Featured Have you quit on yourself?
It's that time of year when most folks give up on their New Year's resolutions. According to a survey from the University of Scranton, after one month, 46% of people have already quit working on their resolutions.
And among the top resolutions is to start exercising. It's the reason gyms reach full capacity in January. But this week of the year, folks give up. They don't have the time or the motivation to keep going.
Here at Retirement Millionaire Daily, we don't like to give up. That's why I have a challenge for all of you. It involves taking just 20 minutes of your day, three times over the next seven days... and doesn't require a gym or fancy equipment.
I want you to walk.
Longtime readers know I'm an advocate of walking. I often hold walking meetings and try to get out once a day to walk in the sunshine. When the weather is bad, you'll catch me on a treadmill instead.
Regular walking – even just 20 minutes a day – helps fight...
Any movement helps boost your immune system and fight depression, too.
Walking is easy, free, and just about anyone can do it. Even better... walking helps you live longer.
A brand-new study from the U.K. showed that substituting 30 minutes of light activity, such as walking, for 30 minutes of screen time, cut risk of early mortality. The study followed nearly half a million participants over about seven years. It's dose-dependent, too – the more active you are (and less screen time you have), the healthier and longer your life will be.
It's easy to let the bad weather keep you inactive. And with so many choices for what to watch on television, it's a wonder any of us ever get off the couch.
So start small. Aim for a 20-minute walk each day (or break it into a few shorter walks totaling 20 minutes). You can walk around your house, up and down the stairs (if you aren't at risk of falling) or try going to a gym or even a shopping mall.
Many shopping malls in the U.S. have walking programs where you can go before stores open and do a few laps – the malls are climate-controlled and often the floors are often designed to make walking easier. (with extra padding, for instance.)
For example, a mall here in Baltimore has special padding under its floors to ensure that walkers don't overtax their knees. They've also partnered with a local hospital so a medical professional is there to help if needed and answer any questions. Check with your local shopping centers and hospitals about walking programs near you.
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How to Restart Your Resolution
If you feel like you're in a slump or have a problem with the blues, get out and get walking. In fact, we're going to make it easier for you.
First, click here to view and print out our walking sheet. It contains five boxes – each one represents a block of 20 minutes of walking. Take five days over the next week and try to reach those goals. Each time you hit 20 minutes, cross out a block. It's that simple.
If you cross out all five blocks in a week, e-mail us a photo. And feel free to send us a photo of where you like to walk.
Make sure to get it to us by noon on February 7, 2017 – that's when we'll pick five (randomly selected) winners to receive a signed copy of my book, The Big Book of Retirement Secrets.
It's a great way to challenge yourself, your friends, and your neighbors. Forward this issue to your friends and get them to join you.
What We're Reading...
- Learn more about mall-walking programs right here.
- An interesting look at how our free-time habits have changed.
- Something different: Ready for a pint that's out of this world?
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Dr. David Eifrig and the Retirement Millionaire Daily Research Team
January 31, 2017