5 Ways to Walk a Monday Mile Indoors

When the weather is sunny and delightful, taking a stroll through the neighborhood or exploring your local park is a terrific way to get your daily dose of physical activity. But gloomy storm clouds and frost-covered sidewalks can often discourage us from venturing outside.

On these frightful days, it’s best to take your Monday Mile walk indoors.

…But how?

Even if you can’t get to indoor facilities like gyms and shopping centers, there are still many ways to get in your weekly steps from the comfort of your own home. This Monday, get in your Monday Mile without stepping outdoors.

Stairs

Walking up and down the stairs is a surprisingly effective form of aerobic exercise. It burns more calories than jogging, and can also increase muscle strength, improve endurance, and preserve bone density. Although you may not go the same “distance” as if you were on a treadmill or track, you will still get in a tremendous workout.

Hallways

Fitting in fitness can be fun, especially if you’re stuck in the house all day. Put on some headphones and walk around the house listening to an energizing soundtrack. If you have a step counter or another wearable fitness device—even better! You can challenge yourself to beat your last week’s step total. Use breaks in the work day to take a few laps around the house or apartment. It will benefit your body as well as your state of mind.

Supermarkets

We’re not advocating that you use your local supermarket as a gymnasium, but if you have the opportunity to go grocery shopping during off-hours, you can actually manage to get a pretty good workout strolling up and down the many aisles. Pushing a cart around the perimeter of the store is a fun (and delicious) way to get in extra steps during the week.

Treadmill

This one is pretty obvious, but if you have a treadmill, you can easily walk at any time of day. Set it up in front of your television and turn on one of your favorite shows. Next thing you know, you’ll have effortlessly walked a couple miles by the time the episode is over.

Living Room

How can you walk a mile in your living room? Easy, just walk-in-place. Sure, it might sound silly, but walking in place is actually a great source of aerobic exercise that you can do during down time or commercial breaks. In a study published by the Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise journal, participants who walked in place for an hour burned an average of 258 calories, compared to roughly 304 calories for people who walked on a treadmill.

Walking is one of the simplest ways to get more exercise for people of any fitness level and age. It’s good for your heart, bones, muscles, weight, and your mood. This Monday, don’t let anything stop you, not even the weather. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.