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Mall Walking

Not Just for Shoppers Anymore

By Paige Waehner

• If your mall doesn't open early, you may have to navigate through congested crowds.
• You might get bored making loops past the same stores.
• You may be tempted to indulge in the many wonderful smells drifting from the food court.
• Most malls have concrete floors, which can be hard on the joints.
• If you join a club, some mall walkers aim for simply being active rather than getting in a vigorous workout, so you may feel slightly out of place if you're walking for speed.

Bring a water bottle as well (though you should scope out where the water fountains are), an MP3 player (just in case the cheesy mall music starts to bug you) and leave your money at home unless you can avoid the temptation of impulse shopping.

And as always, check with your doctor before you begin any exercise program.

If your mall doesn't have a mall walking program, another option is to contact local schools – some of them open schools early for walkers. You can also talk to the management at your local mall about starting a club yourself.

Of course, you don't have to join a club to walk the mall. You can do it on your own, anytime you want. You may find it hard to navigate the crowds during busier shopping times, but think of it as your own little obstacle course.

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