Take a Hike

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It's funny to me how dog owners are well programmed to walk their dogs daily, as a healthy routine for Fido, and because it's the right thing to do as a pet owner. Yet, a majority of our US population don't get the recommended amount of physical activity (aerobic or strength training) suggested by the CDC. It's great that we're so good to our dogs (about 40% of dog owners walk their dogs regularly) and I'm not sure why we don't translate that better into our own lives.

I think it is a matter of inertia, or momentum. If our day is done and we're "at rest", we tend to stay at rest and skip any exercise. Or if our mornings are consumed with getting the day started, and kids off to school and getting our own work underway, then it's easy to let another day go by without getting our blood pumping.

My remedy? Do something! I was away for a few days at a conference and I had to challenge my boundaries some to get in a workout. We were at a retreat center in the woods, so there was no fitness gym, and no tall stair towers for running the stairs... there were a lot of trails, though.

What I settled on were numerous walks in the woods, before the day started, and at break times and even one hike in the dark. It was a good challenge, and I got through rain and wind and slippery, wet leaves just fine. I even had the chance to see 8 turkeys and one blue heron that I scared up from their nighttime roosts. Very cool...

There is always something we can find to get our pulse up and to put in a daily workout. All we need to do is do it. So try getting creative for new way(s) to break a sweat, and grab a friend to go with you. I'm sure you'll be glad you did.

By the Way

I had posted last year that full-body active exercise is necessary to get our lymph system going. Our lymph glands need physical movement to 'pump' the lymphatic fluids throughout our bodies, to grab toxins and return them to our liver and kidneys for elimination. Don't miss the value of this vital function... all we need to do is get moving.