The weather outside is frightful. Winter has come and the idea of walking outside may not appeal to you at the moment. It doesn’t really appeal to me at all. Walking outside is best done in the early Spring and the later part of Fall. There is much to be seen during these two times of year. Winter and Summer are extreme in temperatures and rain or snow.
So what are the alternatives to outdoor walking? You can pay for a gym membership and walk the treadmill, but that can be tedious as there is nothing to engage your other senses. You can buy a treadmill and place it in front to of the television. That may engage your mind as you walk but there are three other choices, Mall Walking, Supermarket Walking or Large Warehouse Store Walking.
Mall walking is available all day. Some malls even open their doors a couple of hours before the mall actually opens to give walkers a chance to walk unimpaired. They also don’t mind if you walk during the mall’s business hours but you should make sure you leave your credit cards at home as the idea of sporadic shopping can make the mall a dangerous place for some. This is also a great chance to people watch. If you go during the time when the mall opens early, this is not as much fun. But when you go during business hours you have the opportunity to see all kinds of human interactions.
I prefer to go when mall walking when the stores are open, But I have one rule. The stores I enjoy in this mall are mostly located on the lower level as are most of the places to buy food. On the upper level there is much less temptation so I stay on the upper floor.
Supermarket walking and warehouse walking are basically the same as mall walking only you have to stay out of people’s way. By warehouse walking I am referring to places like BJ’s or Sam’s Club. When you do either of these you have two choices the first is to stay on the outer edge of the store making complete circles. The second is to go up and down the aisles. This second will make the walk much longer.
In supermarket walking you must remain inconspicuous so as not to attract anyone’s attention as they may think you are up to no good. You also have to not look at the food as the temptation may be too strong.
I did a supermarket walk today as it was convenient. The store is rather on a large scale so I did three circles. Had I gone to the mall I would have done two. It is interesting because a lot of human interaction goes on at the supermarket. Mothers with children, children helping aging parents and a lot of management and employee interaction all of this is fascinating to watch. I would not recommend this as regular habit, but as long as you can control yourself it is definitely fun.
No matter what you choose, you should make interesting for yourself. Music in your phone with earplugs can make these indoor walks even more enjoyable. In the supermarkets there is usually some sort of soft rock playing so you don’t need the earphone. Whatever you choose, stay warm, stay safe, push yourself to go further each week and make it fun.
