Walking: Let’s Get Moving!
It is amazing how busy life can get! Much of our days seem to be a balancing act: work, commitments, relationships then add in trying to get enough sleep and eating right can make like quite the challenge. It can be quite the challenge to find time to exercise; whether you’ve been active before or wanting to get started with you fitness goals, walking is a great exercise and one of the easiest to fit into your life.
The simplest way to stay active is to walk. Some of the benefits include improved mobility, circulation, core strength and you will even find increased energy and mood levels. Walking is also a great way to improve your health and overall, well being. Unfortunately, depending on where you live, as winter approaches, it may be harder to exercise and stay active.
Keeping active should be important, in all seasons. Walking in cooler weather can be refreshing and invigorating. The fresh air and physical movement can not only provides great physical benefits but mental ones as well.
The following are some cold weather tips to make the best of your walks:
- * Set realistic goals and track your progress – daily walking is a commitment your whole body will love you for. As you track your progress and meet your goals, can be very encouraging and motivate you for more!
- * Start slowly – you don’t need to spend a lot of time. Begin slowly and gradually increase your duration and speed.
- * Make sure to warm up and cool down – gentle stretches to begin will not only loosen the muscles, but also increases you body temperature and potentially reduce the risk of injury. Cooling down will gradually bring down your heart rate.
- * Drink plenty of water – Drinking plenty of water is just as important during the winter months as it is in the summer. Make sure to hydrate both before and after your walk.
- * Be prepared – check the weather before you go. Wear the right shoes and clothing to stay comfortable. You might want to consider dressing in layers, that way as your body temperature increases in the middle of the walk, you can take off an outer layer to stay comfortable.
- * Be aware of your posture – walk upright, hold your head back and breath fully and deep.
Make plans to get started. Set a date, plan your route and get going!