“Can you slow down?”
I don't think I've ever had to say those words to my husband while we were walking.
We were heading to a local parade, and he was walking fast. But that's not unusual for us. I'm normally a fast walker too. In fact, when I lived in New York City, it was usually the other way around. He had to work to keep up with me.
Even that day, when I asked him to slow down, he commented that normally he's the one trying to keep up with me.
But this time, I really needed him to slow down.
We probably walked a couple of miles altogether, which isn't an extraordinary distance. But it had been a while since I'd walked that far at a steady pace, and I was surprised by how different it felt.
I'd be lying if I said it didn't concern me a little too.
Not because I think one walk tells me everything about my body. There can be all kinds of reasons something feels different on a particular day. But this particular experience got my attention.
I Haven't Stopped Moving
That's part of what made it so surprising.
I move regularly. I teach yoga. I practice strength and balance. I'm on my feet quite a bit, and movement is literally part of my work.
But lately, I haven't been getting out for walks the way I normally do. I'd actually been thinking about that even before the parade because I've been missing it.
And walking a couple of miles at a good pace asks something different of me than the other ways I've been moving.
I think that's easy to forget. We can be moving regularly and still realize that we haven't given our bodies much opportunity to do one particular thing.
Everything Counts—But Everything Isn't the Same
I talk a lot about how everything counts.
A ten-minute strength practice counts. Walking the dog counts. A yoga class counts. Getting down on the floor and back up counts. A few minutes of balance while you're waiting for dinner to cook counts.
I believe that wholeheartedly. But everything counting doesn't mean every kind of movement gives us the same thing.
Strength work asks something different of us than walking. Balance challenges us differently than mobility. A leisurely walk around the block isn't quite the same as walking a couple of miles at a brisk pace.
That's one of the reasons I believe so strongly in moving in different ways. Not because we need to check every kind of movement off a list, but because we want our bodies to be able to do different things.
And sometimes we don't realize something has been missing until we ask our body to do it again.
Sometimes We Notice in Ordinary Moments
For me, it happened walking to a parade.
There wasn't a fitness test involved. I wasn't timing a mile or tracking my heart rate. I was simply trying to walk beside my husband when I realized, This feels harder than I expected it to.
I think ordinary moments like this can give us useful information. Maybe you carry something up the stairs and notice you're more winded than you expected. Maybe you spend an afternoon gardening and realize you tire more quickly than you used to. Or maybe you get down on the floor and discover that getting back up takes more effort than you remember.
We can notice those things without immediately turning them into a judgment about what our bodies should be able to do.
Instead, we can get curious about them.
What Haven't You Done in a While?
I've written before about thinking about what you want your body to be able to do. That still matters to me because, ultimately, that's a big part of why we move—to be able to do the things we want to do in our lives.
But my experience at the parade has had me thinking about a slightly different question:
What haven't I given my body an opportunity to do lately?
For me, walking is one answer.
And what's interesting is that I already knew I missed it. I like getting outside. I like covering some distance on foot. Walking has always been something I naturally enjoy, and lately it just hasn't been happening as much.
Now I have another reason to return to it. Not because I need to start a walking program or hit a certain number of steps every day, but because I want walking to continue to be something my body is comfortable doing.
I want to be able to walk a couple of miles at a good pace. I want to be able to keep up when we're going somewhere. And I'd rather give my body regular opportunities to do that than wait until the next time I'm surprised that it feels harder than I expected.
One Thing to Notice Today
Think about the different ways you've been moving lately—not just during a workout or a class, but in your everyday life.
Is there something you haven't given your body much opportunity to do?
Maybe it's walking farther than you normally do, climbing stairs, carrying something heavier, getting down onto the ground, moving a little faster, or challenging your balance.
You don't have to turn what you notice into a whole new plan. Choose one thing and look for a small opportunity to do a little more of it today.
For me, that means it's time to get back out for a walk.
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