

1. Go for a walk in the morning before work starts

2. 10-15 minute cool down walk after exercise

3. Park far away from your work building

4. Take work calls while walking

5. Walk during conference calls

6. Get a walking pad

7. Take a lunch break walk

8. Take an afternoon walk break

9. Take a lap around your work building

10. Go to the opposite end of your building for the bathroom, copier, coffee, & take the stairs

11. Walk while making personal calls

12. Walk with kids to the park after work

13. Family walks in the evening

14. Walk in place while watching TV

15. Go for an evening walk

➡️ The Walking Takeaway

Here were the 5 main lessons learned that helped us log 2,200+ miles of walking last month:

• Be intentional

• Be resilient

• Be creative

• Be early

• Be competitive

Don’t try to do all 15 things at once. Start with one.

The Lord has given you an incredible body. Use it!

🔎 Finds

Here are some of my favorite finds/resources this week.

Top find

Weight maintainers do these 6 things, ScienceDirect (more)

Other finds

• A bite-sized theology of food, DesiringGod (more)

• Chrononutrition: the importance of meal timing, IntegrativeNutrition (more)

• You become what you eat, DesiringGod (more)

• How time near the water enhances our health, BlueZones (more)

• Sticking with good habits even when your willpower is gone, James Clear (more)

👍 Thanks for reading!

Do you want structure and accountability to help you steward your health?

Get that and a lot more with LF Coaching.

Apply for that here.

I’ll see you next Friday.

Be strong,

Don