WEBVTT - The case for a winter walk

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's

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<v Speaker 1>tip is about convincing yourself to get outside for a bit,

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<v Speaker 1>even if the weather is lousy. Going for a winter

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<v Speaker 1>walk might not be as pleasant as a summer stroll,

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<v Speaker 1>but it can be an energizing part of your day

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<v Speaker 1>if you plan ahead a little bit. So one of

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<v Speaker 1>my favorite ways to take a break is to go

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<v Speaker 1>walk around my neighborhood in the woods near my house.

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<v Speaker 1>I love to see how the landscape changes with the seasons.

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<v Speaker 1>Fresh air and sunshine can feel wonderful. Of course, during

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<v Speaker 1>many months of the year the sun doesn't seem to

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<v Speaker 1>be warming much of anything. We've had snow a big

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<v Speaker 1>chunk of the winter already, and the week I recorded this,

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<v Speaker 1>my weather app was warning about loaves of ten, five, eight,

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<v Speaker 1>and seven degrees fahrenheit for a few days in a row.

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<v Speaker 1>Then we would hit a balmy low of fifteen for

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<v Speaker 1>a few days. Lucky us anyway. Winter can be rough,

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<v Speaker 1>but fresh air is still invigorating. Physical activity still boosts

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<v Speaker 1>people's mood and energy. That doesn't change just because it

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<v Speaker 1>is winter, and since the sun tends to set early

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<v Speaker 1>in winter, getting outside during the day becomes even more important,

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<v Speaker 1>So consider this episode to be a commercial for taking

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<v Speaker 1>a winter walk. If you are working at home, just

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<v Speaker 1>choose a spot on your schedule when you will need

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<v Speaker 1>a break and bundle up, coat, boots, hat, gloves, et cetera.

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<v Speaker 1>If you're only going outside for ten minutes or so,

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<v Speaker 1>you will survive even if it is frigid. If you

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<v Speaker 1>are at work, this might be a little more complicated,

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<v Speaker 1>but let me just say that perhaps winter is not

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<v Speaker 1>the right season for strappy heels and dresses. On a

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<v Speaker 1>cold day, when you are wearing pants and maybe boots

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<v Speaker 1>or something like that, just make sure you have got

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<v Speaker 1>your coat and put a hat and a pair of

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<v Speaker 1>gloves in your bag or store them in your desk drawer.

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<v Speaker 1>Bundle up, go outside and see what you see, because

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<v Speaker 1>winter can still be beautiful. It is perhaps a harsher

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<v Speaker 1>and more demanding beauty than a June rose garden, but

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<v Speaker 1>it is beautiful. Nonetheless. I enjoy seeing snow on the

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<v Speaker 1>bare branches and how the winter sky looks, especially as

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<v Speaker 1>the sun is setting in the afternoon. You might look

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<v Speaker 1>for ice patches on any water or how the green

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<v Speaker 1>moss looks against a backdrop of everything else being gray

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<v Speaker 1>and brown. And of course winter doesn't last forever, so

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<v Speaker 1>as it starts turning into spring, you will see the

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<v Speaker 1>first evidence of the world coming back to life. You

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<v Speaker 1>will probably return to your desk feeling more energetic, even

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<v Speaker 1>if you were tired before. The cold air might be

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<v Speaker 1>bracing enough to wake you up without you resorting to

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<v Speaker 1>more coffee and doughnuts. Even if you don't manage to

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<v Speaker 1>make it to the gym, you'll get a few steps in.

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe you'll solve a problem you hadn't before. I know

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<v Speaker 1>that walks always give me ideas, so go take one,

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<v Speaker 1>even if the weather isn't great. You will probably feel

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<v Speaker 1>better afterwards. But if not, you've only wasted a few minutes.

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<v Speaker 1>It's hard to see the downside in the meantime. This

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<v Speaker 1>is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making the

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<v Speaker 1>most of our time. Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast.

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<v Speaker 1>If you've got questions, ideas, or feedback, you can reach

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<v Speaker 1>me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast

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<v Speaker 1>is a production of iHeartMedia. For more podcasts from iHeartMedia,

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<v Speaker 1>please visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you

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<v Speaker 1>listen to your favorite shows.