With the summer sun high in the sky, staying hydrated is super important. Not only does your body need proper hydration to survive, but also to thrive. So how can you make sure you’re getting enough water when your body is sweating it out from the moment you step outside? Here are four tips to staying hydrated while you walk.

Eric and I visited Madison, Wisconsin on a glorious week in late July. The air was clear and perfect with temperatures in the low 80s. The sun shined and you could often feel a breeze off of one of the two lakes that border this little jewel of a city.

As we typically do when we find ourselves someplace new, we set out to explore. On foot. Here are six fabulous walks we discovered.

Merriam-Webster defines adventure as “an exciting or remarkable experience.” Exciting. Remarkable. And isn’t that what we want our life to be?

What is exciting for you? And, perhaps more importantly, what is remarkable? Memorable? Impactful? 

At the core of our health and wellbeing lies a fundamental truth: our values shape our choices, habits, and ultimately, our lifestyle. Yet many of us, despite achieving great success in various aspects of life, grapple with less than ideal health or a feeling of powerlessness in our relationship with food. This anomaly often represents a deep-seated disconnection stemming from an inconsistency between our actions and our stated values. Understanding this disconnection is the first step towards healing our bodies and our relationship with food.

Last month, my two best friends and I met up for a girl’s trip. It’s something we try to do once a year to stay connected, but because each of us live in different states, it takes a bit of coordination. This particular trip, however, was the first chance all three of us have been able to be together since before the pandemic. For some friendships, this may conjure up worries of awkwardness. For best friends, we picked up right where we left off.

Do you get enough protein in your diet? Before you ask “what’s enough,” know that it varies from person to person based on your age, weight, muscle mass, typical level of activity and your own, unique physiology. Moreover, even the “experts” haven’t quite agreed on the optimal daily protein intake. That said, most agree that the “Recommended Dietary Allowance” for protein of a mere .36 grams per pound is far below what is needed for optimal health, with the majority recommending about .75 grams of protein per pound of your body weight. Unless you are super in-tune with what you’re eating, you may be falling short of that target. Though everyone needs a protein-rich diet, women especially need to pay attention to their intake. Here’s why:

Yep, the temperatures are rising, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still realize the healthy benefits of walking. There are plenty of ways to dodge the sweltering temperatures, plus you may be surprised just how good walking in the sunshine is for you! Read on for a list of resources to help guide you as you walk your miles during the summer so you can stay safe, keep moving, and continue to crush your health and fitness goals.

What holds you back from being the person you most want to be? What keeps you from living the life you most want to live? For members of the 99 Walks Pack, the answers echoed loudly:

You’ve found the perfect walking shoes. You’re wearing comfortable clothing that allows you to move easily. And you’ve queued up your favorite tunes to power you through your walk. You’re ready to crush your miles! But wait, have you thought about what happens when you walk out your door? Actually how to walk? We know, you’ve been doing this walking thing successfully since you were barely a toddler, but did you know there is actually a proper walking form to take into consideration to ensure safe and effective walking? Here’s what to keep in mind when you head out for your walk:

Picture it. You’re walking down the dairy aisle in the grocery store, minding your own business trying to find your favorite brand of Greek yogurt when a song comes on the loudspeaker. Instantly transported to a past moment, your toe starts tapping and you start humming along. Suddenly, your mundane task is a little more fun and you’re smiling as you work your way through your shopping list doing your one-man shopping cart jam through the store. Ah, the power of music. 

My father-in-law, or OD (Other Dad) as he would often sign off on his emails to me, has always been a walker, at least for the 24 years I’ve known him. Every time we visited my in-laws, he would lead us on walks around their neighborhood while he pushed his grandsons in a stroller, held their toddler hands, or hurried to keep up with their ever-growing feet. There was a lovely paved path through the trees that we would go explore with him and our boys, identifying different species of trees and plants, admiring the wildlife, and just chatting. It was a great way to get my energetic boys out of the house, and a chance for my father-in-law to get to know his grandsons.

Mention the words “customer service” and people generally have a lot to say. And it’s not always great. Customer service can be awfully triggering for people, and everyone has a story to tell and advice to give. And you know what? We ignored it all. Why? Because creating our own path, and doing it our own way, is what we do around here. 

Here at 99 Walks, walking is as natural as breathing. It’s what we do. How we live. What keeps us powering through and achieving our goals. What makes us feel our best and helps our spirits soar. It’s essential—a non-negotiable. It is our fuel. Day in and day out. 

Pressed for time, but still want to get in the recommended 20-30 minutes of physical activity a day? 99 Walks Pack Leader and Jetti Fitness Co-Founder, Joyce Shulman, suggests what she calls “exercise confetti,” or small bursts of exercise throughout the day. “Every minute and every mile matters, and there are tremendous benefits to adding incremental movement to your day," she says. In fact, research shows that some of the biggest benefits for health and longevity come to those who move from very little activity, or being largely sedentary, to even some moderate movement.

So what exercises can you sprinkle in when you find yourself with a few extra minutes? Here are nine ways to get your heart pumping quickly and effectively:

My parents used to live in a neighborhood that abutted a golf course. Many afternoons each week, my dad would pedal his bike out of the garage and head down the street to the edge of the development and hunt for wayward golf balls which he would drop into a little bag affixed to the handlebars. Some days, he’d return home empty handed, but other days, he would successfully scoop up two, three and sometimes four golf balls. Four was a really good day and he would return home, triumphant and sweaty from a successful day of what came to be known in the family as “golf-ball hunting.” Over time, he acquired a huge box of abandoned golf balls which he donated to a charitable organization that is meaningful to him.

It seems I’m always suggesting to my kids that they go play. Now in their pre-teens and teens, they get so caught up in their screens that hours can go by without even noticing. But I find I’m no better. There’s always something to do. A deadline to meet. A chore to tackle. An errand to run. Before I know it, I've spent my whole day “getting things done” and little time finding ways to restore my energy and spirit.

Starting practically at birth, children are engaged through play. With colorful rattles to shake, building blocks to stack and knock over, and balls to roll, bounce, catch and throw, their development comes through play. It’s a way to improve their physical, cognitive and social skills, and learn about themselves and others. It’s how they learn to communicate and build relationships. Play teaches them the fundamentals of life.

When I walk by our neighborhood park in the morning, I often see a man walking barefoot through the grass. From one side of the park to the other and back again. Slowly. Deliberately. Thoughtfully. He repeats this walk three or four times before he slides his shoes back on to make his journey back home on the sidewalks. 

After running into one another frequently and noticing our overlapping walking patterns, we stopped to chat. This man shared his South Asian culture and how walking barefoot, also known as earthing or grounding, is a way of connecting with and showing respect to the earth. He explained how the earth gives off energy and generative powers, and how the feet can connect the earth to the body.

When my husband and best friend of 32 years died of cancer in 2013, I was lost. Both introverts, we'd spent almost all our time together; he was my life. Missing him beyond belief, I needed to grieve yet I was vibrating with stress, processing his end of life and my role as his caregiver. 

As a former lawyer and generally organized person, I got through the paperwork and estate matters pretty quickly. I moved on to the deferred maintenance to our home that came with caring for a cancer patient. 

But then what?