As I began my career as a cardiologist in the early 2000s, I was not budging the ‘needle’ in terms of sedentary lifestyles among my patients. I had to ask myself whether I was doing enough to help them.

So I tried something different.

I simply asked a patient if she’d like to join me for a walk in the park. She said yes, and that one small invitation turned into something bigger.

Today, Walk with a Doc spans over 700 communities around the world. But it all started with a simple question: “Will you walk with me?”

Now I’d like to extend that invitation to you.

As we celebrate the 21st anniversary of Walk with a Doc, will you walk with me throughout the month of April?

Here’s the challenge: walk for at least 21 minutes on as many days as you can from April 1–30 (how fitting that April 1st falls on National Walking Day!)

Walk at your own pace. Take breaks if you need to. And if 21 minutes feels like a lot right now, start with whatever you’ve got (even if that’s shuffling to the mailbox in your slippers) and build from there.

If regular daily walking is new to you, we’re super cool with that.

Here’s what the research tells us: 21 minutes a day puts you right on track to hit the recommended 150 minutes per week of physical activity, one of the most powerful things any of us can do for our health, our minds, and how long we get to stick around. And unlike most prescriptions, this one has zero copay and pairs beautifully with a friend, a podcast, or a la natural as you take in the sweet birdsong of nature.

I hope you’ll accept my invitation (registration link below).

Feel free to forward this to any family or friends who might want to join. The challenge is free and open to everyone. The more the merrier. 

I’ll be right there with you, every step of the way.

David