Tuesday I talked about how I use coloring to destress and reboot.
Today I want to talk about the dreaded E word.
You know (whispered tone) exercise. I’ll say it a little louder. Exercise!
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I am one of those who sighs and pray “God give me the diligence to exercise because I can think of many things I’d rather do.”
So, this post is me arguing with myself as I encourage us all to do the right thing.
The Fitbit rage has gotten people at least for a season of time to pay more attention to how much they move.
No, I don’t have one. Not yet, Maybe never.
The simple goal of 10,000 steps a day gets people out of their chairs for extended time each day. Writers like me who have day jobs at a computer move even less than the average person.
10,000 steps take too much thought even with a Fitbit. My mind is engaged elsewhere.
Exercise classes are available through the local park district.
I don’t want to take an exercise class where I feel like the waddling duck in a group of elegant swans. (Coordinated I am not.)
My sister is a cyclist and that keeps her very fit.
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If you like to peddle 60 miles a day.
My neighbor runs 10 k a day.
My poor knees wouldn’t survive 1K.
My co-worker took up weight lifting in her 50s and is faithful to go to the gym five or six days a week.
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I hurt myself once when I had a gym membership. Actually, it was several times.
I just need to find the one exercise I can enjoy.
Jerry Jenkins has a home gym he uses every day. He’d gained a huge amount of weight while developing his writing career. Now he is faithful to mix exercise in his daily schedule. He maintains a healthy weight.
Confession: I have a home gym. It’s in my basement squeezed behind the laundry area.
I look at myself in the mirror and I know I need to do something—again.
Maybe I’ll cover the mirror with a sheet or get dressed in the dark.
There is another secret exercise that no one really thinks about. Housework (I don’t hear any cheering.)
Vacuuming, scrubbing counters. (You know wax on wax off.) Housework exercises muscles that lay dormant while you sit at your desk. Perhaps you get your house in perfect order before you sit down to type. (Not me!) Probably more writers than will admit it don’t have housework as a high priority.
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I pulled a muscle this past Friday cleaning the kitchen. Don’t ask. I am still recovering from it a week later.
Whatever exercise you do stretch first. Loosen muscles like free writing loosens creativity. Stretching prepares us to move.
Probably should have stretched before I started cleaning.
When I am in the exercise zone I prefer to walk, use my treadmill or lumbar bike.
When spring comes I’ll start walking again. But until then I guess I’ll have to remove my daughter’s laundry from my treadmill and after stretching begin exercising.
Or maybe ….
How about you? What exercise do you enjoy when your away from the keyboard? I’d love to hear what you do. You might be the inspiration I need.J
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Hi, Cindy! I feel like walking is the best overall exercise. When it’s too cold or rainy, I’m fortunate to have a local mall where I can walk inside and I often bring my child with me to walk there. Now that spring is here, I plan to do more walking to try to keep off the weight I have lost by eating less and also eating healthier. I drink tons of water every day and I think that helps! I always have a glass of cold water chilling, waiting for me in the refrigerator. I get nervous when I write and it helps to munch on cereal or carrots when I’m working, otherwise I’ll start looking for other snacks, like chips, cookies and chocolate. Sometimes, eating lunch a little early when working at home helps to keep me from snacking a lot. Writing is such a personal exploration of your memories and feelings and also it can be lonely writing at home and that seems to be why it can lead to excessive overeating, at least for me. Wearing a bracelet or having a stress ball or something to “fiddle with” while working seems to help, too. This winter, I took some walks outside in the snow, which requires good waterproof boots with good traction. I also did some ice skating indoors at our local mall ice rink this winter, which gave my routine some variety. Happy writing and exercising!
Great insights, Kat. Thanks for sharing.