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Start the Year Off Right with a Daily Walking Routine
As another new year unfolds before us, or behind us, depending on when you read this, many find themselves looking for realistic, practical ways to create healthier lives. One path towards New Year’s Resolutions that can be achieved is through a focus on building better habits and establishing routines rather than setting grandiose goals with no strategy in mind to get yourself there. For example, instead of vowing to lose 50 pounds and save $10,000 before the year ends, make the more simple and concrete resolution to stop Doordashing fast food burgers and start bringing a salad into work for lunch.
Within this framework of attainable goals and healthy routines, there are a variety of different activities you can commit to in your quest to benefit your body and mind. Once again, it doesn’t have to be something epic like skydiving or trying out for the local semi-pro hockey team. For best results, consider starting with small steps. Literally.
Taking the First Steps Towards a Healthier New Year
Walking is not just the default mode of short-distance transportation for most people. It is also one of the simplest and most accessible forms of exercise available–and is surprisingly effective on multiple levels. The benefits of a good walking regimen are well documented, from a boost in cardiovascular health to an improved sense of mental clarity. A daily walking routine can transform your life in small but meaningful ways, and, best of all, it’s something you can start for free right now with no equipment necessary. Just a comfortable pair of sneakers and a high-visibility shirt or jacket with reflective elements if you plan on walking at night.
Why Walking Works
At first glance, walking might seem too simple to be effective or too mundane to stick with as a daily habit, but you shouldn’t underestimate its power and appeal. Here are a few reasons walking makes an awesome go-to exercise:
- Low impact. Unlike running and heavy weightlifting, walking is gentle on your joints and muscles, making it suitable for people of all fitness levels and age groups.
- Heart health. Regular walks are a great way to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by improving circulation and blood pressure. It’s an especially great option for people with heart issues who want to be proactive about their health but don’t want to over-exert themselves through exercise.
- Mental wellbeing. The perks of walking go beyond the purely physical. Walking, especially in a beautiful outdoor setting, can reduce stress and improve your mood, even alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety for some people. Many longtime walkers with creative or mentally demanding jobs also report that they do their best thinking while taking their daily strolls.
- Accessibility. No obscure equipment, overpriced memberships, or special training is required to take a walk. All you need are a safe path and a pair of shoes that you can move around in comfortably. Even folks who can’t physically walk due to an injury or disability may be able to use a mobility device to reap many of the benefits of walking.
New Braunfels and the Texas Hill Country: The Perfect Backdrop for a Daily Walk
Living in New Braunfels, TX, is a great first step because it makes starting a walking routine even easier and more rewarding. New Braunfels doesn’t just provide that perfect Texas Hill Country scenery to motivate us while developing this healthy habit, it also has great trail and sidewalk infrastructure to support walkers, runners, and cyclists. The Mayfair residential district alone will be home to dozens of miles of trails and pathways, giving residents access to many unique walking experiences without ever leaving the neighborhood. Another good place to find great walking trails in New Braunfels is along the iconic Guadalupe River.
Building Your Perfect Walking Routine
Committing to any type of new daily routine can feel a little stressful and overwhelming at first but making the resolution to get a few more steps in every day can be simple and stress-free. With a little pre-planning and motivation, you can jump right in to forming an enjoyable and beneficial habit. Try to focus on the following 3 key concepts when planning your own walking routine.
1. Set Realistic Goals
Generic self-help type wisdom usually encourages you to rack up the miles, but if you’re just beginning your first walking regimen, it may be smarter to dial back your initial expectations. It can be really deflating to spend time creating a detailed walking plan with a specific, ambitious goal, only to realize you’re not physically at that level yet. Rather than challenge yourself to walk a certain distance or number of steps each day, it’s perfectly fine to start with a simple, open-ended goal, like going for a daily walk of at least 15 minutes.
If you have an inconsistent or demanding schedule in other areas of your life, you can also plan days off, or set medium-term goals rather than daily goals. For example, committing to 8 hours of walking each month rather than 15 minutes each day can offer more flexibility. By setting modest goals, you also set yourself up for a motivating confidence boost when you routinely meet or exceed them.
2. Plan Your Route(s)
Decision fatigue is a real thing. Just like you can end up making the bad choice to eat a leftover bag of chips at 10 P.M. because you failed to decide on dinner plans, not having a plan ready to go for your afternoon, morning, or evening walk can result in you skipping it entirely if you encounter a day where you feel too mentally worn out to bother choosing a walking path.
Many dedicated walkers take the same route every single day, and this added element of consistency works great for certain people. However, we recommend beginners choose varied paths and schedule different walks for different days to help keep things interesting. This is less challenging than it might sound–for some people, you won’t even have to leave your own neighborhood to find a wealth of different walking path options. The emergent Mayfair neighborhood’s series of trails and parks, for example, will boast a combined 35 miles of scenic, friendly, and well-maintained trails.
It can also help to choose walks that have a built-in destination, either scenic or practical. This could be a local landmark, a favorite Texas Hill Country view, or the local store to pick up a few groceries before you hit the second leg of your walk and head home. To return to the example of Mayfair, many of this charming residential district’s trails are centered around Midtown Mayfair, a vibrant community hub breaking ground this spring that will feature multi-use spaces, a pool with all the amenities, and future plans for shopping and dining options.
For New Braunfels destination walks, don’t just think of your favorite park bench or smoothie shop. There’s always something going on in New Braunfels to turn your simple walk into an exciting event:
- Check out the current event schedule at the New Braunfels Library, which has awesome programs for all ages and interests.
- Use a gym as a destination to add some weightlifting or crossfit to your walking routine (or as an alternate workout space when weather gets in the way of your daily walk).
- If you’re a park walker, check out special events and classes at our many fine local parks and plan your daily walk to enjoy them (or to avoid them, if you prefer a more peaceful and solitary walking experience). Depending on where in town you’re starting from, some favorite New Braunfels parks to walk to (and some to walk around in, as many of the larger parks have beautiful trails of their own) include:
- Pecan Crossing Park Pecan Tree, New Braunfels, TX 78130
- Mission Hill Park 2100 Independence Dr, New Braunfels, TX 78132
- Fairway Park 137 Ransom Dr. New Braunfels, Tx 78130 will open in late March and will have a beautiful trail lining the 18-hole disc golf course
- Use your walk as an excuse to check in with local friends and family, or to knock some simple errands off your to-do list.
Make sure to also prioritize safety when planning out your walking routes. Stick to designated non-motorized-use trails when possible, and surface streets with good sidewalks when not. Avoid taking roads with high-speed limits, lots of blind spots, inadequate lighting, or a lack of basic pedestrian infrastructure like crosswalks. Be aware that services like Google Maps, while extremely useful for motorists, do not always know which paths in your city are legitimately safe and walkable.
Keep It Fun to Stay Motivated
Walking shouldn’t feel like a chore, and chances are, you already have enough of it in your life. By making your daily walk into something you enjoy and look forward to, you ensure long-term success.
Try incorporating passive activities that you enjoy. Listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks is a go-to for many walkers, and if your playlists are getting stale, a daily walking session gives you ample opportunity to sample new songs and shows. For safety’s sake, consider using only a single earbud so that you keep one ear open to hear what’s going on around you–like traffic or other trail users.
Birdwatching, photography, and the use of apps that track and gamify your walking goals are other examples of activities that can be easily incorporated into a walking routine. Whether you track your daily to-dos with a motivational app like Finch, or are active on popular augmented reality games like Pokemon Go, there are lots of ways to integrate your favorite tech with your new favorite pastime.
You can also use your walking time to double-task on more productive activities, such as using a Bluetooth earpiece to catch up on important phone calls or brainstorming work assignments in your head. We strongly suggest linking your walk to more fun and enjoyable activities, however, as this will help you look forward to it as an escape from your day, rather than simply a continuation of your workday where you must work and exercise at the same time.
Make sure your walking plan also includes small rewards for meeting your goals. At the half-year point, you might plan to treat yourself to a night out at the movies or your favorite restaurant if you’re on track to meet your goals. Your rewards can be bigger, smaller, or more frequent than that, too–whatever keeps you motivated and fits your budget and lifestyle!
Looking for an even bigger way to make your daily walk more fun? Why not adopt yourself a walking buddy to bring long-term motivation and companionship? The Humane Society of the New Braunfels Area is conveniently located on Morningside Drive (add it to your next walk) and adoption fees for adult dogs start under $150. Plan to stop in and say hello to some of these good boys and girls.
Embrace the Power of the Daily Walk at Mayfair
We’ve used Mayfair’s parks and trails as an example multiple times in today’s blog, and if you’re intrigued, come see–and walk–them for yourself. Mayfair has excellently built homes in a variety of unit types, with new units available regularly and expansions ongoing. Contact Mayfair today to learn more about making it your new home.
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