The Little Things Add Up

So many folks don't take the first step to a healthier lifestyle because the destination or goal seems so far off and so hard to acheive. As you know all journeys start with a single step. Louis and Clark didn't skip ahead to the end of their journey and you can't either.

Just like Louis and Clark your journey must contain thousands of little steps in the right direction if you are to reach your destination. So, let's look at how the little things add up.

Let's say that everyday for two years you consumed one Oreo cookie. We'll say two years since the Louis and Clark expedition took more than two years to complete. Each Oreo contains about 53 calories and there are 365 days in one year. So 53 x 365 x 2 = 38,690 calories consumed in two years. A pound of fat is 3500 calories, so 38,690 calories is equal to 11 pounds of fat.

Now lets pretend that instead of eating a cookie every single day for 2 years, that you instead went for a 5 minute walk at a normal pace. That would burn about 28 calories for a 170 pound person. So 28 x 365 x 2 = 20,440 calories burned in 2 years, or about 6 pounds of fat.

Start making good choices everyday, even if they are small choices. As you can see here, consuming just a tiny amount less each day, combined with exercising just a tiny bit more each day would result in a 17 pound positive swing in your weight in 2 years.

If passing on that one cookie, and taking that little 5 minute walk around the neighborhood are worth 17 pounds, then get started today.