Exercise

17 Sep Exercise

Do you lack energy and feel sluggish?

Do you have problems sleeping?

Do you have low tolerance for your kids?

Well, the solution is EXERCISE!

Exercise? Ya, right! Between the family, the house and the daily routine, who has the time or the energy to exercise? How dare I even bring up that awful word especially when we are being pulled in so many directions? Well, hate to tell you this but… we need to exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week.

When we exercise regularly, we feel great, have a higher noise tolerance, can put up with much more from the kids, sleep better, get less down and have more energy. It helps us get in shape, lose weight and take care of ourselves so that we can offer our family a happier mom. My doctor constantly reminds me that I need to have three or four 15 minute sessions each week of good cardio-vascular workout. Easy to say, hard to achieve—particularly when exercise is not my cup of tea.

So how do I find ways to exercise?

I get up half an hour earlier in the morning and go for a walk in my neighborhood. This is not easy as I’d much rather stay in bed. I am not a morning person. Luckily my husband is a good cheerleader and always gives me a good push out the door saying, “You’ll feel so much better when you get back” and sure enough I do. Sometimes I’ll walk and read, listen to a CD, reflect, pray or just be totally brain dead. No matter what I do, it always refreshes me. I find I have much more energy for the day.

Exercising with a friend is an excellent way to get you going. So often, I’d rather pass on exercise, but knowing that a girlfriend is meeting me helps me overcome my laziness. You can go to a gym together, walk your neighborhood or a local track, swim at the community pool or whatever. For me the best part is the talk part. I look so forward to it. We walk, talk, laugh and share. It is so great to talk to another woman who sees life from pretty well the same perspective. It helps me feel normal, re-charges my emotional batteries and sends me home feeling great. Find someone you know and try it out. It’s a great way to get in shape and strengthen friendships.

If you walk or run here’s a tip to remember: wear good walking or running shoes that fit properly and have good arch support, wear loose clothing, layering according to weather, and bring a water bottle. Also don’t let winter weather slow you down. Invest in proper attire and go for it. You need that outing more in the winter than other seasons, because of that cooped up feeling.

Get motivated to exercise by this video our doctor encouraged us to watch. 23 1/2 by Dr. Evan.

Get more ideas on exercising from other people.