Hi! Welcome back to #FitFriday! Sometimes, no matter how important your goals are to you, it's a struggle to bring your best effort to your daily workout routine. With a bit of creativity, walking can be an activity you look forward to each day. In fact, getting your daily dose of exercise can be fun. Here are 5 tips to help make walking a joyful experience:
1) Listen while you walk. It's a great opportunity to catch up on an audiobook or a motivational podcast. Long walks can be treasured quiet time to focus on something that is meaningful to you. Next time you are looking forward to reading your favorite novel...lace up your sneakers and listen as you walk.
2) Spend time with a friend. We've all heard that exercising with others keeps you accountable, but it can also be a chance to spend quality time with that special someone. The time spent walking can be a source of intimacy, support and encouragement.
3) Beat the Clock. Many people love the excitement and thrill of playing games. To make it a competitive activity-pick a route you want to follow and then time how long it takes for you to complete it. Then, see if you can finish the next walk just a little bit faster. Seeing progress over time can be inspirational.
4) Make it a moving meditation. According to the Mayo Clinic, physical activity, such as walking, helps you relax and increases your body's levels of feel-good endorphins...which in turn can lower stress and anxiety.
5) Keep it safe and simple. Walking is a gentle, low-impact cardio exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Regular brisk walking can provide many of the benefits of more vigorous exercises, such as jogging.
There are numerous benefits to a regular walking routine. Walking burns calories and trims the waistline, and is helpful for your lymphatic and immune systems. What other new ideas can you come up with to spice up your walks? Keeping your walking routine fresh and fun is the key to staying motivated and accomplishing your goals. Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. - Earl Nightingale.
I hope these tips and tricks will help make your daily walks more enjoyable. Check back next Friday for more helpful and encouraging topics about mind and body wellness. See you soon! Warmly, Susan