Mall Crawling Exercise.

The holidays are upon us. We're beginning to feel like we've been shot out of a holiday cannon and are waiting for a place to splat. We know we need to exercise to relieve the stress and for just plain good old health benefits. The question is, "where in our day timers can we squeeze exercise into our already over-scheduled schedule?" Even the weather is against us.

The answer is simple - kill two birds with one stone - exercise at the local mall. You're going to be there anyway from one to a bazillion times between now and the end of the year. Make good use of your time in a comfortable, climate controlled setting with great ambience. So much eye candy, not to mention a festive atmosphere.

Arrive at the mall with comfortable clothes and a pair of good walking shoes. Walk at a good pace for at least 30 minutes. You'll be indistinguishable from the other hurried shoppers. Save your shopping and carrying all those bags until after your exercise session.

To refresh you, why do we want to walk? There are plenty of reasons why, every day millions of people take to the streets, parks, trails, and yes, even the malls. If you're looking to boost your fitness, reduce stress, and manage your weight, walking is a natural choice that really works. In fact, walking just 2,000 extra steps a day, or about a mile, is enough to keep most people from gaining weight - a really important consideration during the holidays when most people gain a typical 5 to 10 pounds. According to research by James O. Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, and co-author of The Step Diet Book, building a little bit more walking into your day can prevent that 1 to 2 pounds that people tend to gain each year."

Return to the Menopause Relief Exercise Index.