Walking is an ideal way for anyone to exercise – it’s free, it doesn’t require a lot of equipment, and it’s right outside the front door. Somehow walking doesn’t seem like “real” exercise although it certainly is. Making this healthy activity a part of your daily life is as simple as making it a habit.

Most experts say that it takes about 3 weeks for any activity to become a habit. During that time period, it can be difficult to stay motivated. Here are 3 ideas to make walking more enjoyable to make establishing the habit fun.

Listen to audio books

Unlike songs that end after 2-3 minutes, a good audio book gets you riveted so that you can’t wait to hear more. Instead of wanting to cheat and cut your walk short, you may find yourself compelled to walk longer just to find out what’s next!

Make walking a social outing

You might find that it’s easy to keep a date with a friend for coffee, but harder to keep a walking date. Why not combine both? Meet a friend at a coffee shop and end your walk with a cup of coffee or tea to continue your chat.

Try a pedometer

Walking is more fun when you can actually see how much you’ve accomplished. Once you can measure your progress, you can begin to set goals and challenge yourself. Try setting a long term goal for walking an incredible distance; for example, from California to New York. As you rack up the miles on your pedometer, chart them on a map to see how your progressing toward your goal.

Fun Facts About Walking

• Walking briskly at 3.5 to 4 miles per hour burns about the same number of calories as a jogging at a moderate pace
• 10,000 steps registered on a pedometer is equivalent to walking approximately 5 miles.
• You burn about 100 calories per mile walked

Tags: Healthy Living //