What is the single best thing I believe you can do to improve your overall health and quality of life? WALK!
Yes, a deliberate walk as frequent as reasonably possible will likely do wonders for your health...physically, mentally, and spiritually. It has been said that exercise is the best medicine known to humankind. It arguably can cure a wide range of ills, and prevent even more. And the simplest, most natural form of exercise is walking.
It is that easy. Nothing complicated. Nothing too difficult. Just go for a walk whenever you can, and turn it into a regular habit over time.
If you have some injury or other disability that may prevent you from walking, try to simulate it to the extent practical. Maybe a bike ride (moving or stationary), arm pedaling, rowing, or some other process that gets you physically and mentally moving. Be creative (and safe).
If you can walk at least once a week, good. If you can do it every few days, even better. If you can do it every day or twice a day, great. But just start walking! Wear what you have on now, and walk to the end of the block and back. Tomorrow, maybe walk around the block. A few days later, try walking a couple blocks. The more you do it, the better you will likely feel and your desire to do it will continue to grow.
My advice on walking applies to all walks of life (pun intended)...the most busy executives, the most lonely souls, the most unhappy and desperate citizens, the young, the old, the bold...you get it...almost everyone can benefit from walking!
Following are some additional tips for walking success:
Yes, a deliberate walk as frequent as reasonably possible will likely do wonders for your health...physically, mentally, and spiritually. It has been said that exercise is the best medicine known to humankind. It arguably can cure a wide range of ills, and prevent even more. And the simplest, most natural form of exercise is walking.
It is that easy. Nothing complicated. Nothing too difficult. Just go for a walk whenever you can, and turn it into a regular habit over time.
If you have some injury or other disability that may prevent you from walking, try to simulate it to the extent practical. Maybe a bike ride (moving or stationary), arm pedaling, rowing, or some other process that gets you physically and mentally moving. Be creative (and safe).
If you can walk at least once a week, good. If you can do it every few days, even better. If you can do it every day or twice a day, great. But just start walking! Wear what you have on now, and walk to the end of the block and back. Tomorrow, maybe walk around the block. A few days later, try walking a couple blocks. The more you do it, the better you will likely feel and your desire to do it will continue to grow.
My advice on walking applies to all walks of life (pun intended)...the most busy executives, the most lonely souls, the most unhappy and desperate citizens, the young, the old, the bold...you get it...almost everyone can benefit from walking!
Following are some additional tips for walking success:
- Walk outdoors whenever possible. It keeps things interesting, and is good for the soul. The more natural the setting, the better...a park, some woods, a country road, a trail, etc. But a city block will do just fine.
- Walk in the morning, before the day gets a way for you. Sleep in clothes you can walk in, wake up, drink a glass of water, and head out the door. Before you know it, you have finished a nice walk and watched the world wake up to a new day.
- Incorporate walking into your normal daily activities. Walk across campus. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk further to the building. Walk to the store. Walk at the mall. Take the stairs. The opportunities are endless once you get in a walking frame of mind.
- And for a super simple trick/strategy/hack to truly get into the habit of walking everyday, sign up for my fairly infrequent email newsletter and I will send you a short summary of what worked best for me.