Jess and I took our early morning walk together yesterday. (The kids were with their grandparents before you go calling social services on us).
Partway round, she said:
“Phil, I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t go for a walk every day like we do”.
Here’s roughly how I responded:
Probably 95% of people could go for a 30-60 minute walk every day.
It requires only the most basic level of fitness and is so low-impact it won’t hinder your recovery from your training proper. (If anything, it will *enhance* your recovery for a bunch of reasons that are, regrettably, beyond the scope of this email).
Moreover, they absolutely have the time. It’s just a question of whether they want to invest it in getting some fresh air or staring slack-jawed watching one or a combination of the television, YouTube, or TikToks.
And those who “But Phil, I’ve got Kids!” are just pathetic because they’re so lazy of mind and body they haven’t bothered to think about taking them along – let alone actually do it.
By contrast, the 5% who genuinely don’t have the time get my enduring sympathy.
I can’t think of anything worse than being out the door for work at or before 0500 and being back home again at or after 1900, for example.
They could, I suppose, go for a walk on their lunch break (if they’re fortunate enough to get a “proper” break which isn’t the case for many who work these kinds of jobs), but I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t want to.
Truth be told, my advice to anyone who is in that situation is to move Heaven and Earth to get out of it – then worry about training.
That would mean turning away their business, if they came knocking, because no *honest* fitness professional can help them given it’s impossible to make decent, sustainable progress living this type of lifestyle.
My point?
Start walking.
Unless you’re one of the rare few who truly doesn’t have 30-60 minutes to spare, in which case you should work on sorting that out.
Then start walking.
Or don’t. I’m not the boss of you.
But don’t go complaining that you struggle to get lean because I’ve just given you an essential piece of the fat loss puzzle. And if you don’t want to do it, that’s on you.
Coincidentally, walking is a core part of the programme I share in my new book Shift, which is currently up for preorder.
The deadline to preorder is today at midnight (Friday the 16th).
The only “bonus” for preordering is that you’re guaranteed to get a copy this year. (I don’t know exactly when I’ll do another print run. I do know it will be a long time away as I’ve other books in the pipeline).
Here’s all the info you need to decide if it’s right for you:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/shift/
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman