Walk Off Those Wintertime Blues

I’m tired of being house-bound.

Yes, I said it…. House-Bound.  Our mild Texas winter, with it’s crazy above average number of cold fronts, ice storms, and rain, has kept me indoors.

A. Lot.

Has kept me stuck indoors with children who are stuck indoors.  And, the Kidlets without their outside time to burn off energy?  Oy.  That’s all I have to say about that.

So, what’s a Mama to do when she’s a weeeeee bit uptight and needs to burn some energy?

She walks.

That’s right — walking is my exercise of choice.  After my pregnancies aggravated a congenital back issue (and by aggravated, I mean DESTROYED my lower back), I’ve struggled with chronic back pain since getting pregnant with Barney Kneeknuckles.  That second pregnancy was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

(figuratively and literally)

After learning that studies have shown weekly walks can improve back pain, I added neighborhood walks back into my routine.  Then, the nasty winter of 2014 hit and my routine was broken.

(sob)

But, Spring has sprung (we think) here in Texas and I have a new tool to help me make sure I’m getting in a good number of daily steps AND to help me stay motivated to get my longer, weekly walks in.

The Omron Alvita Ultimate Pedometer is the newest step counter to join my collection (yes, seriously, I have numerous pedometers and activity trackers), and it may just be my favorite yet.  It’s sleek, inconspicuous when I wear it (you can wear it on your body or keep it in a bag), keeps very accurate track of my steps, aerobic steps (continuous walking that gets my heart in the aerobic stage), distance, and calories, and it maintains a 7-day log so I can monitor my walking habits.

Why do I like all of those little details?  Because they keep me focused on just walking. . . and because walking — probably the cheapest form of exercise out there — releases endorphins.  And endorphins make stressed-out Mommies happy.  And happy Mommies don’t eat their weight in chocolate.

Just sayin’.

Actually, there’s more to it than that.  Walking is gentle on my back.  Easy to do (whether alone or with the family).  Lowers my risk of real issues like glaucoma, colon cancer, depression and heart problems.  And, since I’m trying to lose the last of the baby weight, I want to perform an exercise that burns more fat than jogging.

Yup, walking it off is the way to go, folks.

If you’re interested in getting your walk on so you can walk it (stress, weight, health issues) OFF, then check out Omron on Facebook or on the Omron site.  Their family of products are all geared around helping folks become healthier one step at a time.

Check out Omron’s Alvita Ultimate Pedometer

Every step you take is in the direction of a healthier lifestyle, so start tracking your progress with Omron’s new Alvita Ultimate Pedometer (HJ-325). Special technology allows you to stow it in your pocket or purse and still get an accurate step count, while also offering the traditional option of wearing it on your hip. Like Omron on Facebook and challenge yourself to walk it off!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Omron. The opinions and text are all mine.