I recently read a good article by Lindsay Westley of
"Eating Well" about the benefits of walking. Following is a condensed version of that
article in which Ms. Westley has some great ideas.
There are days when just
the thought of leaving the house seems like a huge effort. Days when you don't feel like getting off the
couch, never mind going to the gym. But
guess what - if you got out of bed this morning, you jump-started your fitness
routine just by walking down the hall to the bathroom.
Add a little pep to your
stride for an activity that feels less like exercise and more like living a
normal life- but with the added benefits that exercise provides.
Mark Fenton, a health and
fitness consultant says "make walking a part of your normal routine and
you'll have a much easier time keeping it up". Set aside time at a specific time of day to
walk, or go about your daily tasks on foot.
If you can routinize it, you're more likely to keep doing it.
One suggestion is to find
a friend who's willing to walk with you.
This will provide better motivation if you come to rely on one another.
If you need an extra push,
tell yourself that you will only walk for 10 minutes. Even in such a short amount of time, you will
start feeling the physiological effects of walking. You blood pressure goes down and you feel a
flood of positive endorphins, so you feel motivated to go even longer than 10
minutes.
Still can't convince yourself? Get up and move during commercial
breaks. Most 30 minute TV programs
include about 8 minutes of commercials, so you'll be 80 percent closer to
reaching your minimum by the time the credits are rolling.
