Guided Mindful Walking Meditation

Want to maximize workout satisfaction? Cultivate presence during exercise to observe all aspects of your experience with this walking meditation video.

I love exercising and, as a result, rarely a day goes by that I don’t get moving. But I realize not everyone shares my enthusiasm for two-hour yoga sessions, long outdoor walks, and bootcamp-style workouts. Finding the motivation to do an activity you find unappealing or painful is something few people want to prioritize. That’s why a recent report about exercise enjoyment caught my eye. It turns out, mindfulness may play a key role in maximizing workout satisfaction.

The study, reported last week in the New York Times, suggests that being present during exercise and observing all aspects of the experience might render a workout more satisfying. The researchers who conducted the study noted that mindfulness helps exercisers “accept negative experiences and view them as less threatening.” I imagine that as the workout experience improves, a person might be more likely to return to the activity again and again. I say that’s worth a shot, if nothing else! To learn how to incorporate mindfulness into your workout, try the walking meditation below. Notice how it helps you tune in to your body’s sensations and the environment; that’s a skill you can apply to other types of workouts as well.