Are You A Couch (Desk) Potato? Let’s Get Moving!

Missy Tippens

I have a confession to make, and it’s embarrassing to admit. But I know you're a supportive group. So here goes...

I am a slug.

I started using a fitness tracker a few months ago, and it’s been great to give me alerts each hour to get up and move around. But even when I give in to those nudges, my steps per day are usually only in the 3000-5000 range. I do sometimes hit 7000 (like days I do yard work or go shopping), but the recommendation is to get at least 10,000 steps per day.

I need to get moving, and I suspect some of you writers and readers probably do as well.

So I’m issuing a challenge!!

Let’s try to get moving more. For health, fitness and even creativity.

We already know that exercise helps reduce stress (we can all use that!). But Wendy A. Suzuki, Author of Healthy Brain, Happy Life: A Personal Program to Activate YourBrain & Do Everything Better, says her lab has demonstrated that exercise improves our ability to shift and focus attention. And also that exercise might be able to improve the imaginative functions of the hippocampus. You can read her whole article by clicking here.

Today, I thought I would share some fitness ideas that I may be trying in the coming weeks. I'm hoping y'all will help hold me accountable (Ack! That's scary to say that out loud!). But before we move on to practical ideas, here's the not-so-small print...

NOTE! Be sure to see you medical provider before starting any new activity or fitness program. I am not a medical professional and only offer these suggestions based on my personal experiences.

If you zoom in, you can see I only had 3.1k steps on my Fitbit when I took this photo!

Now that the small print is out of the way, here are some ideas I've had for ways to get more active:

1.   Take a walk daily, or at least several times a week. This is great because it doesn’t require anything but comfortable walking shoes and a safe place to walk. When we moved last summer, we found a neighborhood with sidewalks and no steep hills. I have the perfect place to walk. No excuses!

2.   If you like to dance, find a class or even a video you can do in your home. I used to do Zumba at our church and loved it. But then I injured my foot twice (stress fractures) and had to give it up. Now, I plan to look into dance-type exercise videos or streaming sites that I can use at home.

3.   If you can afford it, you might want to join a fitness club. They usually offer classes and equipment. And some have swimming pools if you need low-impact exercise.

4.   If you’re homebound or have physical limitations that make it impossible to do anything I’ve mentioned so far, speak with your doctor. After my mom had surgery years ago, we bought some small hand weights for her to do exercises to strengthen her arms. Any movement helps! Adding weights and resistance can also help strengthen our bones.

5.   We’ve had previous posts from writers who write while walking on a treadmill (a treadmill desk). You can check out two of those posts here, and here.

To help come up with other ideas (and to inspire you!), I’ve asked a few of my writer friends to share how they try to keep fit and healthy.

Ruthy Logan Herne says she works out doing fun videos her daughter Beth posts. She does them for ten minute stretches at least three times a day. And she always parks far away from the door. Always. She says extra time moving equals a stronger body core.

Mary Connealy says she walks while she talks with her mom on the phone each day, which probably gives her a total of 20 minutes or more of daily activity. (Note from Missy: What a great idea!)

Debby Giusti says: “I try to push away from my computer at regular intervals to stretch and take a water break. Each afternoon, I walk, either at the gym or on the golf cart trails that weave through my hometown. We live on a lake so sometimes I stop to watch the geese. At other times, I might throw bread to the turtles in the nearby pond. I've attracted as many as fourteen who fight off the fish for the tasty morsels of whole wheat. One turtle is huge--over a foot long and equally wide. Getting out in nature helps me unwind and relax, plus the exercise is good for circulation. The gym is always available on rainy days.”

Sandra Leesmith says: “I have always enjoyed the outdoors and find that staying fit not only keeps me healthy, but it keeps my mind alert and active. Lately, I have been playing pickleball. Do you know that pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the US today?  It is like a moving ping-pong game on the court that is the size of a badminton court and looks something like tennis. If you have played any racket sport, you will easily pick up the game.  I play for two hours every morning. Pickleball reversed my osteoporosis so I really feel doubly blessed. You can view videos on the official website USAPA.org.”

Janet Dean’s office is upstairs, so she goes up and down the stairs for breaks and meals. She also sets a phone timer to get up and move every hour. When she doesn't move, her Fitbit reminds her not to be a slug! She recommends using light hand weights 3x per week. Plus, she takes a walk with her husband daily.

Jan Drexler says: “I start my morning by walking the dogs for almost a mile around our neighborhood - as far as our elderly husky can go. Other than that, the only other exercise I get daily is running downstairs to the laundry room and back! We try to go hiking on weekends during the summer months (not as often as we need to or would like), and my husband and I walk at the mall or around the neighborhood in the evening when we can. I also try to eat healthy and keep the sugar to a minimum. But the one thing that has helped me the most lately is my Garmin Vivo (like a Fitbit). If I remain in one spot for too long, it reminds me to get up and move!”

Virginia Carmichael aka Mary Jane Hathaway says: “I just turned 43 and my youngest is 7, which means my metabolism is non-existent and I have no toddlers to chase. I tried joining a gym, but it was 20 minutes away and I just never seemed to make the time. Then I decided to walk more in our neighborhood, but I always seemed to have an excuse (too rainy, too hot, too cold, too dark, too busy). 

    A friend told me about how she adapted her treadmill to hold her laptop, and I thought that was a great idea. Now I walk an hour a day while I do computer tasks like email, reading blogs, and Facebooking. In fact, I'm on it right now!

    Here's to a long and HEALTHY writing career!”

I hope those examples inspired you like they’ve inspired me. These women are some of the most productive writers I know. We shouldn’t have a false notion of having to be writing all the time, chaining ourselves to our computers. We’ll be more productive if we make the time to take care of ourselves.

THE CHALLENGE

So…who wants to join me in becoming more active? (Remember to always check with your doctor before starting any physical activity!) Or if you’re already active and would like encouragement to keep going, please join us! I’ve set up a secret Facebook group (no one but members will be able to see the group or the posts) where we can gather and support each other. Email me at seekers [at] seekerville.net with “Get Moving” in the subject line and let me know you’d like to be added to the group. (Please note…Tina just told me that you and I will need to be friends already for this to work. So, we’ll need to connect before I can sign you up.)

Now, for today… let’s talk about how we can start moving more. Feel free to admit you’re a slug like me. There’s no judgement around here! If you’re not a slug, please share your tips for staying active.

I’ll be giving away a CamelBak eddy water bottle to one lucky commenter today! (U.S. addresses only.) Please let me know if you’d like to be entered.

Missy Tippens, a pastor’s wife and mom of three from near Atlanta, Georgia, made her first sale to Harlequin Love Inspired in 2007. Her books have since been nominated for the Booksellers Best, Holt Medallion, ACFW Carol Award, Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Maggie Award, Beacon Contest and a 2013 RT Reviewer’s Choice Award. A House Full of Hope was a Romance Writers of America 2013 RITA^® Nominee. Visit Missy at www.missytippens.com, https://twitter.com/MissyTippens and http://www.facebook.com/missy.tippens.readers.