Get More Benefit from your Daily Walk
I love to go for walks in the neighborhood or at the park with friends, but sometimes we each end up walking with just the dog or a baby stroller. That can get a little boring. Since many of you love to walk too, but need a little push to make your walks a little longer, I came up with 4 ways to get more benefit from your daily walk.
Get More Benefit from your Daily Walk
Successful walkers know that they can multitask and get more done while they are exercising. There is just something about being outside where you can breathe fresh air and listen to the birds sing that motivates us to be productive. So whether you are loving the silence of your daily walk or looking to boost your productivity, these ideas could help you walk a little farther and get a little more exercise.
1. Write an article:
There are many times when I am out on a walk that I get ideas for new articles. Not only do I write daily articles for my blog, a weekly newspaper article and posts for other publications. I often find that my best thoughts come when I’m outside walking my dog. I can click on the free Dragon Dictation app and dictate my thoughts as I’m walking. I then email them to myself so that later when I am on the computer, I can format them into actual an post. Even if you don’t feel the need to write an article or craft a post, you can still use mobile apps to write emails, make lists of things you need to accomplish or plan your grocery meals for the next week. Many of the mobile phones have voice activated notepads or dictation apps.
2. Take a camera:
I have a friend that takes a camera on every walk. Since she is constantly looking for new angles, shots and scenic pictures, she ends up walking longer and getting more exercise. Some of these pictures have turned out so good that she sells them. She is turning her fitness time into a second stream of income. Another friend captures her regular hiking trails with her camera and uses the lens to help her stay motivated to be active longer. Since many smart phones have cameras that are better than most point and shoot cameras, keep your phone out and watch for beautiful flowers, trees in bloom or interesting signs that others could appreciate.
3. Listen to an audiobook or podcast:
Listening to music is good, but sometimes you need something a little longer than a playlist of songs. Being out on a walk gives you plenty of time to listen to a good book or catch up on some podcasts that talk about your hobby. You can download free audiobook to your mobile device and enjoy your favorite author. I remember the week a popular book was released last summer. I got more walking time in that week than I had all month because I was so engrossed in the book series.
4. Call a Friend:
I have a friend who is also on a journey to get healthy. I sometimes call her and invite her to join me on my walk even though we live hundreds of miles apart. This gives us a chance to connect while we are getting our daily dose of exercise. True, we often get out of breath while we climb hills or finish our laps, but since we are both exercising, we just let the other person talk while we catch our breath.
How do you get more benefit from your daily walk? I’d love to hear your tips for stretching your walk and getting more exercise in each day.
This article was posted in the print edition of the Advocate Messenger, Sunday, October 20, 2013.
