We all know the deal: when you work out and build muscles, your body continues to burn more calories than normal a couple of hours after you’re done, plus those muscles contribute to higher metabolism and more calorie burning over time. When you do exercise, the things that often lead to bad eating, like feeling cranky and despondent, are reduced, so you improve your diet. When you move your body, your brain is sharper and your work is more productive. When you feel better about yourself, you’re more able to get yourself working out and sticking to healthy habits. It’s a lovely circle.
Yes, all the reasons that working out totally gets in the way of wallowing in my crankiness are the reasons I should do it. And yeah, the cranky-stressy I had the other morning was completely erased by those 90 minutes of good walking – especially because it was at a faster pace. It’s easy to walk 2.7 mph while watching TV. Today I clocked 2 hours and 20 minutes.
But there’s another positive externality (those indirect consequences of things we do or make) that’s now becoming a pattern: and it has to do with my child.
My daughter – who will be 9 in October – has used the treadmill in my office no fewer than 20 times since I connected it. She even watched her two allotted TV shows the other day while walking! She’s in love with this thing.
Look at me! I’m a good influence!
Then, Saturday, when my partner came home from a business trip, he conducted his usual 30 minute post-trip chatter not from a lounge on the couch, but instead from where? You guessed it! Walking on the treadmill.
Sure, some of this is novelty, but hey. We all take it where we can get it. I call this a win.
WoW and Other Musings 
I am in awe.
awwwww!