Urban Ranger

I have simply not felt like working out “properly” lately.  I just am not into it for whatever reason.

So, because if I don’t move I feel bad, and I get blue, I’m going to use a cute little metaphor to keep myself motivated to do a minimum.

It’s called Urban Ranger and was invented by Reinhard Engels, the same guy who wrote the No S Diet.

Engels combines a serious level of geekiness with some rather down-to-earth sensibility.  Why yes, I like his Everyday Systems.  Self-improvement that doesn’t take oneself so damn seriously is a Good thing.

The concept of Urban Ranger is mostly a mental image to get you to walk¹.  We all know walking is great exercise.  It’s what the human body is built for.  While I love swimming, I did start doing it because it hurt to walk. The fitness work I’ve done in the past couple of years has built up enough of a baseline so it is no longer painful for me to walk, even when I’ve been crap about workouts.

So, for the month of December, I’m going to walk.  If I can hoof it wherever I need to go, that’s what I am going to do.  I will walk to my job at the gym.  I will walk to the grocery store.  That alone will force me to walk more often because you can’t carry a week’s worth of groceries in a backpack.

If I don’t have anywhere I have to go, I will make a lunch hour for myself  and walk to the library and see if I can find some audiobooks on CD or something equally as interesting.

I know, I “should” be going to the gym, ‘specially since I’m workin’ there and all.   There’s nothing there I’m finding more interesting than walking at the moment, so walking it is.

¹ Do check out the Urban Ranger article. His Aragorn explanation is priceless!  I was imagining a sword strapped to my back as I went to the grocery store today.  Don’t laugh at me. Check it out.