Get Hooked to Walking!

More and more scientists are telling us that our day-to-day habits have a profound effect on the quality and maybe even the length of our lives. There is more evidence than ever that regular physical activity and good eating habits over the course of a lifetime will prevent the diseases that kill many Americans. That’s a pretty good reason to give walking a try.

Once you start walking, you’ll discover the other reasons, such as what you feel in your body and mind during and after a great walk. It goes something like this:

You start to walk, and as your lungs start to actively move oxygen into and out of your body, the tension you’ve been holding in your chest all day is exhaled away. You start to concentrate on your walking posture, and you finally manage to relax your shoulders and neck. As you focus on the techniques and sensations of fast walking, the things that were driving you crazy a half-hour earlier slowly slip out of your mind. Soon the rhythm of your step will take on its own life. Now you’re walking hard: You can feel your muscles working, your heart pumping. When you’re done, your legs feel light, as though they’ve been pumped with helium. You feel strong, flexible and centered.

Now, relaxed and energized, you can get back into your day, feeling good about yourself because you made it happen. You may even find that you sleep better at night when you exercise your body during the day.