Say what, collegiettes?! You don’t need to go to FitRec anymore this semester?! Well, here’s why.
It’s springtime and the weather is absolutely beautiful, which means it’s finally time to walk the walk. Just lace up your cute sneakers with the bright laces and get strolling!
Walk to class, walk to work, walk to your activities, walk everywhere you need to go. You spend $1.60 each time you get on the MBTA bus and $2.10 each time you get on the (T). Forgo the public transportation and use that money towards your ice coffee or sundress-shopping addiction. Hey, you might as well walk to Dunkin’ and continue down on Newbury, since they are not too far from campus. And consider exploring the outdoors as a time to rev up your tan—sport your flowy tank tops and cutoffs and you’ll look sun-kissed in no time!
If you’re still skeptical that a few strides can’t replace your FitRec, here’s some research from the American Heart Association to prove you otherwise. By walking just 30 minutes a day (basically from West to CAS and back) you gain the following benefits:
• Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
• Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels
• Improve blood lipid profile
• Maintain body weight and lower the risk of obesity
• Enhance mental well being
• Reduce the risk of osteoporosis
• Reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer
• Reduce the risk of non-insulin dependent (type 2) diabetes
Now, if those aren’t good reasons to start walking, I don’t know what else would be. Considering too, Boston is ranked as one of the most walkable cities in the United States, and Bay State Road is just beautiful for a stroll.
Take it from me, a self-professed gym un-enthusiast who walks just about everywhere she can (time permitting).
I use an app to track my steps, just to see how much I walk. It’s definitely not as accurate as a fitness band, but it is useful to determine how far I’ve walked approximately, and you can view your activity by day or by week. The app is called Moves and I would recommend it! For example, just this past week, I had a record-breaking month by hitting 63,371 steps. That’s a total of 29.1 miles walked over the course of 10 hours and 3 minutes. And all I did was walk on campus and around Back Bay on my way to class, meetings, activities and errands. That’s not to say I didn’t take the bus, but I did use it sparingly.
Enjoy your time on campus and avoid getting sick by taking in the sun and fresh air!