50 Ways to Beat Exercise Boredom (page 2 of 2)

Find Purpose

18. Write poetry in your head. Dictate it into a microcassette if you want to preserve it for posterity.

19. Find a busy route in a big city. Dodging taxis and trucks will keep you nimble.

20. Invite your boss for a walk -- you'll probably see sides of each other that you didn't know existed.

21. Teach yourself to whistle.

22. Sign up to walk a 5K or 10K event. "I encourage my clients to enter competitions like 5Ks -- not to win, but for the fun of it," says Joe Morales, a personal trainer in California. "Somebody who has never been athletic gets such a thrill out of completing their first competition."

23. Walk for charity. The camaraderie and do-goodism will keep you moving.

24. Walk the dog. Not only will you have a purpose for your outing, but you'll have a good listener too.

25. Birdwatch. "I look for robins and sparrows and bluebirds when I walk," says Burns. "It stimulates the mind and keeps me focused." Take along a guide to your region's birds, and educate yourself.

26. Sing along with the great opera arias on your personal stereo.

27. If it isn't safe to walk with headphones on, sing the great opera arias anyway.

28. Do several mini-walks in a day: Changes in scenery keep walks fresh.

29. Read trashy magazines on the treadmill -- much trashier than you'd let yourself read at home.

30. Don't step on the cracks.

31. Walk backward for a while. "It gives you cross-training benefits -- and it keeps you alert," says Culwell.

32. Walk with a trainer. "We're all creatures of habit, and we don't recognize our abilities to get to the next place, but a trainer can cheer you on and get you there," says Ellen Abbott, walking director of the Boston Athletic Club.

33. Cross-train. "Because I lift weights, I'm much stronger when I walk, and I enjoy the walks so much more," says Abbott.

34. Nature-walk. Seek out routes blessed with woods, beaches, or gardens.

35. Be a big shot. Talk on a cell phone while you walk.

36. Wear a CamelBak water carrier. You'll stay hydrated, which will keep your energy up. Plus, you'll have fun sporting neat equipment.

37. Fantasize. Write a mental soap opera starring all those gym rats you have to stare at while you're on the treadmill.

38. Pace your mail carrier. "They've developed an art and science out of walking," says Burns. "Walk along and chat with him or her."

39. Strength train while you walk. "Do some very slow walking lunges and some slow side squats," advises Culwell.

40. Start a walking club. Don't invite people with very strong opinions on politics or religion, though.

41. Explore neighborhoods. "Learn about the houses, the architecture, and the history of your neighborhood or other neighborhoods you like," says Burns. "Find out where the haunted houses are!"

42. Plan a walking vacation. It'll give your workouts a goal as well as give you something to daydream about while you walk.

43. Watch reruns of Monty Python's Flying Circus, and look for John Cleese as the Minister of Silly Walks. You won't find walking dull again.

44. Interval-train. "Walk and then run a little, or walk fast for 3 minutes, then return to your normal speed," advises Abbott. "It breaks the monotony, and it builds strength and endurance."

45. Walk your daily errands. "Find safe, comfortable routes to your library, video store, and market, and put on a backpack," says Burns.

46. Plan your week in your head.

47. Have an imaginary conversation with a historical figure. "Imagine that Eleanor Roosevelt or Gandhi is on the treadmill next to you," says Burns.

48. Get vertical. Challenge yourself with neighborhood hills, or crank up the incline on the treadmill.

49. Talk to God.

50. Walk like an Egyptian -- it made Steve Martin rich.

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