The leaves are beginning to display their lovely colors and Fall flowers are coming into bloom. It is a beautiful time of the year to be outside. Put on those walking shoes, grab your favorite Fall hoodie, and head to the community trails! There are national parks, metropolitan parks, city parks, housing complex parks, and of course, the good old sidewalk that goes past your home or building. Whichever you choose, get out there and get walking! Walking is so good for humans to do. It gets the blood moving and increases the serotonin, so that you truly do feel better after a nice walk. Walking also helps with sleeping at night, a nice bonus if you struggle with sleep. If you haven’t been doing this, don’t be a hero. Start out with a manageable distance and build on it. Walk as far as you can without getting weary. If you feel yourself start to tire, turn around and head back. There is no shame, and there is great wisdom in doing this. Take your water bottle with you. Refillable ones are easy to find and not that expensive. Discount dollar stores have them all the time. Try to get one that you can hook to your jeans or your belt, or even to your arm as you walk. If you have an iphone or an android, there are apps that will count your steps for you. You can also get devices that will keep count of steps, calories burned, and distances travelled. These have a broad range of prices and offer a big variety of amenities. Be clear about what you really need before making a purchase. You can choose to “power” walk. That’s a fast paced walk that burns calories because it raises your heart rate quickly. You can choose to “walk” at a steady pace that takes longer to raise your heart rate and may burn fewer calories. You can also choose to walk at a more leisurely pace that will help to strengthen leg and lower back muscles. Whatever pace you choose, be sure to factor in some slow down time so that you are able to enjoy the Fall beauty that is all around you! It may take several walks to build your stamina. Each time you walk, check yourself. Walk until you begin to tire, and then turn around. According to William Schoellkopf, if you are consistent with your walking, 3-6 times per week, you will find that you are going further and further each week before turning around! Early morning walks are lovely. The last of the summer birds are preparing for winter. Squirrels and other critters are searching out food to store for winter. There are wayward, still blooming summer flowers along the path and beauty to behold. Be sure to have good hiking boots or walking shoes if you plan to go “off trail”. Overnight rain will pool and look far more shallow than it is. There is nothing worse than stepping a sneaker shod foot into a rain puddle that’s deeper than you thought! Whatever way you choose to dress, however you choose to walk and, wherever you choose to do your walking, just get busy and go! Leave the music devices off, and your phone handy for an emergency. Allow nature to sing and speak to you. Her stories are amazing! When you get home, you may be weary. That’s a good thing. Try not to take a nap but to keep gently moving on simple tasks.Your body will thank you and your brain will too!
0 Comments
|
About Author
At William Schoellkopf, we take our love of nature and incorporate it in every project we do. This use of our passion helps us create unique and innovative designs for our family. Archives
July 2017
Categories |