Walking to Italy

How can I get myself to want to exercise?

How can I get myself to want…what I WANT to want?

I want the benefits of exercise. I want to be strong and have endurance. But maybe today I am tired, busy, or distracted. And my treadmill, gym, bike, jump rope, etc. is boring (I hate that). And also, there is a bottle of wine and a sofa between me and my workout.

But, maybe there is a way to make exercise more rewarding, right now.

Kind of like packing a suitcase is fun because it’s part of the vacation, maybe exercise could be more enjoyable because it makes the vacation possible, Maybe if I can make exercise ‘part’ of the vacation I am excited about, it will be easier to show up and do it.

The tour guide Rick Steves states that an average tourist in Europe walks between 7 and 12 miles a day. He suggests walking 5 miles 4 days a week and 10 miles of walking one day a week (30 miles a week total) to prepare for these tours.

Maybe I walked 2 miles (4000 steps) already during my workday. But, if I go on my vacation only used to walking 2 miles a day, I am going to wear out and be too tired to do everything I want to do. If I could get used to walking 5 miles (10,000 steps) a day, I would be able to do a lot more on my trip without getting tired and injured. And, if I’ve already done 2 miles, I only have 3 miles to go today to get ready for my trip!

Well, what vacation would I like to start today on my treadmill?

I could hike along Lake Superior. I could dance for hours in New Orleans. I could stroll along the streets of New York City or Disney World and not be too tired to go out again at night.

I could be walking in… Italy!

I will think about Italy when I (eventually) pack my suitcase- what do I need to bring? And, I can think about Italy now as I put on my sneakers. My treadmill time is the beginning of my vacation. Treadmill time will make my best Italian trip possible.

So in a real way, I start my Italian vacation today.

By linking exercise to my vacation (which I want), I start to want to exercise…because it is the path to my vacation.

And now I want…what I WANT to want.