Spice up your walk

You start out walking thinking: this is it! But, soon enough you realize it can be a lonely thing. A lot of people complain that it's repetitive and they're bored. If you are beginning to lose interest, watch it. Spice up your routine now before you give it up altogether out of boredom. Reversing walking-track boredom is easier than missing your evening walk. The tips mentioned below can make your walk super-interesting and help you keep at it for a long time.

Happy walking!


• Locate interesting places. Now this can be a task in the metros where real estate walkingboom and slums are rapidly eating away the green patches. If you are lucky you might have a nice park near your home. Or if you live near the sea, a morning walk on the beach might just become the most cherished activity of your day. But make sure you walk on wet sand, next to the water line, as it's harder. Invest in a good pair of walking shoes, socks, cap, sunscreen and apparel.

• Get up half an hour early every day to accommodate the walk. In about 21 days it will become a habit and the body and mind will adapt itself to the small change. You will get up from your bed smiling and looking forward to your walk!

Walk with your partner

• Talk to other walkers and share each other's workout experience.

• Set a goal for yourself. Identify the reason you want to make this positive change in your life and see yourself change as time goes by. You will lose weight, you may overcome some medical problems or you may find yourself less stressed during the day or you may get over the feeling of constant fatigue, depression and lethargy. Endorphins released during the exercise contribute towards a "high".

• If on the obese side, keep track of your diet as well and stick to low-calorie foods to get the results. Remember there are no quick fixes and it takes at least three months for the weight to go down marginally. A glowing skin is a bonus and is motivating enough as it gets you a lot of attention and compliments.

• Step to your own beat. A "romantic" walk doesn't have to be slow. Replace sights with sounds. When you can't walk any farther than your treadmill, listen to beach, walkingforest, or other natural sounds on tapes or CDs. You can also meditate while walking by repeating a prayer or a mantra as you exercise. It is immensely relaxing and self motivating.

• Plan a perfect ending. Collect beauty. Take pictures from your phone or the camera you are carrying. You can capture whatever catches your eye on your walking route, be it children playing, cows, old people, hawkers, traffic jams-the quintessential life. Who knows, six months later you may hold your first photo exhibition!

• Keep a journal. Jot down your thoughts and feelings after a walk. Reviewing it later will make you want to repeat it.

• Treat yourself. After a long walk, enjoy a soothing bubble bath accompanied by scented candles and your favorite music.

• Rest for one day in a week and allow the muscles to recover and the joints to rest after a week's exercise routine. Stay active however. The rest will contribute towards a great workout the following week.