7.11.2012

Work It! Wednesdays

Ah, the fun always has to come to an end. My brother and his friends left this morning to go home to the US. The past three weeks have been just amazing! My family came to Paris, I went to Alsace with my classmates, went to Amsterdam and Munich with my brother and then had him in Paris for the last five days. Psh, that is hard to beat! Oh yeah, add the start of my internship to that list of activities. I am e.x.h.a.u.s.t.e.d!

Today is the perfect day for my first "Work IT!" post because you know who needs some motivation? ME! Three weeks of eating, drinking and not working out will throw a wrench into your fitness. (it was totally worth it!), but now I need to get back on track and burn off those three spoonfuls of nutella I may or may not have just eaten...eek!

Since it's the first post and my first post-vacation work out I think we should start simple. Walking.

Don't roll your eyes just yet. I know your thinking "wow, thats lame" but walking can be a really great workout! I used to doubt its powers a few years ago and then I started the Susan G. Komen 3 day walk and never looked at walkers the same again. I could run 8 miles, no problem but after walking 20 miles in one day...I felt like I got my butt kicked. Times that by 3 days and you will understand why there has to be beer involved over that weekend! So, before you decide to dismiss walking as legitimate exercise, lets take a look...

Walking has the power to:


  • reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes
  • strengthen your heart and reduce your risk of heart attack
  • increase bone density
  • strength and tone your muscles
  • elevate your mood and cognitive function
  • help with weight loss
  • lower blood pressure
  • decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol
  • be a stepping stone to other workouts!
my favorite walking path - SD bay!

Other super-awesome things about walking:

  • it is a great way to get some fresh air and vitamin D ...walk outside!
  • it is social! call up a friend and instead of hitting happy hour go for a walk around the city, lake, park, mountain..wherever! Time flies when you are catching up on all the latest gossip!
  • it makes you an explorer! Walking around your city, neighborhood, or a new place is the perfect way to explore and find news things (restaurants, parks, secrets!) that you might not find if you were driving by in your car.
  • turn it into a hike. Nobody said a workout has to be in the gym or around the neighborhood park. Drive out to whatever version of the "backwoods" your city has and hike up the mountain, through the woods, down the beach...get in touch with nature!
  • use it to set your first fitness goal. Find a local walk in your area and use that as a goal marker. It will feel great when you finish and it gets you involved in your community!
  • Short on time? I go for short walks on my lunch breaks at work. Walk to the cafe instead of driving. Not only will you burn a few calories but you will be refreshed and more awake when you return.
Alright, are you ready to get out there?!

No matter what...just remember...


1 comment:

  1. Man, you're such a superstar. What about walking to Spain....?

    ReplyDelete

Merci Beaucoup!