10 ways to get more exercise without ever going to the gym

The following is an excerpt from The Little Book of Lykke: Secrets of the World’s Happiest People, written by Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen.

Here are 10 ways to get more exercise without hitting the gym and, at the same time, meet more people in your community.

1. Say no to escalators.

2. Walk over and talk to a colleague instead of calling or emailing.

3. Find a walk buddy. A walking partner can be a strong incentive to walk daily, especially when the sky is gray or you find another excuse not to.

4. Take the scenic route. There are apps (try Kamino and Field Trip) that will tell you not the fastest route but the prettiest.

5. Make Wednesday Walking Wednesdays: a day when your family, friends — or just you — go for an after-dinner stroll.

6. Go on a coin-flip safari. This is a great way to get to see new parts of your neighborhood. We tend to walk the same routes when we go for a stroll, so next time, take a coin with you and, at every junction, let the coin decide where you go. Getting to know your neighborhood better will make you feel even more at home there, and you might discover new places where you love to go.

7. Bring a podcast. If you are by yourself, you can also listen to one of the many great ones. My favorites are Radiolab and This American Life.

8. Walk, don’t wait. If you arrive early for an appointment — at the doctor’s, for example — take a walk around the block rather than simply sitting in the waiting room.

9. Meet your friends for a walk, not a coffee — or just have the coffee while you’re walking.

10. Join a walking group or a hiking club. There might already be a walking group in your neighborhood. If not, ask your neighbors if they are interested in forming one.

From The Little Book of Lykke. Copyright ?2017 by Meik Wiking. Reprinted by permission of William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

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