Everybody’s walking! Well, as the weather gets nicer, it definitely seems like everyone is out walking. Are you? If not, do you find yourself wondering how they motivate themselves to get active? For some, going outside and getting the proper amount of physical activity isn’t always easy. Maybe you struggle because of time constraints, maybe it’s stress, or it may just simply be because you don’t enjoy it. But, no matter the reason you find yourself unmotivated, it’s important to learn how to motivate yourself and get active!

1. Start Slow: By setting your goal too high, you’ll be shooting yourself in the foot before you even get started! (And, it’s hard to walk with an injured foot!) For starters, aim to walk for at least 15 minutes, 3 times per week. Then, increase the amount of time that you’re walking each day as you’re more comfortable. Then, when you’re a pro, you can starting getting active even more than 3 times per week, and for longer periods of time.
2. Stay Hydrated: Did you know that water is one of the biggest energy boosters you can find? On the flipside, if your body is lacking water, you’ll find that you’re very low on energy and will struggle to get motivated to both get outside and to keep moving once you’re out.
3. Do it Over Lunch: What do you spend most of your lunch break doing? For many of us, we spend it catching up with co-workers over a good meal. This is great social time. But, the longer you sit at the table, the more likely you’ll be to graze on food rather than stopping when you’re full. Instead, try eating your meal, then getting up and taking a walk either around the building or outside.
4. Take a Buddy: Are you afraid you’ll miss your lunch buddies if you jump up from lunch too early? Talk them in to going with you! Most of the time, if you’re enjoying the activity with someone else, they can help motivate you to keep going. And, vice versa, you can keep them going as well!

Well, there you have it! 4 simple tips for getting started with your walking program this spring. Remember: start small and focus on creating the habit. Healthy habits like walking will keep your body healthy for a long time!

To get the habit started for many here in Kansas, we’re excited about the Walk Kansas program sponsored by K-State Research & Extension. The challenge is to get a team of 6 together and commit to ‘walking around the state of Kansas’. The circumference of Kansas is approximately 1200 miles. So, each team will commit to walking 1200 miles collectively. We’re putting teams together now. So, if you’re interested in getting involved, please reply on the blog or email us at info@ncescatalog.com. As always, stop by www.NCEScatalog.com for all of your health and nutrition education materials.