2026 Move Your Butt

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xpd

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#323712 5-Jan-2026 12:51

https://www.moveyourbutt.org.nz

I took a small part in this last year, and I'll admit was really slack at it.... but this year, some workmates and I are determined to hit our minimum goals. So if you can support me (hey, even by PM'ing me to get off GZ and go for a walk), that'd be fantastic, and it all goes to a great cause. If you're in the Whangaparaoa area and want to take part as well, then let me know and we can meet up to encourage one another to keep moving :) Always easier with someone else pushing as well :)

https://www.moveyourbutt.org.nz/s/1324/1324

Cheers!

XPD / Gavin

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MikeB4
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#3449954 5-Jan-2026 12:58

I would love to support this but 100kms in a month? I don't think I can do that.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

xpd

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#3449963 5-Jan-2026 13:40

Heh yeah it seems a lot, but if you set yourself a routine, its very obtainable. :)

I'm lucky and have a coastal walk (2.6k) right at my door, so will be doing that, and that adds up.

XPD / Gavin

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#3449965 5-Jan-2026 13:45

100km in a month might sound daunting, but it is actually only 3.5km per day — not much! Approximately 4,200 steps per day.

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#3449985 5-Jan-2026 14:41

Metamorphic:

100km in a month might sound daunting, but it is actually only 3.5km per day — not much! Approximately 4,200 steps per day.

Normal daily activity is probably about that many steps I have found. But I am guessing this is in addition to that, so is based on doing an activity.

It also says you can cycle it, and and someone can easily cycle that without much effort in a month.

But IMO, the biggest thing that would save lives is if this government kept their pre election promise and lowered screening down to match Australias. Australia have even lowered it further more recently. They should be held to account on their promises IMO.

eracode

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#3449987 5-Jan-2026 14:44

Metamorphic:

100km in a month might sound daunting, but it is actually only 3.5km per day — not much! Approximately 4,200 steps per day.

I power-walk a five km circuit from home five mornings a week (excl very wet days). Never thought about it until now but that’s 100 km/month.

I started walking instead of my previous small-home-gym program straight after I read this story in NZH. Dementia is specifically mentioned in the story and I was particularly motivated by witnessing a close friend who is suffering dementia which became evident a year or two ago.

I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy the frequent walking but I’ve become hooked on it. It’s not a huge distance compared to what some fitness folk do - but at 73 yo I’m quite happy with it.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

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#3450012 5-Jan-2026 15:51

A recent NY Post article (feels weird to mention this newspaper) cites this Lancet meta review study to report "At just 7,000 steps a day, research suggests you can lower your risk of several health issues, including death from any cause (47% reduction), cardiovascular disease (25%), cancer (6%), Type 2 diabetes (14%), dementia (38%), depression (22%) and falls (28%)."

The all-cause mortality 47% reduction is remarkable.

Another study found "Taking 6000 to 9000 steps per day was associated with a 40% to 50% lower risk of CVD [heart disease, stroke], compared with taking 2000 steps per day".

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alasta

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#3450082 5-Jan-2026 16:28

I have never been a fan of using steps as a measure of physical activity because it doesn't take account of the difference in intensity between running and walking. As a regular swimmer, I can get a good cardio workout without taking any steps at all!

Metamorphic

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#3450098 5-Jan-2026 17:00

alasta:

I have never been a fan of using steps as a measure of physical activity because it doesn't take account of the difference in intensity between running and walking. As a regular swimmer, I can get a good cardio workout without taking any steps at all!

The reason why is because far more people walk regularly than run (much less swim), especially outside rich countries like ours. That makes steps the default proxy for daily physical activity in general.

As an aside, bipedalism is a truly remarkable characteristic of our genus. The anthropologist Jeremy DeSilva argues "Bipedalism set in motion all of the major evolutionary events in the human lineage, from tool use and cooperative parenting to trade networks and language, eventually allowing us, a once humble ape standing in the Miocene forests, to populate the globe."

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#3450101 5-Jan-2026 17:10

xpd:

I took a small part in this last year, and I'll admit was really slack at it.... but this year, some workmates and I are determined to hit our minimum goals.

An excellent decision! I walk an average of about 7.5 kilometres every day. So last year, I walked a total of ~ 2,700 kilometres.

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#3450116 5-Jan-2026 18:01

eracode:

Metamorphic:

100km in a month might sound daunting, but it is actually only 3.5km per day — not much! Approximately 4,200 steps per day.

I power-walk a five km circuit from home five mornings a week (excluding very wet days). Never thought about it until now but that’s 100 km/month.

I started this instead of my previous small-home-gym program straight after I read this story in NZH. Dementia is specifically mentioned in the story and I was particularly motivated by witnessing a close friend who is suffering dementia which became evident a year or two ago.

I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy the walking but I’ve become hooked on it. I know it’s not a huge distance compared to what some fitness folk do - but at 73 yo I’m quite happy with it.

Walking makes a huge difference to my happiness and general mood. Walking with the furry personal trainer makes this exponentially better. I just got back from a 6 1/2km walk and feel relaxed and ready to start the work week.

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#3450123 5-Jan-2026 18:43

Of course, running is better for fitness. But just walking is already progress (literally) for today's society. Compare the calories burned between walking and jogging and you will find that walking burns only slightly fewer calories than jogging. You also don't get sweaty and you don't need sports clothing or shoes.

Strength training would then be a useful addition to further fitness, but walking is a start.

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#3450153 5-Jan-2026 20:53

Running can be hard on your knees. The number of mates I have that run and have bung knees…

eracode

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#3450239 6-Jan-2026 07:58

alasta:

I have never been a fan of using steps as a measure of physical activity because it doesn't take account of the difference in intensity between running and walking. As a regular swimmer, I can get a good cardio workout without taking any steps at all!

I know swimming is truly excellent exercise. I did many corporate and community short-form triathlons 30-40 years ago (eg Fay Richwhite Corporate Triathlon, which I did for years) and did train for them. The swimming training was a chore because I found it boring - just repetitive for an hour or two with nothing to see or hear - well before waterproof earphones. Found it hard to enjoy.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

alasta

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#3450253 6-Jan-2026 08:54

eracode:

I know swimming is truly excellent exercise. I did many corporate and community short-form triathlons 30-40 years ago (eg Fay Richwhite Corporate Triathlon, which I did for years) and did train for them. The swimming training was a chore because I found it boring - just repetitive for an hour or two with nothing to see or hear - well before waterproof earphones. Found it hard to enjoy.

I prefer open water swimming which I never get bored with, but pool swimming is obviously a necessity during the winter months. The trick to avoiding boredom with pool swimming is to occupy your mind with technique. I find it helps to select one thing (kick, body position, rotation, catch, pull, etc.) for each session and focus on that. Using aids such as a kickboard, pull buoy or snorkel can help to break up the session a bit.

I would love to do a sprint triathlon but unfortunately can't cycle, so I stick to half marathons. This article is worth a read for those of you who are concerned about wrecking your knees as a result of running.

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#3450280 6-Jan-2026 10:06

johno1234:

Running can be hard on your knees. The number of mates I have that run and have bung knees…

That's more correlation than causation.

Yes there is a higher impact load when running but by and large it seems to have been disproven that running "causes" knee issues. Any knee issues I have have from running and training for ultra marathons have turned out to be stability issues in the various supporting muscle groups that you can train. Hip instability for example causing knee pain. Solution, improve the strength and stability training.

Either way, use it or lose it. Keep moving while you can so you can keep moving for longer.

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