Exercise is so incredibly important for our overall health as human beings.
It is a real shame that more people don't take advantage of what their bodies can do.
In the working world of America, we often come up with excuses for why we cannot afford to work out.
Either, we don't have the time or gym memberships are too costly...
There is always something it seems.
However, you can always make the time for the things that are the most important to you, and your health should be one of those things at the top of the list.
For many people who use the excuse that the gym is too expensive or that they don't have the time to drive to the gym, taking your workouts to the roads is a great way to fit in some exercise.
However, working out outside comes with its own set of rules and precautions.
For starters, if you are going to work out outdoors, make sure that you try to get your workout done earlier on in the mornings if you can help it.
This is especially true for those of us who work day jobs from 9am to 5pm and come home exhausted.
By working out in the mornings, you avoid using the excuse at the end of the day that you are simply "too tired" to do anything.
Working out in the morning is also beneficial because when you go for a walk or run outside in the morning (especially early), then there isn't as much traffic out yet.
Therefore, there isn't as much pollution and the air is more conducive to being able to breathe a little easier.
Additionally, if you are a semi-serious runner, you won't have to stop every two seconds for traffic or lights, thus improving your workout performance.
For those of us who simply cannot bring ourselves to get up early or who don't have the time to do our workouts early in the morning because doing so would require us getting up at 3am, working out in the afternoon is also an option.
Just beware that when you work out in the afternoon- especially given the time of afternoon when rush hour is in full swing- you'll have to put up with grumpy drivers, crowded roadways and more pollution.
It can be done though.
Now, even though pedestrians always have the right of way while sharing the roads with vehicles, pedestrians still must be vigilant as ever.
Many of us will strap on our headphones so that we can listen to more than the rush of traffic going by.
However, this is a huge no-no.
If you absolutely must have your headphones on, make sure that the volume is turned down so that you can hear when vehicles are approaching you-especially emergency vehicles.
If you find yourself working out on the roads while traffic is whirring by, make sure that you are exercising towards the traffic if you can.
By doing this, you can better see what the traffic is doing and thus, improve your reaction time should something go horribly wrong.
For example, not that long ago, there was an accident involving a pedestrian who had his headphones strapped in and was happily walking on the sidewalk in the same direction of traffic when suddenly a motorcyclist lost control of his vehicle due to the heavy rush hour traffic and wound of sideswiping the pedestrian right off the sidewalk.
Had this pedestrian been walking towards traffic without headphones, he would have been better able to see what was coming his way as well as hear what was happening so as to potentially avoid the accident.