Hello walking buddies! Welcome back to my journey towards better endurance! I hope those of you who have chosen to join me these next few weeks are ready to take a walk on the wild side with me! Although, it won’t get much wilder than a few parks and different hiking trails around Maryland, but that’s not stopping us! 

This week is my first week of walking one mile for four days out of the week. I set it up this way because Monday through Thursday I don’t have work, so it works the best with my schedule, but feel free to modify your walking schedule to fit yours. 

This week, I really wanna focus on preparing myself for success. Being the first week, I know I’m going to be tired quickly and struggling a bit, but that’s the whole point of this challenge, to push ourselves! So, I’ve been doing research on how to prepare yourself before working out and I have been following these steps every day. Even though I am still breathing heavily throughout my walks, I feel like my mindset is more positive and I am more energized during my workouts.

I have combined a few different perspectives through exploring Youtube videos, which I have included in a playlist below and through reading articles. Through all of my research, I have narrowed it down to these five tips that have helped me and I think will help all of you when getting back into the workout game.

Hydrate or “Diedrate”

You need to be drinking water 4 hours before you plan to exercise. I know I always forget, but it is super important for exercise and just regular life! I increased how much water I drank this week and always had a water bottle filled next to me. For short exercises, water is beneficial, but for long exercises, energy drinks can be helpful, too. My favorite is Gatorade and I honestly don’t know what the clear flavor is called, but that’s my favorite one to drink. Fruits and veggies can also help keep you hydrated too because they are made up of 90% water. My favorite is watermelon or maybe carrots with hummus, it’s a great snack.

Get seven to nine hours of sleep at least

Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep in order to function at their best in many areas, whether that’s working out or going to work. I struggle with turning my phone off before bed, I never seem to be able to put it down. Does anyone relate to that? This week, I tried reading a book before bed instead of going on my phone and it was much more relaxing. Leave your book suggestions in the comments below, I’m always looking for new ones!

 Switch up your routine

Try not to stick to the same exercise routine every day. I think we already have this in the bag because we are going to gradually increase our distance and change up the routes we take. We don’t want to get bored of the same scenery and distance. 

Eating before and after workouts

If you eat before your workout, eat a small meal 30-60 mins prior at least and wait 15-60 mins after to eat. Focus on eating healthy, non-processed foods to give your body the best nutrients to recover from your workout.

Never skip stretching!

Before and after workouts your muscles need to warm-up and cool down.

Below is a Youtube playlist I put together during my research. Check out these videos for more information on why the tips above are beneficial to working out.

I think preparing myself so well for this first week really helped me kick-start my walking. Let me know in the comments below if you tried any of these tips and if they worked for you! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go on another daily walk.

Email me if you have any questions or just want to chat!