| I live in Minnesota, a beautiful state with extreme | | | | the fish. We still have shrimp in our freezer so I |
| weather changes. In the winter the temperature | | | | was not tempted to buy more. |
| can plunge to 30 below zero. In the summer it | | | | Each time I walk in the discount store I try to |
| can shoot into the 90s or even 100. Even though | | | | increase the distance. The first time I walked |
| I wear a wide-brimmed straw hat and sunscreen, | | | | there I went around once to try it out. Then I |
| it is hard for me to walk in such heat. | | | | increased my distance to two laps. Now I am |
| My solution is to walk the perimeter of a local | | | | doing two and a half. I can feel my thigh muscles |
| discount store. It is huge. I like the air conditioned | | | | responding to the walk so I must be getting |
| environment and looking at the merchandise. But I | | | | something out of it. |
| do not walk around the store the same way I | | | | When I first started my walking program I wore |
| walk in my neighborhood, and have to be aware | | | | a pedometer and obsessed about getting 10,000 |
| of shoppers, especially wandering children. Speed | | | | steps. I bought three pedometers and all of them |
| walking is something I have tried, but I would | | | | broke. Now my goal is to stay active. For me, |
| never do it in a discount store. | | | | walking is the best way to do this. I love to walk |
| I follow other rules as well. Since discount stores | | | | outside and am looking for new routes. |
| can be slippery, I wear rubber-soled shoes. | | | | Though walking in the discount store is an |
| Sometimes I wear ones that lace up, a European | | | | exercise solution, I miss the outdoors when I am |
| walking shoe, and other times I wear sport shoes. | | | | in the store. I miss the smell of newly-mown |
| Both are easy on my feet. | | | | grass, blooming roses, and seeing children on their |
| Before I leave the house I do a few stretching | | | | bikes. I miss looking at houses and gardens and |
| exercises. to warm-up. I also go up and down | | | | neighborhood improvements. This is okay. |
| stairs a dozen times. | | | | What matters is that I am following my doctor's |
| When I am in the store I make it a practice not | | | | advice and building exercise into each day. Three |
| to succumb to sales pitches and promotions. | | | | laps around the store is my next goal, then four. |
| Yesterday the store was running a special on | | | | Walking in the discount store is helping me stay fit. |
| frozen shrimp and Alaskan crab. Apparently the | | | | It may do the same for you. |
| prices were good, because people were buying | | | | |