Yes, I know exercise is not the an exciting subject to talk about. But it will help you reduce stress, which will improve your sense of well being and lead to a more enjoyable life. If you have avoided exercising, just getting started is the most difficult part.

Reducing stress is a good reason to get the ball rolling. Think about how often you’ve heard someone say about an ailment, “it’s just stress related”. People have a tendency to laugh stress off, but the truth is, too much stress in your life can lead to illness and disease. So an exercise program to reduce stress should be one of THE most important priorities in your life.

Exercise is good for your immune system and it will lower stress levels. Even basic activities like hiking, stretching, or walking will make your heart, lungs and muscles stronger and increase your endurance.

Walking could be the smartest exercise choice you could make. No equipment or gear of any kind is required and you can walk anywhere, anytime. Walking can be enjoyable, especially if you go with a partner and just enjoy each others company. Going for a walk with a friend will make it something to look forward to.

Slowly increase the intensity of your walking workout to increase the health benefits. Pick up the pace and walk a bit farther each week. Walking can be the best overall activity for your health if you do it properly. That means pushing yourself so you maintain your target heart rate for 20 minutes or so. If you don’t know your target heart rate, you can easily find it online. Buy a good quality heart rate monitor if you don’t have one.

Before you start your daily walk, make sure to do some basic stretching to loosen up the muscles in your shoulders, neck and legs. This will get your blood flowing help you avoid injuries.

You could get involved in a variety of activities to help reduce stress. But walking is simple, exhilarating, and it doesn’t cost you a cent. It’s one of the few activities that allows you to get your workout done very quickly, and that’s important if you have a busy schedule. You can stretch and walk, in about 30 minutes. I think you would agree that you can find a 1/2 hour each day for an activity that will make you happier and healthier.

Even if you go for shorter walks occasionally, the combination of exercise and social interaction will dramatically reduce stress in your life. So get a good pair of comfortable shoes and a heart rate monitor, and start walking regularly. It will not only reduce stress, it will make you feel great.

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 18th, 2008 at 1:36 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.