Yesterday I woke up and went for a walk outside. I have decided to change up my routine and see what all the fuss is about being outdoors instead of in the gym. There are some good things and some not so good things.

Yesterday was freezing. I took my dog Buddy (actually my son's dog) with me. He is such a character. For him, the walk was filled with adventure and he never seemed to get tired. Even though it was cold, and I thought my nose and ears were going to fall off, I enjoyed walking through my neighborhood. I was able to run a little bit. It was easier than I thought it was going to be. But I did not get the same intensity of workout, but still had that boost of "let's get this show on the road" kind of energy.

This morning, I decided to repeat my walk. SNOW!!!! I took buddy again and he was very delighted. I went the same route, only I could not walk as fast. It was very slippery and I was either walking or skating. I did not feel safe enough to run. When I got to the church, there were two Canadian Geese in the parking lot. Buddy took off to chase the birds that are 5 times his size. As I walked to where the vegetable garden is at the church, I noticed some geese foot prints. You can tell they waddle just by looking at the foot prints in the snow.

Even though I went the same way as I did yesterday, I saw new things today. And while the workout is not as intense (because I couldn't run without slipping), it was invigorating. I was able to say "hello" or "good morning" to other fellow walkers (that never happens in the gym). I was able to clear my mind a little bit better than in the gym.

I like the intensity that I can get in the gym, but the outdoors has things to offer too. I'm going to keep mixing up my routine. Keep it fresh.