Hike that Mountain, Take those Stairs, Go for a Walk

For two years I lived just outside of Zurich, Switzerland in a small town nestled in the "Zürcher Oberland" .   The scenery was amazing, the air was clean,   the trains ran on time and I never saw an obese person. The  whole country is crisscrossed by marked hiking trails called Wanderwegs and the nearest one to me was just at my corner.    If I wanted,  I could have taken marked trails all over the country.    Many times on the train in the morning, groups of elderly people with back packs and hiking poles would get on the train to ride someplace for a day of hiking.    The concept of walking for exercise is ingrained in  society.

On one summer day in 2006,  I took a hike up the Schnebelhorn mountain, which at 4,239 feet (1,292 meters) is the highest point in Canton Zürich.    I probably started at 3000 feet or so the rise was not too great, however, the path was had a very quick ascent  and it was a somewhat strenuous walk.   I fell into talking to a gentleman on the trip for pretty much the whole way.   He was keeping up with my 45 year old self with no problems despite the fact that he was 73 years old.   I remember his age because my father was that same age at the time.    At that age,  my father was barely able to walk 100 feet while here I was sweating my way up a mountain side with someone my his own age.   I have always thought about that day and how, when I am 73,  I want to be able to do what what this gentleman was doing.

For the last 10 weeks I have been working on the 8th floor and for the most part I have been taking the stairs both up and down when I come in the morning and go in and out for lunch and leave .     This is one of the little things that I try to do to keep up my personal fitness.    You would think that 8 floors is pretty easy but when I started just taking the stairs,   I had to stop on the 5th floor the first day to take a breath before I continued.    I blame this on my computer and accessory filled back pack  (and I'm sticking to it) but in reality,  I did not generally take 200 stairs at one time.    I now sometimes go up to the top (10th) and come down just to make it a bit harder.  It has gotten easier but it is still good for me.

It is so easy to just get on the elevator and take it up to your floor instead of walking even a few flights.   In the US,  so many people get out of  their  warm beds,  maybe go downstairs to eat a pre-made breakfast item filled with sugar and fat,  get in their cars,  drive to the office,  bitch about how far they are parked from the building , eat a big lunch,  go back to their cars,  eat dinner,  then sit down for a few hours of television just to start it all again.  Their might even be time for an afternoon cookie or some cake in the break room.

When I compare our general health lifestyle versus the one I encountered in Switzerland,   I cannot believe the difference.  One one hand, we have people who as a rule walk when they can,  and on the other hand,  we have a society that is getting unhealthier and more obese every year.  Our exercise habits are generally non-existent, our diets are unhealthy and our lifestyles themselves lead to diseases of plenty.    

Studies have shown that 30 minutes of brisk walking each day will decrease the chance of illnesses such as heart disease, will reduce weight (as long as diet is adjusted) and increases general well being.  We can all find the time to take these 30 minutes as long as we make it a priority.  I myself, try to walk at least five miles each day and if I have the time,  I will sometimes walk  or hike 10 to 15 miles on the weekend.    Yoga really helps post-walk for those longer walks as your legs and hips tighten up after such a long distance.

Somewhere,  there is  a hiking trail, park or a nice neighborhood just waiting for you to walk through it. 

Namaste