Everyone agrees that exercise is good for you. If you’re overweight, if your blood pressure is creeping up, if you’re at risk for diabetes, exercise will be at the top of your doctor’s “get well” prescription. Exercise is known to help prevent heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Exercise can lower your risk of contracting certain types of cancer. For many, exercise can be as effective as medication in controlling depression and anxiety. If we want to be healthy, doctors say the best thing we can do is exercise briskly for 30 minutes 3 times a week.

So why is something that sounds so easy so hard to do. Well, most people say exercise is boring; but it doesn’t have to be. GPS devices can put the ”fun” back into exercising. Cool GPS sports watches bring a new element of challenge to running, walking or biking. Geocaching using handheld GPS units can turn exercise into an activity the whole family can enjoy. Adding whiz-bang GPS technology to your exercise routine can not only rejuvenate your own interest in exercise, but is a great way to hook the younger, video-game generation on healthy physical activity.

• Geocaching GPS. Geocaching is a modern day version of a treasure hunt. Using a handheld GPS you follow coordinates to a hidden cache which can be anything from a tiny film canister hanging from a tree limb to an old ammo box jammed under a rotting tree limb. “Treasures” range from log books that let you see who else has found the cache to unusual trinkets you can take home. The fun is in the hunt.
• Fitness GPS. A variety of cool cycling and running/walking GPS devices allow you to plot routes, track performance, monitor your heart rate and perform in-depth analysis of your workouts through web-based applications. It’s like having your own personal trainer along for every exercise session. You can chart progress and see improvement with each workout. GPS adds the motivating element of competition to solitary exercise.