Walking for Fitness, Mindfulness, and Creativity

Walking is an activity most people overlook as a worthwhile exercise, yet it is one of the easiest and most effective; it’s also an unheard-of method of unlocking your inner genius and boosting your creativity.

When the subject of improving one’s fitness comes up, taking cardio classes or joining a gym usually get mentioned first; and often, they are one of the same. Gyms offer many fitness classes-options such as aerobics, strength training, cycling, treadmills, elliptical trainers, martial arts, and in well-ventilated spaces.

However, there are significant drawbacks:

• Monthly fees

Monthly dues, annual fees, and start-up costs  are typical. Then, add in the cost of fitness classes which may be extra – if they’re not booked up. Count on $30 to $50+ monthly.

This may sound all well and fine until one considers that a great many Canadians are under severe debt pressure. Another (unnecessary) expense may subtract from priority responsibilities like debt repayment, food, or lodging.

But how to stay in shape? Walk for cardio and work your muscles with resistance bands which are just as, or more effective, than machines and barbells. They’re way cheaper, too. Check out 33 Resistance Band Exercises You Can Do Literally Anywhere. Where to find? Amazon, for one.

• Cost of Driving to the Gym

Not usually considered, but fuel economy is worse when an engine is cold. Short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much gas than a multipurpose trip covering same distance. This past October 31 in a Toronto, Canada suburb, gas was $1.15/liter or $5.44 per gallon (4.54 liters) Source: GasBuddy.com. These figures add to the cost of gym membership on a day-to-day basis.

• Present Level of Fitness

If you’ve been living a mostly inactive life-in this Age of the Screen-your level of fitness is apt to be quite low: muscle flexibility lacking, posture poor, overweight, and taxing stair climbs that leave you huffing-and-puffing. Combined, or even on their own, these factors increase the likelihood of getting injured.

Sitting: The New Cancer?

The habit that most contributes to ‘being out of shape’ is sitting. According to a Mayo Clinic study, people who sat for more than 8 hours a day, with no physical activity, had risk factors of dying similar to obesity and smoking; specifically, habitual long-term sitting leads to the formation of several health conditions that make up Metabolic Syndrome:

• Obesity
• Increased blood pressure
• High blood sugar (due to not being absorbed by muscles during any type of exercise)
• Excess body fat around the waist, and
• Abnormal cholesterol levels

Author Brian J AndersonPosted on November 1, 2019January 15, 2020Categories Health, ThinkingTags blood pressure, Chun-Yu-Kuo, creativity, Daniel Schwartz, Fitness, gasbuddy.com, gym costs, losing weight, Marily Oppezzo, Mayo Clinic, Metabolic Syndrome, mindfulness, sitting; the new cancer?, Stanford University, walking, Yei-Yu Yeh