Make Walking A Healthy Habit for Life

As humans, we were designed to walk for miles upon miles as a means to survive – specifically, to hunt and gather our food. Yet, in modern society, we spend most of our time sitting down. Is it any wonder that obesity has become an epidemic and health issues take our loved ones at far too young ages? A sedentary life is not good for our bodies (or our minds and spirits), and therefore this way of living leads to a host of health problems. This is probably one of the most important reasons to make an effort to move around and go for a walk each day. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Most of us sit for our work, we eat sitting down, and to be honest all we want to do when we come home from work is plop down on the couch and watch TV or Netflix until bedtime.

In other words, getting and staying in the habit of going for a walk each day can be a bit of a challenge for most of us. But it is exactly what we need to do. We need to get in the habit of going for that walk just like we’re in the habit of brushing our teeth twice a day or taking out the trash on Tuesdays. Once it’s a well ingrained habit, it won’t be as much of a challenge to make sure we go for a walk each day. Many times we won’t “feel” like making a change, but we need to. For example, after a patient has surgery and is recovering in the hospital, they often don’t feel like eating or getting out of the bed. Yet, for their own health and healing, the doctors and nurses require them to eat and get active as quickly as possible. We need to do the same for our health and wellbeing, even if we don’t always feel like it at first.

In previous posts, we shared some ideas for walking. Here are a few others. Why are we giving you all these recommendations? Everyone is different. We hope that you’ll find a suggestion that “just clicks” for you and you’ll decide to give it a try. Or, perhaps you’ve started walking for our Challenge, but you find yourself getting bored… Pick one of these alternative ideas to get excited about it again.

Find a walking route you enjoy. Maybe you like walking on a track in a gym, on the outdoor high school track, a scenic Rail-Trail path, a hiking trail in a local park, down your favorite street with stores to do a quick window-shop as you go, etc.
Select a route that makes it as easy as possible to commit to each day. Your favorite walk may offer beautiful vistas, but if it’s a 30 minute drive there and back, you’ll be less likely to do it every single day. Instead, save that walk for the weekends and come up with something convenient and pleasant for your everyday walking routine.
If you can, find a route in your own neighborhood so you can leave right from your front door. Just lace up your shoes and start walking.
Taking the same route every day helps form that habit. It’s also encouraging to notice that you can walk the same loop faster or with less effort over time. It proves that you’re making a difference and are getting stronger and increasingly fitter.

In the last post, we mentioned listening to your favorite music, podcast or audio books. These make the time go by faster and give you something else to look forward to. You can even use your favorite media as a way to bribe yourself to go for your daily walk. Let’s say you have a couple of podcasts you enjoy. Save them for your walks and only let yourself listen to them while you’re walking. It’s a great incentive to get out there even on days when you’re not feeling it.

Likewise, use the walking time as a meditation or prayer time for yourself.

Daydream about where you want to be in 5 years
Map out your goals for the next 6 months
Ask God for guidance in any areas that are challenging you. Listen for the answer in your spirit
Pray for healing for yourself or loved ones
Speak aloud, or in your head, all the things you are grateful for in your life, or for that day
Say positive affirmations and encouraging words to yourself. If there are things you wish your partner or someone would say to you, say them to yourself instead.

Last but not least consider walking with other people. Find a walking group in your area, or talk a friend or neighbor into becoming your walking buddy. Not only is it more fun to walk when you have someone to talk to, it also has some built in accountability. It’s much easier to skip a walking workout when you know that other people are waiting for you and relying on you to join them. You can look for walking groups – or join an existing one – on Meetup or similar friendship/non-dating websites.

Give these tips a try and see if they help you make walking a daily habit and an integral part of your health, your fitness, and your life.