How To Mall Walk Like A Pro

This post was sponsored by Reebok as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

I’m a hater of all things winter. I truly am. I dislike the cold, the snow, the gloomy & ridiculously depressing sky. Winter is literally my nemesis & I’m counting down the days until I can once again walk the pup around the neighborhood in 70-degree weather.

​Part of my daily routine is that I like to walk. A LOT! Walking is my form of exercise. It’s how I get all my energy out after a stressful day and my life feels all wonky if I’m unable to get a walk in. But during winter? Walking the neighborhood is not happening. I’ve tried. People don’t shovel sidewalks. Plows push ice and snow on the few paths that are shoveled. It’s agonizing to me!!!

The next best thing?

Mall walking of course!

​Mall walking offers a safe, free, comfortable, walker-friendly way for the public to be more physically active.

Why Walk The Mall?

• Malls offer an indoor environment so you can avoid harsh weather.
• Malls have security!
• Level ground, which can reduce the risk of trips and falls
• Company of fellow mall walkers
• Well-lit restrooms, access to free water fountains, and benches or places to sit and rest!

The first few times I hit the mall for a nice long walk, I bumped into several other mall walkers. There are even clubs and these people are serious about their daily walks. They have headphones in, they have created their own “lanes” and to them, if you aren’t moving quickly, you’re in their way. It can quite intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! That’s why I created a list of tips for those of you wanting to get into to mall walking! With these tips, you will be mall walking like a pro in no time!

Comfy Shoes!

The right shoe can literally make or break your walk. You braved the cold, scrapped snow off of your car & made the trek all the way to the mall, so you definitely don’t want to cut your walk short due to an uncomfortable shoe! That’s why my go-to mall walking shoes are Reebok Classics!!

Reebok Classics

The reason I’m obsessed with Reebok Classics is because not only are the super comfy, but they are so versatile! I can go walk a few laps at the mall in total comfort and then head to dinner or run some errands rocking the same look! No need to change or anything! My pair of Reebok Classics have rose good accents all over the shoe, so I’m constantly getting compliments on my favorite shoes!!! Want a pair for yourself?!? You can scoop up a pair online at Shoe Carnival!!!

Clothing

If you're like me, you don't necessarily want everyone to know that you're at the mall to work out. The solution is simple: Don't wear workout gear, just wear regular clothes (something comfortable). That way you don't stand out! This is another reason why I love wearing my Reebok Classics for my mall walks! They are comfy enough for a workout, yet match my everyday clothing!

Avoid Eye-Contact

In my experience, no one smiles at each other. There is no small talk!! And I love it!!!! The worst part of hitting the gym is all the small talk. None of that happens at the mall. We all divert our eyes to not slow our pace!

Take Breaks

I feel I get the best walks in when I take breaks. I will bring a bottle of water with me. Switch which hand I’m holding my water in as if my water bottle was a weight. When I start to feel sluggish, I find a chair or bench and take a water break! Once I down my bottle of water, I’m off to the second part of my walk!

Walk Briskly

No strolling aloud. Walk briskly. Swing your arms and prepare for a real-life game of Frogger!! You will burn more calories the faster you walk and the more you swing your arms!

Take The Stairs

Take the stairs and not the escalators or elevators. This one should be pretty obvious, but I felt I should toss this tip on the list! Stair climbing is such a fabulous workout! Whenever I have extra energy, I love speed walking stairs over and over!!! I even do this in my own home. My legs always feel like jello after and I love it!!!!

Stop Into Stores

Don't just walk the length of the mall, stop into the stores and walk around! This will not only give you extra steps, but you'll be so distracted you won't notice you added more steps to your workout! I love going into stores when I start to get bored and haven’t met my steps goal since stores change their stock all the time. Stores are constantly giving me new things to look at while walking.

Let’s Chat!

Are you a mall walker? Do you have any mall walking tips of your own?