Remember that we've got to keep moving. Today, because of the weather and my schedule, I walked for 45 minutes at the mall. It was very crowded, but I got my walk in. I DO NOT take any cash or credit cards to the mall with me so I don't spend extra money mindlessly. Seeing something cute in a store window is 'sightseeing', not an opportunity to blow my credit limit! I'm really not much of a 'window shopper', but if you are, the mall or a quaint village downtown area might be the perfect place for your walk. I certainly am always well informed on the latest teen fashions because of the miles I walk at the mall.
Other ways to make your walk more fun? Here are a few. Some will be explored in greater depth in later postings.
Visit a museum, art gallery, or botanical garden, the zoo, or any other local attraction with walkways. There will always be something new to look at in these destinations. Most will be free or very inexpensive. Should you find that walking at the botanical gardens is fun but expensive, it might be worth buying an annual membership to keep you motivated. Better yet, ask for that membership for a gift.
Create a scavenger hunt for yourself and/or others. Make a list of things you want to 'find' on your walk. A red car, a tabby cat, a turtle, 7 crows, a man walking a dog, a jogger, a tennis doubles match, kids in the pool, a taxi (rare in my area), a pedestrian crosswalk sign, and so forth. You can carry your list with you and mark things off as you find them or jot them off your list when you return home. Since I don't wear my reading glasses while walking, I would find it a challenge to mark off items on a list. Trade lists with another walker. Have someone else make a list for you. Put a list of items on scraps of paper in a jar and pull out 10 of them for your walk.
Volunteer to work at the zoo or as an usher at the theater. You'll get in a lot of walking if you're a docent a the zoo or a museum and you'll be helping your neighbors and worthy organizations while you're getting your walk in. Think how virtuous you'll feel!
Geocache! What's that? It's a sort of scavenger hunt. Go to www.geocaching.com to learn all about it. Register and join the hunt. More on this later.
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Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude.
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4 comments:
Great ideas!
For any who are Manchester park walkers: the park workers are trying to keep the track clear. They plowed it yesterday. And often the parking lot is cleared even if the track isn't. Don't let the colder weather scare you off. It is so exhilerating to get out in the brisk,clear air. And the snow on the ground is beautiful! Just bundle up and enjoy! You could even put on your snow boots and just tromps right through (remember when you were a kid?) I'm sure there are added benefits for the extra effort.
Happy walking (and/or running)!
gardanthyme
One day a couple of years ago I was desperate to get some exercise. The weather was cold, I was nowhere close to a mall, and I only had a bit of time before I had to do carpool.
I went into a "big box" hardware store and spent about 20 minutes walking up and down each aisle. The store wasn't very busy, so I was able to walk at quite a brisk pace, and no one seemed to notice what I was doing!
This gardanthyme gal is a dedicated runner and walker. She used to routinely 'lap' my mom and her walking partners at O-dark thirty every morning. But, she's right about the exhilaration of walking in the cold. Works for me!
jd
Kathy G ALWAYS comes up with good ideas! Thanks for sharing this one. It really does work! Walk wherever you can whenever you can. You can fit in the walk on the way to your other 'more important' errands and duties or after they're all done. Kathy G does!
jd
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