5 Ways to Challenge Yourself to Walk Every Day
Modern people spend most of their time indoors. We work from home, study from home, and even shop from home. We have fewer reasons to go outside, which affects our physical and mental health.
Walking is a great exercise that benefits our mind and body. Walking for at least half an hour a day improves your overall cardiovascular fitness, as does your muscle power and endurance. Do you need more motivation to walk every day? Here are five ways to challenge yourself and make walking part of your daily routine.
Adopt a Dog
Pet owners go for walks at least twice a day regardless of weather, health conditions, and other factors. When your dog brings you shoes and looks directly into your eyes, you literally have no other option but to get up from the couch and go outside.
Are you ready to become a dog owner? Go to a local pet shelter and find a four-legged companion there. It will be a big change in your lifestyle that will significantly improve your mental and physical well-being.
Have a Coffee at a Distant Coffee Shop
Do you have your first cup of coffee at home? What about taking a 30-minute walk to a coffee shop that serves the best gluten-free raspberry tarts in your city? When you know that you will get a reward (tart and coffee in our example), you are more likely to go on the walk.
So, choose a spot that will be your "destination". It's a simple way to add more fun to your daily walking and boost your motivation.
Find a Walking Buddy
When you have company, you can adjust to a new routine more quickly. When you know someone is waiting for you to go for a stroll, you are more likely to commit to your goal. Therefore, you need to find a walking buddy—an accountability partner who will motivate you to keep moving.
Who can become your accountability partner? It can be your friend, neighbor, colleague, or even someone you have met on a dating app. You can use Taimi, an all-inclusive LGBTQ+ app, to meet like-minded people who will support your walking challenge. By the way, a walk in the park can be a perfect idea for a date.
Start a Counting Challenge
Did you like math at school? Do you still count random things and multiply numbers in your mind? Every time you go for a walk, you can challenge yourself to count something:
- Count the number of blossoming trees on the way to the nearest shop
- Count the number of cats, dogs, birds, and squirrels that come your way
- Count the times people say “Hi” to you
- Multiply the digits of license plates you see on the cars passing by
- Do the math with the random numbers (house numbers, road numbers, etc.)
If you walk with someone, you can run a competition and see who counts or multiplies faster. The sense of competition will add some novelty to your strolls.
Listen to Podcast
Do you listen to podcasts daily? Why don’t you combine podcast listening with walking? Scientists say that when you move your body, you activate some brain parts that are responsible for data processing and memorizing. So when you walk and listen to something, you learn new information more effectively.
Wrapping Up
Walking is vital for mental and physical health. It’s the simplest yet one of the most effective ways to unwind, reduce stress levels, and get in shape. Use these five ideas to incorporate daily walking into your life and encourage others to follow your example.