Disclaimer: I am not a registered dietician, health expert or fitness trainer. It's been many a year since I darkened the doorway of the YMCA, desperately seeking perfection. In those twenty, thirty and forty-something days, I was so active within the "green industry," hectic schedules and missed meals were the norm and probably accounted for a fairly trim form. These days, I am open to the possibilities of improved health and the fitter physique that I assume will follow.•Garden: Maintaining its popularity as both vocation and avocation, gardening is a great form of exercise. Bending, stretching, weight-bearing and aerobics are all commonly encountered in the garden. The list is endless - raking, shoveling, digging, planting, lifting, pushing wheelbarrows and carts, weeding, spreading mulch, making compost, harvesting compost, kneeling, squatting, bending from the waist, carrying 2-gallon watering cans (filled, of course) and lots of walking - all the better if hills are involved! "Feel the burn!" Just an hour or two per day will burn calories, improve flexibility and make a big difference in your home landscape. The peace, tranquility, birdsong, sun on your back, fresh air, warm soil, sudden showers or crisp autumn days will lure you outside to your "no-gym" exercise program.
•Dog Walks: Sure to delight the resident canine! Most dogs have a "vocabulary" comprised of key words and phrases like "wanna go out?" This is very basic and unless you have no backyard, simply involves playing doorman for the pooch. "Wanna go for a walk?" The dog reacts very differently to this question, realizing it's an interactive sport involving the front door. (Let's face it - any sentence that starts with "wanna" and ends as a query, gets Fido's attention!) Anyway, a daily walk of a mile or two, depending on the weather (too hot/too cold/road-salt can be problematic) and the overall health of the pup and yourself, is fun and invigorating. You may have to push yourself at first, but the dog's enthusiasm makes it all worthwhile and is absolutely contagious! Avoid summertime heat by setting out around 6-am (always bring water for both of you). Commune with nature, enjoy the early morning quiet, play with the dog, add more "awake" time to your day... all the while feeling more relaxed as you walk toward health and fitness.
•Dance: How do those old lyrics go? Something like "Get up off-a that thing and dance 'til you feel better!" Most of the paths we choose in pursuit of fitness, do include that initial step. Speaking of dancing, any activity that involves stomping feet, flailing arms and rhythmic wiggling will increase the heart rate and burn a few calories - besides, it's fun, makes you smile and brings out the kid in you! These are all positives, as we seek improved health. The radio, favorite CDs and even the musical contests on "reality TV," should get you off the chair, moving around in some approximation of the art of dance.
•Hobby: An activity that may relax and/or challenge the participant, something extracurricular, that one looks forward to resuming at the earliest opportunity. Some hobbies may demand physical activity, maybe blurring the lines between hobby and sport, adding to overall activity. Many, however, are somewhat sedentary... like my reading of novels, writing poetry and woodcarving. Net effect is a more relaxed, happier me with a mind that had to perform a few mental push-ups... activating those good brain chemicals.
•Work: Whenever possible, be happy in your work. That may be a cliche, but is true, nonetheless. Whether you're enthused about your job, or can at least find joy and satisfaction in certain aspects of it, this is important for physical health and mental outlook. I truly enjoyed all aspects of my former jobs and related activities, but easily rate this as the favorite, most self-fulfilling phase of my life. Writing has always been my life and now, as a freelance writer, I have truly "found myself." I am motivated, striving toward excellence in all aspects of life, which seems to be meshing nicely with a fitness routine. I do realize that the flexibility of working from home lends to this feeling of well-being and to a very "fluid" work/play/exercise schedule. I also realize that past experiences, in work and life, have allowed me to reach this idyllic situation, looking forward to a healthy, fit, exciting future.
•Eat: Everyone does it, some more than others, some more sensibly than others. Every day, I strive to remain in that latter group, constantly changing and refining my food choices. Some protein, a few starchy carbohydrates (fewer and fewer) and lots of fruits and vegetables. Summer is a great time to indulge in nature's bounty. Whether you grow your own food, frequent farm stands or maybe a combination of both, there's not a really bad piece of fresh produce out there. I do not count calories, grams, ounces or much of anything. I strive to eat reasonably and responsibly, not loading up on lots of nutrient-poor, starchy, sugar-loaded foodstuffs. Somehow, with all my increased activity and improved frame of mind, my body actually seems to dictate what to eat. Cravings for protein, a little whole wheat bread or pasta, an occasional sweet treat and lots of fruits and veggies are honored and the result has been a non-binging, fifty-something with more energy and stamina than in recent memory. Plagued with multiple chronic ailments, any improvement in health is celebrated. Oh, and don't forget lots of cool, clear water! At home, work, traveling and especially while exercising, keeping hydrated is THE most important piece of the health and fitness puzzle.
No, I'm not a health or fitness professional, nor do I play one on TV, but sometimes a shared personal experience can serve to motivate. "Eat less, exercise more," is the slow, steady and reliable route to weight-loss. It is a lifestyle choice - a new attitude that leads to positive results. I firmly believe that health and fitness cannot be separated, they're "joined at the hip," with one leading to the other. As I pursue better health, through fitness, the future is bright with tomorrow's promises. I trust that yours will be the same!
©Deb Lambert 2007 /
Photos courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
A little book learnin' at today's shutterbug on knights pond...
©2007 S.R. Calef
