Any chance to get outside is a pleasant relief from isolation. A daily stroll can increase your mental health and social and emotional well-being.
Walking lets you see others and say hi safely. This small social encounter will make you happy. Michele Stanten, ACE-certified trainer and author of "Walk Off Weight," agrees.
"I enjoy long walks with a friend." We can talk far apart. She claims it lets you exercise with a companion.
Walking connects you to nature, relieves stress, and increases mindfulness.
Alexis Santos, a meditation teacher featured on the mindfulness and meditation app Ten Percent Happier, recommends a meditative walk during quarantine.
Walking breaks thought and anxiety routines. It's a terrific reset button.
Walking can alleviate pain if you spend most of your day at a computer.
Walking loosens joints and improves blood circulation, adds Stanten.
Ready for a mask-and-walk? Stanten and Santos discuss turning socially distant walks into a workout or meditation.
Stanten offers tips to boost your daily walk:
Keep upright.
Stanten adds, "Stand tall and keep your arms close to your body"
She recommends taking lesser steps.
"Land your foot in front of your body to go faster. “Bigger steps make it harder to move,” she explains.
Shift gears. Challenge your physique by walking on grass, sand, dirt trails, level highways, and hills.
“Walking up a hill will get your heart rate up. On a hill, wind resistance makes it harder to travel, explains Stanten.
Accelerate! Alternate spurts of great effort with slower trots.
"Walk towards a lamppost or stop sign. Stanten advises walking quickly for 30 seconds or one block and slowly for 60 seconds or two.
Music? Song choruses should be faster than verses. Try to beat your step count during an interval.
Strengthen. Who says walking is just cardio? Stanten recommends lunges with rotation, heel raises, push-ups, and squats.
“Loop a longer resistance band around a sturdy pole to do lat pull-downs and rows,” explains Stanten.
Lateral squat walks and glute kickbacks use small bands.
Meditation walks to relieve stress
Santos gives mindful-walking tips.
Be alert. Santos thinks adopting quieter walking paths can help you relax.
Find walks with trees and water if possible. These are calming, he says.
Think carefully. Santos suggests working with your own thoughts if you can't find secluded walking pathways.
Santos says you can change bad thoughts into a positive wish when you encounter individuals without masks. Santos warns that keeping healthy shouldn't lead to fear and anxiety.
Intentionally walk. Santos: Don't walk on autopilot. Focus on your surroundings and relax your body. Observe how your feet strike the ground, your legs and arms swing, and your lungs fill. This will modify your outlook and highlight positives like sun and solitude.
Cherish every day and your life will be magical
(Source article: How to turn your daily walk into a workout — or a meditation)
