Our
Assistant Editor, Mia, walks to work every day. Arriving at the same time as her one morning, she headed straight to the stairwell instead of waiting for an elevator. Naturally, I followed her, and couldn't help but wonder if this was also part of her daily routine.
When I asked if she was feeling energetic or if this was simply standard, she smiled and told me that she always takes the stairs. Since our office is on the sixth floor, that means I had to climb six flights (six flights!) and still arrive looking ready to take on the world.
Hey, if Mia can do it after walking nearly forty minutes to our office (while I spend an hour seated on public transportation), surely I can give it a shot, I reasoned.
But it wasn't pretty. Two flights up, a burning sensation spread throughout both of my legs, and by the third and fourth flights it was tough to carry on a regular conversation. Plopping into my desk after making it up all six flights, my heart was racing and I could feel my pulse trying to jump out of my chest.
Trying to (inconspicuously) catch my breath, I couldn't help but wonder: Would it
really be worth it to climb this stairwell every single day? I was still trying to decide if it would actually make a huge difference when I met celebrity trainer
Harley Pasternak later that week, and his publicist passed along this tidbit
— climbing the stairs, instead of riding elevators, can shave off about 7 pounds a year!
That sounds like amazing motivation to keep it up, if you ask me. Now, how long until it doesn't hurt?