Does a walk really make you feel better? I find it bollocks.

[YardleyX]

“Go for a walk....It’ll make you feel better.”

Jesus. If I hear that one more time!!

Up at 5am. Working 40+ hours a week. Home-schooling. Providing nutritious meals and clean clothes. Shopping for relatives. It is never-ending.

But apparently, if I manage to find just ANOTHER half hour in the day to get out for a walk (as well as the extra half hour to cajole DCs into going out and dressing in full winter gear), I will feel better.

Well I can tell you, I have tried it. Several times now. And it doesn’t work.

Biggest lie of the pandemic 😬

I does sometimes work but I have no children to sort out or entertain. Even then in winter I’d much prefer to be at the gym on a treadmill, not worrying about black ice.

A walk on my own - lovely.

A walk with my three little whiney children? No thanks.

It does me ! Just some fresh air

Also if I manage to get DS1 off a screen .....

Work for me but lucky enough to have lots of countryside and woodland around here.

I get up at 5.30am every day to either go for a run or a brisk walk by myself. Having that utter peace and quiet whilst getting my heart rate up really does make me feel better emotionally and physically.

That means I can enjoy the meandering walks with my daughters for what they are, distraction free time where we can chat/explore and wander.

Different things work for different people. My friend swears by yoga/meditation. Another friend does kettle bells I really don't understand that one! and my cousin tends to bonsai trees.

Hope you manage to find something that helps you mentally relax...that's as cheap to do as walking 😊

I love it. It's hard work with my kids but their behaviour is always better after we've been out for a long walk. I do work part-timd though and my job is relatively low stress. Not sure how I would feel if I had to work longer hours.

@itchyfinger

Yea I love walking round in the freezing pissing down rain with whiny kids knowing that I have a million other things to do at home. Makes me feel like a new woman! (Note sarcasm)

Brilliantly worded 😂😂

It helps me yes.

It doesn’t have to be walking. I think the point is that physical exercise can be very good for mental health.

I do lots of walking (and running).

Alone or with my husband: gives me headspace and endorphins.

With my children: just another chore half the time and I don't feel the benefits

Works for me.

Well, I have M.E so No.. gong for a walk.. even a short one makes me feel like I've been hit by a bus.

It makes a huge difference to me.

I can’t walk at the moment (injured) and miss it terribly.

Sorry the walking hadn’t worked for you.

It’s worked wonders for us. We have seen things we never knew were close by. I joined a local landscape garden charity and will walk there too, discovering beautiful scenery.

We talk to each other when walking and has really helped us grow closer as a couple

Our dog has lost 3kg. He’s older abd this has really helped him.

Not me because I discovered master chef (binge watching 10 years of master chef Australia) and try to recreate some dishes.

I'm an outdoorsy person so yes, a walk in the fresh air helps me. I appreciate that it is not everyone's cup of tea though.

Sometimes it does. A run does. I never want to go though. I know if I did I would really be glad of it but I still can't make myself atm. Maybe when the constant rain/sleet/snow stops...

We gave up after the fifth attempt at walking around our estates patch of muddy grass.

The HORDES of badly trained young dogs was shocking. Not much of an exaggeration, you suddenly can’t go five minutes without a husky/lab/whatever-a-doodle hurtling at you or barking like a nit, dragging a bewildered owner who seemingly didn’t consider training/socialisation issues during lockdown.

Add an autistic ds who is terrified of dogs and has started screaming when he clocks where we are heading to and...fuck that.

Not technically allowed but a couple of times a week we now drive to dsis’s farm and let them run around the fields (no contact with dsis).

Yeah it's really relaxing with ddog dragging me up the road and kids whining none stop that they're tired!

Works for me, although a lot of the time I have to drag myself out of the house. I live alone and don't really see anyone aside from dd occasionally as she is in my bubble. I only went for a quick one today and feel guilty and fat.

I hate walking but have managed to do a 45 minute walk daily walk since Xmas and I do feel better but only if I go ALONE! Bike rides are really my thing, prefer them but walking easier in crap weather!

Don't forget the extra half hour you need to find when you get home to clean muddy shoes, coats, clothes and floors.
I enjoy a walk with a friend but with the children it feels like more trouble than it's worth at the moment.

Yes it makes me feel better if I have time for it. had a lovely walk today in the snow with my dogs.

I try and force myself and will grudgingly admit it makes me feel mildly better, if only to cancel out some of the million extra calories I'm consuming in wine/boredom.

Walks are no fun with children.
A brisk walk alone for an hour will probably be boring but in the long term it will keep you healthy.
I'm fed up.with them. But I'd be fed up with heart disease more.

Not with the kids no!
But getting outdoors on my own or with a friend definitely helps me calm down.

I was loving my 10km very brisk walk (on my own as DH and DC irritate me) with my headphones blasting good music and getting a good dose of vitamin D in the spring/summer/autumn.

Now not so much but 30 mins on my new cross trainer makes me feel amazing (around an hour after getting off it).