If you haven’t exercised in a while, or are
looking for something easy you can do every single day give walking a try. It’s
the perfect low impact way to exercise. It’s easy to do, you don’t need any
special equipment and you can start at the fitness level you’re at.
If you’re not in the best of shape, start
by going for a 10 or 15 minute walk around the neighborhood and work your way
up from there. If you’re already in great shape, walking can still provide an
effective workout. Walk fast and incorporate some hills and even stairs.
But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.
If you’re like most of us, chances are you haven’t exercised much since you got
out of college and need to start small. Maybe your doctor suggested that you
move around more, or maybe you just want to be proactive about your health and
well-being. In either case, walking is the perfect way to start.
Find a pair of comfortable shoes, put them
on and go for a stroll through your
neighborhood. You could also find a local park with a
nice path you can walk on. If the weather doesn’t permit walking outside, head
to your local mall and walk or hop on a treadmill.
You can even walk in place at home in front
of your TV. Here’s a simple little idea to get you moving more. As you're
sitting on the couch at night watching TV, get up during commercial breaks and
march in place until your favorite TV show comes back on. If you’re using a service like Netflix, make
yourself walk in place for 10 minutes in between episodes. Or turn on the TV
and challenge yourself to march in place during the entire show. Time will fly
while you’re having fun watching TV and moving.
Speaking of having fun, going for a walk
outside can be a lot of fun too. Mix up your route and walk in different areas
of town, or visit different parks. Invite a friend to come along with you to walk.
It’s always nice to have someone to talk to and having a walking buddy keeps
you accountable. Last but not least, grab your phone or MP3 player and listen
to music or audio books as you walk to make the time go by faster.
The main thing is that you get out there,
move around, and get some exercise in a way that’s gentle on your joints, your
heart, and the rest of your body and that’s what walking will do for you. Just
give it a try and see if you don’t start to feel better, happier, and stronger
after a few weeks of regular walks.
I love walking just as much as I love running, and in a completely different way! I definitely am happier when I get out there for walks!
ReplyDeleteWalking is a great exercise! We are trying to get more walkers to come out and join our runs. We know they are out there.
ReplyDeleteI try to walk during my work day, we even have walking meetings occasionally!
ReplyDeleteI love walking! Even though I'm a pretty active person, I have a fitbit to encourage me to get in 10k steps a day. It makes a big difference!
ReplyDeleteI really love walking. I'll put on a podcast or audiobook and just go for a walk. I find it very relaxing.
ReplyDeleteI love walking. I walk everyday I think it is a great casual way to get in exercise as well as reflect and problem solve.
ReplyDeleteI do a lot of walking, especially when I'm recovering from injury! Now that I have a new dog, we're doing a lot of walks. She loves them and I get to see all my neighbors!
ReplyDeleteThe only walking I really ever do now is walking my dog.
ReplyDeleteI do a ton of walking now, particularly taking my son out for a walk in his stroller. Its a great way for us both to get fresh air, especially at the end of a long day.
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to just go for a walk in the neighborhood. I end up having a much better mood too!
ReplyDeleteI agree, walking is great (and it's free!). There's a "small" block across the street from my house...it takes three laps to get to a mile in distance, so I walk that often. A quick 3-4 laps (it also has two small, but steep hills) is just enough to get in 20 minutes of cardio on those days when I just haven't had time for anything else.
ReplyDeleteWalking is awesome! I am a runner at heart but I have many friends who don't run and we enjoy our weekly walks together.
ReplyDeleteWAlking is perfect for everyone!
ReplyDelete