Walking — it's the first thing we learn to do after crawling. Factor in the amount of it we've done over the course of our lives since
then, and it's clear that we're more than warranted in considering ourselves experts. Professionals, even. We are the walking gurus, and
we have the extensive track record to prove it. With this being the case, why is it when it comes to walking as an exercise, so few people
do it? Probably because we do it all the time anyway, therefore it does little to stimulate our interest.
We are an easily bored species, one that needs almost constant change in some way, shape or form. This is likely the reason why so many
people prefer elaborate workouts to something as simple as placing one foot in front of the other for an extended period of time.
To help remedy the situation, you may want to try some of the following Boredom Busters:
1. Tune-Up: One of the best ways to liven-up a workout is to listen to music. Whether it's the Rocky IV soundtrack to get you all fired up,
some hip-hop, or whatever your preferred genre is, music will help keep your feet moving.
2. Intervals: Walking is a low-intensity cardio workout, but it doesn't always have to be. To burn extra calories, and to mix things up a bit
over the course of your stroll, try picking up the pace for a minute or so every now and again. By doing so, you can burn an extra 100 calories
or so over the course of a 30-minute workout.
3. VERY Short Term Goals: Of course it's important to have long-term goals (i.e. feel healthier, lower cholesterol, lose weight, etc.), a great
way to keep you motivated through your daily walk is to have an almost immediate goal in sight. By this I mean having a goal, or even a reward,
waiting for you at the end of your walk. It could be a landmark (such as a view from the top of a hill, or your arrival to a friend's house),
but could also be something such as a hot chick whose waiting for you at her apartment.
4. Make it a Family Affair: With quality time becoming harder and harder for the modern family to find, a great solution is to use that daily walk
to serve that purpose. Because you're only walking, you'll have plenty of wind left to have discussions about school, work, and any other
topic that would before be part of typical dinner table discussion. Plus, with childhood obesity rates on the rise, bringing the kids along
may benefit them, as well.
5. Get Creative: This could mean anything from taking a different route each day, to holding a set of very light dumbells in your hands while
you walk. Not only will changes of this kind prevent you from becoming bored, they will also ensure that your fitness results do not plateau
over time.
Let's face it, walking — even hundreds of miles per week — won't exactly jack you up. But, it is a great way to burn some extra fat and calories,
which will help uncover your hard-earned muscle from those last layers of chub.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Music definitely livens up a workout, not to mention it keeps me motivated.