Can’t go walking because it’s dark/raining/scary neighborhood?

by Jen (February 14, 2008)

One of the simplest ways to get a good cardiac workout is walking. Anytime you want, you can just go outside your home and take a walk, right? Except not. It rains. In winter, you spend all the daylight hours at work or commuting. Or maybe you live in a neighborhood that doesn’t make you feel so safe, or lacks sidewalks.

But that’s okay, because there are places where you can get a good walk for free. And the more you mix up different walking routines, the more benefit you’ll get.

• Malls. You might feel silly power-walking at a mall, but many malls open up early in the morning to let people do just that before the shopping crowds arrive. If you can’t make it during those hours, consider going during shopping hours anyway - just put on some casual clothes that let you move but don’t scream “exercise wear” (though, honestly, there’s so much fake exercise wear passing as fashion, I think you could get by with exercise wear, too), and keep telling yourself, “I have a very important sale to get to” as you go speeding around the mall.
• Parks. When weather permits, parks are great for walking. If you don’t have one near your home, you may have one near work that you can get to on a lunch break. Or one may a short drive from your home.
• Your apartment building. Seriously. Got seven flights of steps in your building? Unless they’re right against someone’s bedroom wall and it’s 3 am, chances are good this is a great place to get some exercise.
• School tracks. Because public schools are increasingly locked up like Fort Knox, this one isn’t as easy as it was a few years ago. But do some research - odds are some schools near you let people in to walk on the track.
• The neighborhood where you work. If home isn’t a great neighborhood for walking, what about work? Just a half-hour during your lunch break provides a decent cardio workout. If you’re concerned about getting sweaty, you don’t have to power walk every time. Even a little stroll is better than sitting.

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