Walking in Vegas

Several weeks after I started wearing my Fitbit I went to Las Vegas - to speak at a conference and of course, to enjoy the casinos!

Suddenly I realized that my step count was going up dramatically - and painlessly. After all, I was just getting from my room to the meeting room. Of course, in Las Vegas you always have to walk through the casino on your way anywhere - and those casinos are HUGE!

Instead of my original 8500 steps in a week, I was walking 7000 steps per DAY! And it felt good.

That was one of the first hints that I had that I could get fitter - just by walking. After a week in Vegas I felt better, moved easier, and was excited about the direction I was going.

Then I came home - and sat down. We have a large house, but not large enough to require 7000 steps a day to get around. I was back to my 1000 steps per day.

I decided to walk around the block. The first day I didn't do so well. After all, casinos are air-conditioned, with carpeting. Our Texas sidewalk was not air-conditioned and easy to walk on. I made it a few houses away, then turned around and came back. It wasn't a lot, but it added several hundred steps to my daily count.

The next day I again went for a walk and got a little further. I was amazed that I had confidently walked in Las Vegas, but was now struggling to get around the block! But in fact, I persisted and after a few days I got around the block. Added 1100 steps to the count!

At the same time I realized that I had lost a lot of confidence over the years I had been at home with depression. I was almost afraid to go all the way around the block. As if being away from my chair was scary. I can't fully explain it, but know that if you have that confidence crisis - you're not alone.

The important thing is to keep at it. Even when it's not comfortable, keep pushing yourself a little each day. You'll love where you end up!

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