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.
