Autumn Exercise

It's August down here in the south, and boy is it humid outside. It's the kind of weather that makes you think twice about going outside, let alone to exercise out there. Well, here's some good news, fall is on its way. Cool, clear, crisp days filled with the scent of pumpkins and apples and leaves changing. Remember those days? Well, get ready for them and also put some juice back into your workout routine.

Walking is a free workout and is usually the best type to get all of you muscles pumping and getting that blood flowing. If you are an early bird, wake up about thirty minutes earlier than usual. If you do that each day of the week and even on the weekend, you will be on your way to a healthy workout that you can live with. Stand up beside the bed and get your stretching started. What a great way to start any day. Get the coffee started, and put on your walking shoes. Open the door and welcome that cool morning air that tickles your face. If the sun has risen over the horizon, greet it by stretching toward the sky. Do a few more stretches on the porch or stoop and then start walking. Hopefully, you live in a nice enough community that you can do this and enjoy the stroll. Walk gently for about five minutes to get your body accustomed to the exercise. Then pick up that pace. For the next twenty five minutes or so, you should keep your heart rate up and you'll know this by your breathing. If you are not breathing hard, then you are not walking fast enough. If your breathing is loud enough for you to hear it, then you are doing well.

Let the walk dispel any stress that you have accumulated from the day before, the week before, or from ten years ago that just won't go away. Mental, physical, and emotional health is the key to living a balanced and healthy life.

So, by now you should be on your way back to your home. Your lungs are full of cool, autumn air and your head is clear. Get back home and enjoy yourself. Have a good cup of hot coffee, read the paper if that is your thing, and be proud of yourself for waking up thirty minutes earlier than usual to do something good for yourself. Only when you are good to yourself can you be good to others.