Exercise Comes in Many Forms

Getting exercise can be as easy as getting up out of your chair and cleaning the house, weeding the garden, doing the laundry, washing the car or grocery shopping.  Just take a walk around the block or walk around the house.

Daily exercise minutes can add up to hours a day.  On the way to work,  try to park the car in the farthest part of the lot and walk the extra minutes.  From the train, walk to the subway and get off the train at least one stop before the office.  Intentionally walk a few extra blocks to the office and then walk up the stairs or at least a few flights, or occasionally walk down the stairs.  You can even enlist followers to go with you.  Do the trip home in reverse.  If you can, throw in another short walk at lunch or at the end of the day.  My parking is along the Hudson River, so I put my gear into the car and take a short walk up the river to meditate and unwind.

On a trip to the grocery or to the movie theater use the farthest parking spot and take the walk to the store.  Pushing the cart back up a hill to the car is an extra few minutes of exercise.  From home try walking to your usual destinations that are within ten or fifteen minutes.  Take the dog, a friend and a little cash if you like and a walking kit.  It’s easy to build a jiffy walking kit with a shoulder bag or a hip side pack.  Load the pack with your spare or obsolete ID cards or a copy of them,  some glasses for reading, a few bucks, a mini flashlight to walk in the dark,  a pen and paper, and the house key.

You don’t need to go far or put on your hiking gear, just get up, grab your walking pack and go.