Walking. I used to be a dedicated walker; put in a few miles every day. For the past year or longer I have lost interest in it, especially walking outdoors. Too many dogs, mosquitoes, too hot, humid, blah, blah. (Any excuse to remain seated.) So after the episode with the cardiologist earlier this year, I was kind of bummed that my resting heart rate has continued to climb. At the end of May, my RHR was around 77 BPM according to my Fitbit. So June 1st I dragged out the trusty "Walking with Leslie Sansone" DVDs and forced myself to get started. (These are exercise videos that include a lot of walking, stepping, etc. and are done in air-conditioned comfort. ) I'm happy to report that I'm up to 3 miles a day... 2 in the morning and 1 in the evening. After a month of this my RHR is down to 70 BPM for the past week. My goal is to get it back down to around 62-65 as it was in 2018. Screenshot of Fitbit app...
I guess this is the way we're supposed to go for walks, now. Keep your eyes on the smartphone, and you can exercise your eyes and your legs.
We try to get out for a three mile walk most days unlesd it’s pouring with rain. Well DH walks and I roll. For obvious reasons we have to stick to paved footpaths and sidewalks but luckily we live in an area where we can take different routes. Earlier this month we spent a week at a Swedish ski resort and they had a trail on the hilltop that was partly paved and laid with gravel as well as one with a boardwalk round a small lake so I was able to enjoy the countryside. Dh took the photos
I still walk 3 to 5 miles a day outdoors. It is great for physical and also mental health. I do most of my walking on rural paths and roads. This year for the first time I encountered a rattlesnake and several gopher-eating bullsnakes. This one was heading over to the alfalfa field for lunch. I hate snakes even good ones like this. I will kill a rattler, but these bulls I just stamp my feet to get them off the path.