taking steps

At the suggestion of my employer’s health insurance company, a ‘wellness committee’ has been formed. I’d like to think that the wellness committee is dedicated to the overall ‘wellness’ of the employees, but I can’t help but think that there were promises of reduced group insurance rates if the company tried to healthy us all up.

I have no desire to participate in any committee sponsored activities, but when told that the first wellness event was going to be a ’10,000 Step Challenge’ I was intrigued. Not because I enjoy walking…which I personally consider to be a very antiquated activity ever since cars were invented…but because I got a free odometer.

And since getting this odometer, I simply don’t know how I’ve lived this long without it. The information it provides is invaluable…such as the exact number of steps it takes me to reach the bathroom from my couch (11), and how many steps I save by parking in the very first parking spot at work as opposed to the very last spot in the parking lot (77).

I realize that I could just as easily count the steps myself as I walk, but this type of mental activity while walking could easily blow out an important neuron. Besides, it makes me feel very technologically savvy to have a little box clipped to my belt do the counting for me.

Better still, I’ve heard that there are promises of gift cards for those people that meet the 10,000 step goal. And being that the whole program is being run on the honors system, I’m a guaranteed winner.

Because, since I’m not a professional walker by trade, I plan on giving myself a 9,500 step handicap.