At the risk of sounding like a 65-year-old grandmother, I’d like to come clean. I walk for exercise.This wasn’t always the case. In high school I did a different sport each season. When I was in college, I ran outside. Then running began to hurt my knees and I transitioned to using the gym four times a week — working out on the Elliptical and swimming.
Last fall, I moved to Boston for graduate school. My budget was strictly curtailed and I thought a great way to save money was to use my school’s gym versus buying a membership for $70+ per month. While this plan seemed like a practical one, in reality I never seemed to make it down to my school’s gym. Seriously never. Not once. In other words, I am that girl from the Tufts Heath Plan that Keira alluded to in an earlier post. So, I had to find another way to work exercise into a hectic schedule.
I don’t have a car and so I walk everywhere. I’ve gradually added more and more steps to my day. When running errands, I’ll walk 30 minutes there and then take the train home. I leave 15 minutes early to allow enough time to walk to a bus stop slightly further from my house. My apartment has horrible cell service, so every time someone calls I step outside and walk around the block. The key is slipping in at least an hour a day. Everyday. And yes, sometimes this means I walk simply to go on a walk.
Walking works. I feel energized, fit, and — even though this wasn’t my goal — I’ve lost 15 pounds in the past nine months without setting foot in a gym. In the winter you get your daily dose of vitamin D and in the summer, who isn’t looking for another excuse to get out?
Some walking resources:
Free Pedometer App
Whole Living - Walking for Weight Loss
Stay Hydrated
Calorie Calculator
Walking Can Help You Live Longer
Stylish Shoes for Walking
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