Walk Like a New Yorker

If you're from NYC whether you like it or not you probably walk.... a lot. In fact, you probably don't realize you walk as much as you do, or moreover how little people from other (car) places walk.

As strange as it sounds, walking is one of my favorite activities for a couple of reasons.

Random Run-ins I don't know why I love the moments when I see a random friend on the street. As big of a city as NYC is, it's really quite small when you get down to it because somehow I see familiar faces in passing nearly every day. There's something really wonderful a run-in. It's so unplanned, so natural. It feels like the opposite of what I see every second on social media, where I'm staring into the (planned and posted) lives of others. **Pro-tip, get off your phone when you walk - give your mind, eyes, and fingers a rest for once, not to mention walking and using your phone constantly can have a very negative impact on your posture, sooner than you think!**

It's Exercise - Really!

Consider this: walking burns the same amount of calories as jogging does for the same distance (it just takes longer.) That’s incredible news if you’re a bit cardio-phobic like me.

Walking is a great low-resistance exercise for rest days or if you’re recovering from an illness. Don’t discount it as physical activity, just because it is so often overlooked. Try to walk in the morning and in the evening for 30 minutes each if possible. This will kick start your metabolism at the beginning of the day and help aid digesting in the evening after dinner.

Exploration, Baby No matter how long you've lived somewhere, you can always find something new when you walk around. Maybe you're wandering for the sake of exploring, or like me you're practically dashing down the sidewalk, there is no chance you won't find some new little cafe, shop, or view that you'd never seen before.  I've lived in New York for 25 years (my whole life minus two spent living in London after college.) I still find hidden gems nearly every time I walk around - don't believe it? Try it. You don't have to be living in a big city to find something new every day - it's incredible how much we overlook most of the time and what we can find if we open our mind and eyes.

In conclusion, don’t take walking too seriously, if you turn it into a chore in your mind you won’t like doing it. I do suggest getting a pedometer, which can be a great way to remind and motivate yourself to walk instead of ride or drive. So buy yourself a pair of cute, comfortable walking shoes and get to it.