Exercise

I have been down this road before, and crashed and burned. I need to exercise. There simply isn't an excuse good enough not to, and the benefits are endless. Maybe I need to do what I did years before to help me change my lifestyle a bit. I literally wrote down daily internal and external benefits. And used other motivators. It worked. It really did. So perhaps I can use that again. And maybe using my connections on Facebook would help, too. People motivators. But the main motivator has to be me. So here goes for today.

I exercised for 10 minutes today. For five minutes, I jogged around the house while DS was sleeping. For another five, I walked up and down the stairs. Then I stopped.

Internal benefits:

I got warm pretty fast! I had to shed my fleece, that I had been wearing all day.
My legs got a little sore. Wow, how quickly muscles get weak!
Exercise produces endorphins, and as we head toward S.A.D season, we need all the endorphins we can get.

External benefits:

The cats thought I had lost my marbles, which amused me no end.

I'd love to hear from anyone who needs a boost in this department, too. I am 41 years old and get no regular exercise. I read every day about illnesses and cancers and problems and depression, and many natural, easy, healthy ways to combat them. I can do this. It beats the (possible) alternatives......

Exercise Incentive - Update

For my birthday, I asked for, and received, these Wii "games."

This morning, I set up my "profile." The exercise workouts are supposedly designed to meet my fitness level and desired plan. Or something. So it had me measuring my waist, arms, legs, chest and so forth. It had me measure my resting pulse and active pulse rate. (I had to do two minutes of jumping jacks, and dear god am I out of shape!) Ultimately it suggested a focus on upper body strength to help with balance and posture (makes sense for me with my neck pain and all that) and a recommended workout schedule for the week. My dear hubby has offered to do the workout with me, which is a great motivator. We will start today, hopefully. Usually by day's end I'm so tired I lose my motivation, but I look forward to starting, so we'll see.  I think I am going to set up a daily check list for myself. Just another motivating doohickey to help me along my path. Here's to better health! (clink)

Exercise Incentive

I always had this thing about exercise equipment. People spend a lot of money on it, or on clubs that have it. Or videos. Or programs. Or and or and or. I always figured if you're that motivated to exercise, why not walk out your door and go for a walk? Or walk up and down the stairs in your house rather than spend a fortune on a "step" do walk on in front of your tv?

Now I guess I'm starting to get it. Perhaps it's the routine of a program. Or the novelty of buying some cute piece of equipment (or manly, whatever.) Or justifying the purchase by actually using it (at least for a while.)

We joined the Y. I wanted to keep up my kids' momentum with swimming. So now that we have the membership, I'm trying to commit to a weekly yoga class. It's included with the membership, and it's good for me. And it's time just for me, and I get out of the house, and it's a little time away from the kids (I feel guilty listing that as a plus, but it helps me to recharge.) So I am trying to set things up so I can go. I've mentioned it to hubby a couple of times. I've looked up the days/times. I've even sent a message to the woman who babysits for us to see if she's ever available on those days/times. Now it's just following through. Hm. I wonder if there's anyone who'd want to do it with me? Not that I need that. I'll go myself, too. But committing with another person makes it harder to bail out. And blogging about it makes it a sort of a commitment, too.

I also bought my husband a Wii for Christmas. And I have asked for Wii Fit for my birthday. I want to exercise, really I do! It's just a matter of finding the time. Does that sound like a lame excuse? Maybe it is. But I with my children for all but 45 minutes of most days. At least one of them. And that 45 minutes is used for sewing, computer stuff, phone conversations, sometimes showers...and it flies. Exercise with my children, you say? Yeah, sometimes that works. If they're both in the mood and agree on what to do. And really that more often means exercise for them, and not so much for me. (i.e swimming at the Y. They paddle around, while I walk slowly around supporting DS) Anyhow, excuses, excuses. In order for me to feel better, I need to shift exercise to the top of the priority list, which, of course, bumps something else. There's just not enough me time. =(

Anyhow, I won't mope, but will find a way to fit some kind of exercise in every day. It's good for me, and it's good modeling for the babes.

What have I done today........?..............shoot. Nothing.

Holistic Moms Network comes to my town!!

This totally feels like fate stepping in here. I've been really interested lately in what it means to be holistic, and I'm trying to make some positive changes in my life to reflect this lifestyle. A friend pointed me in the direction of the Holistic Moms Network. It's an online community, but there are many chapters throughout the country as well. When I first looked at the website, I discovered there were no chapters anywhere near here. Something made me go check again tonight, and lo and behold, a brand new chapter is forming IN MY TOWN right now! The timing is incredible, and I'm really excited. My friend is very enthusiastic about the group, and I am hoping to feel that way about this local group. I am planning to attend the open house in January, and will report back then. In the mean time, I feel inspired. At a time when I'm feeling tired and grumpy and blah a lot of the time, I feel as if this has kind of landed at my feet. That makes me feel good. =)