Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Top Ten Things I Love About My Morning Walk

If you've been reading this blog for a while then you know that one thing I highly recommend is a morning walk. I truly believe that for me, my morning walk is more important for me than even some of my treatments. Not only can it serve as a good physical treatment, but it can serve a good mental treatment as well. If you're thinking about starting an exercise program but just don't know where to begin, I suggest starting with a brisk 15 minute walk first thing out of bed. Those that have tried have reported back nothing but good things!

So here it is, the top ten things I like about my morning walk:

10. Get to spend some quality time with my (four-legged) girl

I don't know who is more excited in the morning, me or Jezzabel...wait, that's an easy one, it's by far JBell. She can barely contain herself as I put on my shoes and wait for her command, "Get your leash".

9. It's peaceful

Often times I find that it's just me and the world...and people in their cars leaving for work.

8. It's nippy (cold)

Arizona doesn't hardly ever get down right cold, so we have to find joy when it's just a little bit cold outside, even if by "a little bit", we mean 50 degrees.

7. Feels good to get up and start moving right away

If I transition from my bed to a couch or chair to drink my coffee first, it still kind of feels like I'm sleeping. There's just something about getting right up and at em!

6. It always smells so clean outside first thing in the morning

I know you guys know that smell I'm talking about (unless you live in NYC) :)

5. It's a good time to start preparing for the day

I'll often go over my checklist for the day and start thinking ahead of time about priorities that need to be done first and those things that I can push off until tomorrow :)

4. It forces me to take deep breaths before my treatments

The morning walk definitely serves as a good lung exercise. I find that if I take a walk first, my lungs can generally expand more during my nebs.

3. It gets me hungrier

Often times, instead of thinking about what I have to do that day, I just think about what I'll eat when I get back home.

2. I cough up more junk during my morning walk than I do my morning Vest

If I ever got lost on my morning walk, I could just follow a trail of my mucus back to the house. It gives a whole new meaning to the yellow brick road :)

1. My lungs always feel more clear on the days I get my walk in

I'd say this one is pretty self-explanatory. Bottom line: I feel better the days I go for a walk first thing in the morning.

Do you guys take walks in the morning? If so. what do you love about them? If not, why?