A Change of Scenery and a Butt-Kicking at Home Workout

    Being outside is good for your soul. Whether you live in a big city or near rolling country side, going for a run or a walk outdoors can change your whole attitude. Gyms are great for their air-condition and cardio bunny machines, but we were meant to spend time outdoors in the sun. Even the pale-skinned Emma Stones of the world are meant to go out in the sun.
   New Orleans has many options...you can walk through the Garden District, through the French Quarter, around Lakeview, on the lakefront, and in City Park. City Park is one of my favorite places in the city. I've been to city  parks in Houston and Atlanta. It's a wonderful thing that large cities invest in green space, but there's something special about City Park in New Orleans. The little ponds, swamps, cobblestone bridges, enormous oak trees, overgrown landscaping, birds, and turtles just make you feel like you're someplace else.

Sorry I'm not better with photography. :)

Photo Source: frenchquartercondotrends.com

flickr.com

  Sometimes I can go for a walk or a run and not bring along any technologies, but even in pretty places I bring along my phone so I can listen to music or podcasts once in a while. Today I planned on listening to A Case Against [Chronic] Cardio, Part 2; unfortunately, my walk was rudely interrupted by a headache and I went home early.
    I slept off the headache and went swimming later in the evening when my grandmother came over to visit my parents. Instead of being frustrated by my thwarted walk earlier in the day, I decided to find something else to do: tread water. Treading water is GREAT cardio! I was able to visit with family while floundering about in the deep end of the pool. If you have an apartment pool, public pool, or a nearby swim-able lake, I suggest jumping right in and treading water for 15-20 minutes. It's a great workout!
    I've mentioned before that I get bored easily with workouts. My favorite upper body circuit may get used 4 times before I start yawning in the middle of it. Just two weeks ago I was loving my walks along Buffalo Bayou in Houston, and as much as I enjoy City Park, I know I won't be in the mood for another walk tomorrow. I'm fickle with exercise. But that's okay...my muscles will stay "confused" and that's supposed to be a good thing.

  And speaking of being fickle, I'm anticipating not wanting to walk tomorrow. So I think I'll tread water (I'm really excited about that!) and completing this 30 minute at home workout from pbfingers.com

Thanks pbfingers for the fantastic workout ideas!

Question: If you could go for a walk anywhere, where would it be? If you asked me, on most days I would say Smoky Mountain National Park :)

Good Night!