Al Roker’s 6 Life-Changing Exercise Tips: Walking Saved His Life

Revolutionizing Daily Movement: The Impact of the Start TODAY Facebook Community

Half a dozen years ago, a compact community on Facebook was established with a single mission: to construct a secure, supportive environment to prioritize daily physical activity. A message that echoed – the Start TODAY group, a Facebook walking enthusiasts community, expanding to an impressive 168,000 members across the nation. Members engage in monthly challenges, post daily updates, and hold each other accountable, shaping a tightly-knit network grounded on mutual support and shared objectives.

Role of Celebrity Motivation in Prioritizing Daily Movement

A familiar name recurrently highlighted within this active community is Al Roker, a notable weatherman and co-host of TODAY. He checks into the group daily, sharing his walks and extending messages of inspiration to members. He’s been famously nicknamed the “Chief Motivation Officer” of Start TODAY and contributes to the Start TODAY app, guiding indoor walking workouts and motivational podcasts to empower individuals in enhancing their walks.

The Health Journey of Al Roker: Challenges and Recovery

Al’s journey to health has not been a smooth journey. He has tackled considerable hurdles from a cancer diagnosis, knee surgeries, to blood clots. Nevertheless, his consistent walking routine has been crucial to his healing process. He discovered the “power of walking” post prostate cancer surgery in 2020, which ignited his walking regimen. When he was hospitalized for blood clots and his gallbladder was removed two years later, he had been consistently walking and comfortably exceeding 10,000 steps a day – which might have saved his life.

Al Roker’s Motivation Mantras for Daily Movement

While Al is aware of the positive impact walking can have, he admits he struggles to stay motivated. He confesses he doesn’t enjoy exercising and has days where he doesn’t feel like putting on his sneakers. However, he keeps himself motivated with a few personal mantras:

Al Roker on Exercise as Self-Care

Despite not enjoying exercise, Al has reframed physical movement as a form of self-care rather than a chore. This is one of the reasons he prefers solo walks, cherishing the solitude and opportunity to recharge and reset. To ensure that his health is prioritized daily, he also commits to morning workouts.

Al Roker on Looking Forward, Not Backward

Al emphasizes the importance of looking forward, rather than dwelling on past regrets or disappointments. He elaborates on this during a Start TODAY podcast, explaining the power of optimism and forward-thinking in maintaining motivation.

Al Roker on Eliminating Excuses

Al admits that he used to make excuses for not prioritizing his health. However, he now recognizes the importance of eliminating excuses and making his health a priority. For him, lack of time is no longer a valid reason to skip workouts.

Al Roker on Embracing Mediocrity

Al believes in embracing one’s current health status, no matter where that might be, and advices taking small, incremental steps towards better health.

Al Roker on Inspiring Others

Al admits that knowing he can inspire others to get up and move motivates him to post his walks for the Start TODAY community. He believes in the power of the Start TODAY community to provide the support, encouragement, and motivation that people need on their health journey.