Why I Walk

I could tell you I walk to lose weight, keep my blood pressure in check, and reduce stress, but I'd be lying. I do it for the scenery, and by "scenery" I don't mean the guys who run bare-chested.

A bayou flows alongside the path in my local park, and the sight of its muddy water lifts my spirits. In some places the stream's banks are high and it's easy to see how water carved a path through the forest. In other places, the water trickles by or slips and slides over rock.

One day I might spot a turtle sunning on a fallen tree limb, and the next I'll see a blue heron. Or a possum. Or an owl.

The water's a constant. So is the path and my inherent laziness. After I've clocked the first quarter-mile, though, the going gets easier. Somewhere around the one-mile mark, my head clears and worries disappear. The next mile puts me in the zone, the zen moment, the delicious present.

I've tried mall-walking and walking in my neighborhood but failed at both because they lacked the extra something that prompts me to put on shoes and head out the door: the ever moving, ever-changing bayou.

If you've had trouble sticking to a fitness resolution, consider taking it to a place that's easy on the eyes. The work-out won't be easier, but the scenery will distract you from your aching muscles or the work you've left behind. If you're lucky, it will raise your spirits.

If you've kept to a fitness schedule, what's your secret? Do you listen to music while on the treadmill, catch up on recorded TV while stair-stepping, or run against a mountain backdrop? What's the extra something that gets you started?