Healthy Holidays Challenge: Try a Walking Meditation

Embrace mindfulness with this at-home guided walking practice.

The holidays have a way of throwing even the most dedicated health enthusiast off their game. Not this year! All month long, follow along as SilverSneakers LIVE trainer Shannon Thigpen unwraps our best tips for staying healthy, happy, and, yes, even calm during this busy time of year. Check in here and on our Facebook page for new activities to try. Here’s to your healthiest, happiest holiday season ever! 

Whether you want to reduce stress, connect to the present moment, or cultivate a more mindful attitude, going for a walk has a way of making it happen.

But you don’t have to log miles or even leave your living room to enjoy the mental benefits of a regular walking habit. In fact, in this guided walking meditation from SilverSneakers Master Trainer Sharlyn Green, you’ll learn how to make every walk more mindful.

How? By paying attention to your body’s senses and your environment, you’re better able to “tune in” to your walk, enjoy the practice, and reap its feel-good benefits.

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How the Walking Meditation Works

Clear some open floor space, and set up near a wall or have a sturdy chair nearby if you’d like support during any of the exercises. If you want, you can also perform this meditation outside on an open, flat surface.

All you need to do is press play and follow along.

To keep tabs on your effort, use a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the hardest. You can ramp up or dial down as you need, but you generally don’t want to go higher than 7. As you move, keep breathing, and prioritize good form. The key to this walking meditation is mental focus—pay attention to what you’re doing at all times.

As always, safety is key. The exercises here may be different or more advanced than those you’ll experience in a SilverSneakers class. If you have a chronic condition, an injury, or balance issues, talk to your doctor about how you can exercise safely.

Bonus Challenge: Take a SilverSneakers Walk Strong Express Class

This low-impact, easy-to-follow indoor walking class will boost your mood and endurance in just 15 minutes. No equipment is needed. View the current schedule and RSVP here.

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