On The Street Where I Live By Rhonda Hoffman At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

We all know that walking is a great form of exercise. It lowers your risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes and those who walk regularly live longer. A longer walk has the same health benefits as a shorter run and is easier on the body. These are all great reasons to walk for health but the benefit I am enjoying has less to do with the physical and more to do with the mental benefits. Let’s start at the beginning:

Hi, my name is Rhonda and I am a couch potato (hi Rhonda). My idea of exercise is having to search for the remote and I love nothing better than to sit with my feet up and watch an old movie. Chips and dip on one side and a diet Coke on the other is ideal but not necessary as I am a purist. Or should I say, I was a purist. Then along came Scout.

Scout is a Lhasa Apso – Schnauzer cross and 13 lbs of frustration and delight. Not only does he expect to be fed regularly, but he needs to be walked as well! In getting him at the Humane Society that was one of the things I had in mind, as it would force me to get some exercise and I would have a reason to walk rather than just ambling along the sidewalk alone which holds little appeal for me. You have to keep in mind that to me exercise is a four-letter word and one I try strenuously to avoid. So in my quest for self-improvement I thought this would kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand I would make activity part of my everyday life and on the other hand I would enhance my whole being with man’s best friend. Studies show that having a dog reduces your stress level and helps you heal faster when ill. I didn’t realize I would need the latter my first day out.

After I peeled myself off the couch and donned my Adidas I was kind of excited to finally be doing something good. Getting a dog from the shelter was a responsible thing to do and he was going to help me too. It was a beautiful summer day and off we went, or rather off he went and I tried to follow. I was in worse shape than I thought as I came back from the 20-minute walk with my legs on fire. The next day I could hardly walk with the shin splints reminding me of why I hate exercise with every step I took. It was a week before they disappeared and my gait returned to normal. It was the second week that I put my hip out.

I can only imagine it was my body revolting against this sudden surge of activity and letting me know it was not happy about it. I was hobbling along like an octogenarian ready to call my dad and trade hip replacement stories when it too subsided. In all of this mental and physical discomfort I came to realize that these walks, while functional for Scout, were also therapeutic for me. I live in a beautiful suburban neighborhood with mature trees and a small park every few blocks. I had no idea how many dogs live on our streets until I owned one and each one comes with an owner. I have met some of the nicest people that I didn’t know existed from my perch on the sofa. The fresh air is stimulating and I am able to make plans and think through problems as I walk. It is uninterrupted time to myself when I can dare to dream and entertain the “what if’s” of life.

I understand now that with my teenage daughters getting ready to move on with their lives and out of my house I needed to be needed and Scout was meant to fill that void. What I know now is that aside from needing me, he has pointed out to me how full and beautiful my little world is and he’s good for my heart on so many levels! He is helping me to a better lifestyle that includes walking on a regular basis and enjoying the scenery along the way.

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