Indoor walking is becoming a major part of my fitness life.
Walking bores me and I'm not an outdoors person. Where I live right now the weather is freezing cold, and windy with an astonishing lack of sidewalks.
But walking is good for the heart and body. Plus, I want to do a lot of traveling, and it is hard to go abroad when you hate walking up the block.
I found a solution - indoor walking videos by people like Leslie Sansone. No matter how cold it is or how annoyed I am, I can put on my sneakers, put in a DVD and walk, walk, walk!
What I like about indoor walking DVDs is that I can walk a mile in 14 minutes, feel like I worked out, but i'm not bored to death, and I don't have the "is it over yet" feeling, I have when trying to walk around outside. Plus, it's a lot safer. People drive crazier and crazier every day, especially in the country towns like the one I live in, and it would be a lot better for my fitness and health to not dodge a vehicle every time I am walking.
My uncle, however, still swears by outdoor walking and tries to do five miles in the country every single day. I don't know how he does it.
However, both Indoor and outdoor walking are great ways to relieve stress and frustration, without taking it out on other people, pets, on the road or furniture. The other day I was particularly frustrated and literally stomped it out by doing a fast, advanced Leslie Sansone mile. I used to think she was nuts for saying, "Walking puts you in a better mood," but it's true.
So whether you are walking for fitness or stress relief, indoor walking might be a safe and fun way to go.
