Yes, this is my pathetic excuse to talk about a favored show that I loved to watch and that recently ended its seven year run on NBC. That being said, one of things I noticed when watching old episodes on DVD was how many conversations occurred in the halls of the White House while staffers were hurrying from one place to another. There were numerous references to the cardio workout the staffers received just to have meetings in the hallway. They did this while they were on foot and running from one meeting to another.
Considering this information, what can we do with this for our own lives? Instead of sitting still the next time you are on the phone catching up with a friend or a relative, take to your feet and start walking. You can increase the number of steps you take every day just by making a few simple changes in your daily habits.
The West Wing diet isn’t so much about eating differently, but increasing your level of activity. Remember, 500 calories burned is 500 calories less whether you are eating 500 calories less or not. There is the 10,000 step program that encourages people to walk 10,000 steps a day (that averages out to about 5 miles) and you can increase the number of steps you take by making a circuit throughout your house whenever you are talking on the phone.
I measured it yesterday, just for kicks and I was on the phone roughly six times throughout the day. Using my pedometer, I measured the steps taken if I walked throughout the duration of the phone conversation. The average phone call was about 10 minutes in length. I put in 2000 steps during that 60 minutes ( 6 phone calls multiplied by 10 minutes each give or take) and that 2000 steps works out to be about a mile.
That’s a mile I walked while talking on the phone.
Do you see the possibilities? I do. Spend a day and measure your steps taken while talking on the phone – you can add the number of steps you take in the day and increase your caloric burn without taking time on the treadmill or outdoors. What do you think of the West Wing diet suggestion?