Take Small Steps to Drop Big

I just read a great story from CNN's Health Minute about Lois Fletcher and the small steps she started taking toward a healthier body. By substituting a subway ride in place of her daily car commute to work, she added a regular exercise routine that helped her drop more than 30 pounds and get her health back on track. It's an incredible story--take a look.

Fletcher is living proof that it is possible to add fitness into your daily life--regardless of your schedule or shape. I found the same positive effect of inter-commute workouts this summer in NYC. I lived 20 blocks from my office (20 city blocks is about 1 mile), so on nice days I would forgo my trip on the 4 train for a round-trip walk instead. And there were so many amazing benefits. My mornings became more productive knowing I needed to get out the door a few minutes earlier, and less stressful by avoiding the jam-packed, super-muggy subways. It helped me unwind after a hectic work day, and spend some time in the summer sun. It made me feel more connected and familiar to the new city I was a part of, and it gave me a way to explore; on some afternoons, I would take a different route or walk way out of my way--just to see a new angle of the city. I got so much out of the short, 20-block trip that I never realized the workout I was getting. Just another reason why I can't wait to get back to the city!