How to Walk from New York to Chicago Without Really Trying (Walk 3 Miles a Day)

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By twincapes
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Walk 3 miles a day

If you walk 3 miles a day, five days a week, you'll walk 780 miles in a year, which is about the distance from New York to Chicago. You'll also burn off 22 pounds of fat and build muscle. It's easier than you think. Here's how to do it-

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Good walking shoes or sneakers

Step 1

Regular walking is a great way to keep fit, lose weight, and clear your mind. It is a low-stress and fun way to get in shape. You burn 100 calories per mile, whether you walk or run. So if you walk 3 miles every weekday, that's almost a pound of fat you are burning every 2 weeks. Hey! That's not so hard. Start by getting a good pair of running or walking shoes. If you have some old ones, and the sides of the soles have developed horizontal creases, it's probably time to replace them. OK, now you're ready.
Step 2

A daily walk

You can either use a pedometer or measure your steps by walking around a school track and seeing how many steps it takes you to walk 1/4 mile (then multiply x 4). See my related eEhow article on measuring your walking distance in links below. Doing this from home is fairly simple. Using either method, figure how far 1.5 miles is from your home. A round-trip there and back will be 3 miles. You can work out a couple of routes to give your walk some variety.
Step 3

If you are doing this during weekdays at work, here's how to squeeze it in. First, don't be like everyone else and try to park right next to the door to your office. Park a quarter mile or a half mile from your office (1/4 mile is only about 500 steps - about a block or 2). If you walk a 1/4 mile in and out to your car, that's a 1/2 mile you've knocked off your daily total. You can wear your walking shoes to work, because who really cares? They're more comfortable, and you see other people doing it, especially in cities, whether they are dressed up or not.
Step 4

Talk a walk on your break

If you have morning and afternoon breaks, go outside and walk up the block or across the way and back. You can easily do 500 or 1000 steps on a break, and if you work on a computer, the fresh air will help clear your mind and the walk will give your eyes a break.
Step 5

Walk out and pick up lunch

OK, you've already accounted for a mile or more! At lunch, put your walking shoes on and (guess what?) go for a walk! Walk the 1-1/2 or 2 miles you need and you've met your goal. It only takes about 15 minutes to walk a mile, so this isn't too strenuous. Either bring your lunch or grab something on the way back, and eat back in the office. It's not really all that difficult when you break 3 miles up into pieces. And it also doesn't get you soaked with sweat on hot days.
Step 6

Log your daily mileage on a calendar at home or work, and write down the total at the end of each week and month. It helps keep you motivated, and you'll be surprised at the distances you have walked. If you miss a day, or don't get the full 3 miles, don't worry about it, just do what you can. Take a walk on the weekend if you want to catch up.
Step 7

On my way to Minneapolis!

If you walked 3 miles a day every day of the year, you'd go 1095 miles, or about the distance from New York to Minneapolis (and burn 31 pounds of fat). So if people ask you what you are doing, tell them, 'I'm walking to Chicago, but I might try for Minneapolis!' Then they'll really wonder what you are up to.