If you’re looking for a simple and accessible way to improve your overall well-being, the answer may be as straightforward as taking a walk. In fact, there are many symptoms you might have experienced that can be alleviated with commitment to a regular walking practice. In this article, you’ll learn how nine common symptoms can be made better with walking.
I woke up my sophomore year of college to discover two seemingly unrelated issues. First, I had gained not just the freshman fifteen, but more like the freshman thirty, and I’m barely 5’3”. I blame dorm food and a steady stream of 11:00 p.m. pizza runs. Second, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life or even who I really was. I felt like I was constantly in reaction mode, and between classes, homework, and living with dozens of people on the 8th floor of Denton 8 (my dorm), well, the picture wasn’t pretty.
A long staple of military training, in its most basic form, rucking is simply walking with a loaded pack. The term comes from “rucksack,” the durable pack the military uses to carry equipment. Recent research has confirmed what our military has long known: rucking is a powerful form of fitness, whatever your mission.
Highly versatile, the weight you carry can vary based on your fitness level and training goals, and the right pack makes it easy to increase the weight as you get stronger. And get stronger you will, along with a host of other benefits that make rucking something we should all add to our walking practice.
If rising temperatures have you sweating about how to keep up with your walking practice, find relief with nine tips to keep you cool and crush your miles.
It is said that variety is the spice of life, a lesson you should consider applying to your walking style. Varying your routine helps to keep you from getting bored and presents the opportunity to challenge your body in new ways that can lead to stronger muscles and a healthier you. Here are nine ways you can switch things up and add a little spice to your walking workout.
There’s something about the mountains that takes your breath away. Their sheer size is enough to stop you in your tracks. Their beauty leaves you with your mouth agape and perhaps tears in your eyes. Yes, these purple mountain majesties are a sight to behold.
If you’ve spent any time in the 99 Walks Pack, you’ve probably heard the statement “there’s no bad weather, just bad clothing.” Because we believe that no matter the weather—within reason, of course—you can always get outside for a walk. As long as you dress the part.
Yesterday, I solved a major hurdle in bringing our new business to life. It has been months of struggle. I’ve had dozens of calls, spent hours researching, asked hundreds of questions and have gotten hundreds of different answers. Yesterday, I found a solution.
I should have felt fantastic. I should have taken the afternoon off or, at the very least, taken a long walk in one of my favorite places. But I didn’t. Instead, I checked it off my list and asked myself “what’s next?”
Yesterday, instead of walking my favorite two-mile dirt road that starts behind the golf course and ends at the bay, I decided to try a different trail through the woods. Marked by blue trail markers nailed just above eye level on the trees, this three-mile loop starts at a small parking area just off of a busy road. The trail winds through the woods with some moderate ups and downs, though it is never more than a mile from the road, and only at the farthest point are you fully out of range of hearing the occasional roar of a truck barreling down the road.
Was I walking or hiking yesterday? For that matter, is my typical walk down the dirt road a walk or a hike? Is there a real distinction, or is this merely a “you say tomato, I say tomato” situation? Perhaps more importantly, does it matter?
Sure, Thanksgiving is a time of family and friends, cozy sweaters, holiday shopping and football watching, but it’s also a time for big meals, turkey comas and naps on the couch. And though we love a good nap, this year, kick that drowsy, stuffed feeling to the curb—literally—and go take a walk. Here are 9 reasons why you’ll feel better when you do.
By day two, we knew we needed a new word. “Wow” just wasn’t going to cut it. And yet, as we turned each corner on our 11-mile hike through the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, no fewer than five of the ten women who comprised our group exclaimed “wow!”
The vistas, the rock formations, the slot canyons, the determined plants growing out of the desert floor, the expansive brilliant blue of the sky.
Wow.
Want to be happier? Learn to see the cup half full, rather than half empty. Count your blessings. Appreciate the positive. Retrain your brain to focus on the good. And for heaven’s sake, stop worrying.
Sounds easy right?
Sure, accidents happen. You set out with the best intentions, but uneven sidewalks, dogs taken by surprise by automatic sprinklers, and even just misplaced footing on your way to answer the telephone can cause unfortunate tumbles. Before you know it, you’re making trips to the fridge’s ice maker to fill up that little ice pack decorated with red stars tucked under your sink. But is there a way to prevent falls? We spoke with Dr, Alexander Legrand with Bridger Orthopedics for some help.
Today, we honor the lady who took the chance to dream big and turn that dream into a movement that has changed thousands upon thousands of lives. Shout out to our inspiring 99 Walks Pack Leader Joyce Shulman on this "Boss's Day." We couldn't be more grateful for her vision and leadership.
Whether you tune into her daily Facebook lives, have read her book Walk Your Way to Better, or have had the privilege to work with her, there’s no doubt that something she’s said has stuck with you. Our team couldn’t think of a better way to honor her than to share what we have learned from her.
Walking up the stairs in my house the other day, I noticed a ball of dust and dog hair in the corner of a step. I saw it out of the corner of my eye and kept walking. Later that afternoon, I noticed it again. And then again the next morning. And one more time before I finally picked it up.
Now in my defense, the first time I had walked up the stairs, I had something in my hands and the second time, I was on my way to do something. But, if I’m going to be really honest, with you and with myself, I just didn’t feel like bending over and picking up the dustball.
For many of us, the start of Fall is a welcome time. The heat of the summer starts to fade, the warm and inviting hues start appearing in nature and on front porches, and the scents of the season begin wafting out of windows and eateries. It’s when neighbors spend more time outdoors, and activities abound with celebrations from spooky to lighthearted. Whatever your liking, here are 30 Fall bucket list activities to truly savor the season. Lace up and get going, because Fall is here!
At 99 Walks, we talk a lot about our whirlwind. The getting caught up in the everyday to-dos that often rule our day. Sometimes, okay maybe oftentimes, we get to the end of the day and try to figure out what we actually accomplished. Because when you don’t define that key “thing” that you want to make happen, well, it likely just won’t happen.
But, what if…
You’ve probably gone for a walk and never thought further about calling it anything different. Or defined yourself in any other way than a walker. But in truth, there are many terms and words that define walking that just might open your eyes to the nuances that come with being a walker. Here are nine of our favorites.
What’s your go-to for getting your relaxation on? Or do you even have one? Sometimes, we convince ourselves that if we can’t manage an entire spa day, then why bother? But making time to relax doesn’t have to consume an entire day. In just a few minutes, you can find ways to unwind and rejuvenate your spirit, and to show you just how easy it can be, we’ve put together our nine favorite ways to relax.
If you really stop to listen to yourself—that inner self talk that is often running through your mind—what do you hear? Is it friendly? Is it positive? Is it motivating? Or, do you more often find yourself picking on every little detail, or beating yourself up about what you didn’t do? If it’s the latter, you’re not alone. It’s easy to fall into a well of negativity, but if you take the time to flip your thoughts and speak to yourself as you would a friend or loved one, you might just find a change in more than just your self talk. We’re willing to bet that you’ll stand a little taller, walk a little farther, and smile a little brighter.
When I was young, my parents would occasionally go off on a weekend adventure, leaving me with one aunt or another. They would pack their toothbrushes and a change of clothes and head out with only a vague destination in mind. “We always find someplace interesting,” my mother would say. At the time, there were no cell phones, no internet and no GPS blinking from their dashboard. Occasionally, they would actually get lost, but somehow, they always managed to make it home by Sunday evening.
Fifty years young and fabulous (we couldn’t agree more!), Pack Member Lynne Williams, of Bluffton, SC, loves living near the beach and crushing her miles on the sandy shoreline while taking in the sunrise or sunset. Her walking practice has taught her how walking more is linked to feeling better, so she takes this lesson to heart and is finding herself in much better shape than she imagined, and feeling comfortable and confident in her own skin.
We recently chatted with Lynne to get to know her better, and here’s just some of what we discovered.
We can get really good at tuning things out. The sounds of the garbage truck making their rounds, kids arguing, the leaf blower next door—somehow they can just fade into the background as we keep moving through our day. But when we go for a walk, we have the chance to reconnect with those sounds that we sometimes filter out, and embrace them as fuel for our smile, our steps, and our well-being. Next time you head out the door, listen closely. For there are many things that can connect us with all that is around us. Here are nine of our favorites:
There are so many reasons for lacing up our shoes and heading out for a walk. Though our lives, our challenges, our passions and our goals are unique, there is one thing most of us share—the desire to live a happy, healthy life. But what actually encourages us to lace up and go? What have we discovered about ourselves as a result of our walking practice? What keeps us going?
Recently, we asked the 99 Walks Pack “Why do you walk?,” and here are just some of their answers.
You may know him as “Hey Eric” from The Weekly Walk podcast, or the voice encouraging you in your Journey walking classes, but here are 9 things you may not know about Coach Eric.
