What finally made me get off my butt? A bumble bee. Before anyone gets too concerned, I didn't get chased by a swarm of angry bees into my garage because I walked into their hive, although, given my propensity to do utterly stupid things, it's probably only a matter of time before that scenario happens. I signed up for BeeWell Miles from Bumble Bee Foods, the makers of Bumble Bee tuna.
BeeWell Miles has joined forces with the Breast Cancer Network of Strength to come up with a way to get us moving and to raise money for a good cause, all at the same time. Between now and October 31, 2009, Bumble Bee Foods will donate $.15 to the Network of Strength for every mile you walk or run and log on their website, BeeWellMiles.com, up to a total site-wide donation of $150,000. Once more than a million miles are logged in, Bumble Bee Foods will donate another $50,000 to the Network of Strength.
According to BeeWellMiles.com, 2000 steps equal approximately one mile. According to my treadmill, which has a built in step sensor and tracker, I walked 5039 steps or 2.335 miles tonight.
According to the pedometer I had clipped to the waist of my shorts, I walked even more than that--5128 steps.
I would like to say that the pedometer was more accurate, but it was acting a little odd. It worked perfectly on the ground, but once I got on the treadmill it alternated between underestimating my steps on the lowest incline and overestimating them on the highest.
Regardless of which one is the more accurate indicator, I was able to log two miles on BeeWellMiles.com and thereby raise $.30 for the Network of Strength. I did the math--at least I think I did it correctly--and if I walk two miles every day between now and the end of the promotion, I could earn $63.30 for the Network's peer support system and other programs. While that may not seem like a lot of money on its own, think of how much that would be if your family joined you in that two-mile walk. Now think about how the amount would increase if 100 people did the same. Two hundred people. Five hundred. One thousand. That's a lot of money.
On top of all the good that that money could do, two miles a day might mean that I'm finally able to carry my heavy Kirby vacuum up the stairs without giving out of breath. I used to be able to, but like I said in this beginning of this post, I've been slacking off big time in the exercise department. I'm sure that the regular exercise might help my immune system as well. I'm tired of catching every cold and virus that goes around. It would also help me tone up all over, just in time for swimsuit season.
If you've been sitting in front of your computer or laying on the couch far too much lately, join me in walking for a good cause. Just click on that little, green, "Support My Sponsor" button below or visit BeeWellMiles.com.
Now let's see if I can get out of bed tomorrow. If you stop by and there aren't any posts, I'm probably still lying there, cringing as my leg and butt muscles punish me for too many months of neglect.
