If you are looking to add walking to your fitness routine, you have quite a few things to think about. In addition to wearing the right gear and bringing your pedometer or fitness tracker, there are some other things to make sure you bring along to improve the success of your walks, but also to keep your safety in mind as well. Here are some things to make sure you bring along with you on your walks.
Water and Snacks
No matter how long or short your walk is going to be, you should have some type of water and snacks with you. Even if you bring a granola bar in a pocket and the smallest water bottle you have, this is good just in case you get stuck somewhere and don't return as quickly as you thought. Perhaps you were only going on a mile-long walk and would be home in less than an hour. Well, what if there was a major storm while out, and you needed to take shelter for a little while? You will be really glad to have the water and snacks with you. For longer walks and hikes, this is absolutely essential.
Whistle
This is something many people assume isn't important, but it really comes in handy when walking in public places. If you see that a car is about to cross an intersection, but it is your turn to walk, you don't want to just put yourself at risk and walk in front of them. In this type of situation, a loud whistle often gets a driver's attention better than if you tried yelling at them to stop. There are many situations when you can blow a whistle to get someone's attention for your own safety or to alert someone else to potential dangers.
Navigation Device
If you bring your cell phone on your walks, you will have access to GPS. In case your walk ends up being a little longer than you expected, you definitely want access to navigation. That way, you can figure out how to get home, but also what the best route would be. If you are planning on a long walk, then discover construction in the way, you will need to choose a different route. Having access to a GPS device or cell phone with GPS is very helpful in this situation.
Walk-Friendly Headphones
Listening to music or an audio book really helps the time go faster when you are walking for fitness. However, not all earbuds and headphones work good when you are walking. One good option is to get Bluetooth-powered earbuds. They fit in your ear, but since they work with Bluetooth, you aren't worrying about cords getting in your way. They don't actually need to be plugged into your device, just be close to it. Another option is to get a headband that has earbuds inside the headband, which keeps them close to your ear without falling off.
