Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand April / May 2015 - The Health & Wellness Issue | Page 43
HEALTH & well-being
even if it was snowing. I walked
to the local pub to meet friends.
And now living in Bangkok, I walk
around parks and to the nearest
BTS stops. Just for fun.
TIPS FOR BEGINNING
WALKERS
1
WALK TO THE
PUB TO VISIT
FRIENDS
It’s a way to sneak in exercise,
and your beer will taste all the more
satisfying when you get there.
2
GET OFF THE
TRAIN ONE OR
TWO STOPS EARLY
Intentionally get off the train early
to walk the rest of the way to your
destination. You see so much more
when you are on your feet.
3
TAKE A SLOW
WALK AT YOUR
LOCAL PARK
A slow walk will allow you to take
in your surroundings. You’ll see things
that you have never noticed before!
SWIMMING
Every time I get back in a swimming pool, I am reminded
of how much I like it. Now I live
in Bangkok, and I have a swimming
pool right outside my apartment.
It would be silly not to use it.
I probably swim three or four
times a week as part of my exercise
routine.
TIPS FOR BEGINNING
SWIMMERS
1
SWIM
EARLY
If you can, swim early in the morning
before work. It really wakes you up!
2
The strokes feel smoother when
using goggles, and you lose less
energy because you are not thinking about nor dealing with getting
water in your eyes. They also keep
you in a straight line because
you can see where you are going.
BIKING
When I was in the UK for two years,
on a break from Thailand, I biked
five miles to work every day, even
if it was pelting down with rain.
I rode during the summer and winter, in the heat and in the freezing
cold. I had no other means of transport, and I refused to spend over
an hour sitting on a bus.
If cycling outdoors
in Thailand heat would
be too much, there is also
spinning. Spinning is an indoor
workout on a stationary bike.
I went to classes for spinning
for two years. The instructor
is in front of you and you face
the mirror. It tests you because
it is up to you how much
resistance you put on the bike.
If you keep resistance low, then
you are not working out to your
full potential. It’s so much
fun as you cycle your way through
the class to music pumping out,
and it's a good way to meet new
friends, too.
TIPS FOR BEGINNING
BIKERS
1
IF YOU HAVE
A BIKE, GET ON
IT. IF YOU DON’T,
CONSIDER BUYING
ONE.
Biking is fantastic exercise and using a bike for transport lowers your
carbon footprint. Plus, you won’t have
to wait in traffic jams to get somewhere.
2
JOIN A
SPINNING
BUY SWIMMING
CLASS
GOGGLES
Goggles help with your swimming,
especially with the front crawl