zumewalk.com: walking for stress relief

Walking Away the Stress

OK, I’ve figured it out. I’ve been walking a little less each month for the last three months because of a busy work schedule. My monthly average dropped to around 75 miles per month but more importantly my days per week of walking fell off a cliff - 3 per week. This does not work for me! I’ve got to be out there walking five to six days per week or it show up in my daily life in other ways, not just at the waist line.

How does it show up in my life, you ask?

Well it show up it not ridding my life and body of stress and it shows up in not clearing my mind each day. Both are very important but the one I realized I needed the most was the creative thinking time.

Take a peek at this article from Martha Stewart’s WholeLiving dot com titled “Walking for Stress Relief.” Text by Kate Hanley; photography by John-Francis Bourke.

You know that a brisk walk around the block can clear your head. But it can do even more. Walking rivals yoga, meditation, and tai chi as a powerful mindfulness practice, says Danny Dreyer, a running coach, ultramarathoner, and creator of the ChiRunning and ChiWalking programs. Dreyer has spent years teaching people how to use walking to relieve physical and mental stress by moving in a relaxed way and focusing on physical sensations.

In the following exercise, Dreyer shows how to elevate a simple walk to a meditation in motion, just by using breath and awareness to target tension and trigger the body’s relaxation response. Try this simple stress reliever before an important meeting, after a workday, or any time you need to recapture a calmer, more centered state of mind.

Find a Quiet Place
Choose to walk somewhere soothing — around a lake instead of along a busy road, for instance.

Breathe Away Tension
Start with your head and observe any tension you might be feeling there. Take a deep inhale, and then with each exhale, imagine releasing tightness in your head and neck. Continue with your shoulders, arms, chest, belly, glutes, upper legs, lower legs, and feet. Spend several breaths on each area, gradually inviting every part of your body to relax. Repeat this exercise.

Take Time to Unwind
Walk for at least 15 minutes, or longer if you have time.

Tip: Focus on tension hot spots throughout your body; this will help you open up and unwind.

I must find my time to walk and think, not only to maintain a fit existence but to fill my mind will the creative and positive thoughts that keep me happy and productive.

Have you had your walk today? Might make a bigger difference than just at the waistline.

MikeZume says, walking a little everyday lowers my stress levels and fills my mind with positive MOJO.

Please consult your physician before starting any exercise or weight loss program.
Your physician is your very best resource.

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