This time of year might seem particularly unsuited to going outside. After all, the weather is inhospitable and the daylight hours are measly. Surely it’s better to remain snug and warm indoors than it is to traipse through the frost-encrusted outdoors?
While this temptation might be an understandable one, it’s also one which should be resisted. At this time of year; after all, the countryside is quite different from how it is during the summer. What’s more, there are physical benefits to exercise which should not be forgone for several months of the year just because the weather outside is a little bit frightful.
Let’s examine some of the reasons to slip on a pair of walking boots and head for a wintry walk through the nearest suitable wood.
You Need Exercise
When you go out for a walk, you’ll be able to think a great deal more clearly than if you were sitting still. Why this might be is something of a mystery; many speculate it has to do with the increased flow of blood to the brain. This isn’t the only mental benefit conferred by frequent walking, either. Walking will also help to relieve stress and improve happiness levels.
When you exercise, your and lungs begin to work harder in order to provide your muscles with oxygen and keep the momentum going. After you’re done, your body sets to work rebuilding the heart and lungs, making them stronger and more powerful than before. This is why exercise becomes so much easier if it’s performed often.
Walking also helps to develop the complex web of muscles of your lower back which help to support good posture. Sitting slumped at a desk for forty hours a week will invariably do a great deal of damage – and that’s why so many of us suffer from lower back pain. In order to rid ourselves of this problem, frequent walking is essential.
Finally, of all the various forms of exercise available, we should note that walking from place to place is among the least expensive. Strictly speaking, it’s entirely free: there are no gym memberships to worry about, and equipment costs are relatively measly, and by no means obligatory. That said, if you’d like to go for your winter walks in anything resembling comfort, a set of rugged walking boots and windproof clothing are well worth a purchase. In the long run, you’ll be thankful for them.
Dogs Need Exercise
If the factors we’ve already mentioned aren’t sufficient to spur you into going for a regular walk, then you might consider investing in a dog. Walking a dog regularly is a requirement of ownership, and thus the prospect of being an animal neglecter will surely spur you to pull on your boots and leave the house.
In order to get the best from walking your dog, it’s wise to invest in a few different helpful pieces of equipment. The first and most important among these is a high-quality lead – and preferably one which doesn’t cut into your dog’s neck as it strains to get away from you.Ideally, you’ll want to fit your dog with a harness – which will last a great deal longer and make your dog far easier to handle as it’ll distribute the force of your dog’s movements across a greater area.
Unless you’re fortunate enough to live within a few miles of a suitable woodland or other outdoor area, you’ll need a means of transporting your dog from one place to another. This can pose a problem for many dog owners, who’ll need to contend with stray hairs, paw prints and dirt on the interior of their cars.
In order to guard against this, one might invest in a boot liner. These devices consist of a sheet of fabric that’s designed to sit on the interior of your boot. When the time comes for it to be washed, you need only take it out and launder it with the rest of your clothing.
Car boot covers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The least effective are little more than ill-fitting pieces of carpet. The most effective are those which are designed especially to fit a given model of car. Whether you’re looking for BMW, Ford or Audi boot liners, you’ll find them available from specialist manufacturers on the internet, with whose help you’ll be able to take your dog for a walk at any time of year – including the dead of winter!
Daryl Green