Walking For Exercise

This past week was all about walking. And not just any kind of walking ... double-stroller walking. I used to have an "all or nothing" mentality about working out: if I couldn't devote at least two hours to a sweat session then I may as well do nothing. So dumb, right?! Thank goodness I lowered my standards otherwise I'd never exercise again!That being said, I often have days where my exercise intentions get de-railed, but for my mental sanity I need to find a way to get creative and squeeze in some physical activity.  That's where walking comes in. Now, the whole double-stroller piece is new to me as of about 6 months ago when my daughter was born. Those monstrosities are HEAVY! Seriously heavy! So heavy that my arms burned a little and my core was sore from pushing it up a hill in our neighborhood. The sweat session I thought I was missing out on actually came in the form of a double stroller walk.If you're a mom home with young kids or you missed the last class of the day at the gym or you just don't have the energy to power through a run, then WALK. And while you're walking, don't underestimate how good that movement is for you! Based on information from the Mayo Clinic, walking helps to:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
• Strengthen your bones
• Lift your mood
• Improve your balance and coordination

The point is, giving ourselves credit for the little efforts we make to stay healthy is really important because it encourages us to continue making those little efforts. And you know what? A little effort here and a little effort there amounts to a whole lot of healthy stuff that you're doing for yourself and your loved ones. So walk it out.