Once a Week, Ignore the Clock

Question: Should I always time my workouts in the park or when I’m on the treadmill in the gym?

Answer: I’m a huge fan of all those gadgets that help us perform our sports and activities better, and I particularly like some of the new digital watches that can be programmed to beep at selected intervals during my runs. However, it’s not always necessary to time activities. At least once a week, turn off these functions and just listen to how you feel instead of listening for signals from your wrist that tell you when to speed up, slow down, stop or hit the showers.

Exercise is good for our hearts and bodies but it’s also a time to recharge and meditate, without being bombarded by schedules and/or signals.

Once a week, tune out the rest of the world and run, walk or cycle in silence.

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Stephanie Oakes is the fitness correspondent for Discovery Health Channel and a health/fitness consultant. Send questions by e-mail to: stephoakes@aol.com. She cannot respond to every query.