Walk, walk, walk.

I'll just come right out and say that I'm pretty lazy. I never excelled at sports, I was generally apathetic towards gym class and you'll never hear me say "Hey guys, let's go for a jog!" It's just not happening.

However, there is one particular physical activity that I do actually enjoy and it's the very simplest activity of them all - walking. I really like a good, brisk walk around my neighborhood. Sometimes I have to literally drag my ass off the couch and into my walking shoes to do it, but once I'm out there in the sun, I'm quite happy.

Let's ignore for a minute all those people who say that walking is a great way to lose weight and be more active (!) and let's just focus on the very basic reasons to go for a walk.

• It's a very simple way to relieve stress. If I'm having a bad day, I go for a walk and I feel infinitely better by time I get back home. There's something kind of primal about walking - it's just you, your feet, and the ground. If you really want to clear your mind, shove some headphones on your head and just focus on the music and what's going on around you. Just keep the volume low enough to hear cars and not ruin your hearing.
• Fresh air is good but to be fair, I live in a city and the air isn't entirely fresh. I try not to think about that. But maybe the air where you live is fresh and hey, oxygen is awesome.
• Lose the headphones and walk around your 'hood for a bit. You'll notice all kinds of things you wouldn't notice while in a car or on a bus. I always feel more connected to the outside world after a walk. It's really easy to get wrapped up in our lives and not see what's around us.
• It's freeeee. You don't have to sign up for a class, buy special clothes, or pay someone to show you the proper way to do it. You already know how.
• You can start small. I'm not in great shape and I can walk 1.5 - 2 miles before I get anywhere near tired. Maybe you can only do a block or two, and that's fine. It's your walk, do what you want.

Having said all that, there are some things that I've found make walking more enjoyable and beneficial for me. It's really simple:

• A good pair of shoes. I have flat feet, so if I try to walk in flimsy shoes, my ankles start to hurt in no time. I mean debilitating, "someone please carry me the rest of the way" hurting. So I invested in a good pair of shoes designed for my type of foot. I have the New Balance W767s and love them. My sister likes New Balance sneakers and she has wide, flat feet as well. I've found that the right type of shoe can also help with knee and hip pain.
• Sunblock, please.
• An iPod or music player of some sort.
• A pedometer. This is my own personal preference but I like numbers and seeing how far I've walked. I have the Omron HJ-112 Digital Premium Pedometer and it does the job very well.
• I don't carry a bunch of stuff with me. It's tempting to bring along a bag with my cell phone, wallet, etc. but it just bugs me after about five minutes. I just carry what I can fit in my pockets - iPod, pedometer, keys, debit card or a little cash in case I get super thirsty and need to buy some water.

That's it. If you want to be fancy, you can get a cute little outfit or sunglasses or whatever other accessories you want but I keep it fairly simple.

Comments

[Kate Harding]

These are great suggestions! And for those of us who can't bring ourselves to give up the wallet, phone, etc., walking with a backpack isn't too bad. I do that a lot because I can't stand being without a book -- I like walking to a coffee shop or the beach and reading for a while before I head home. Backpack's nowhere near as annoying as a purse.

[Colleen]

Oh I like the backpack idea! That's a pretty obvious solution but I haven't had a backpack in ages and didn't think of that.