We're in the process of adjusting to a new lifestyle around here. Jim is working at home all the time now, which means he's usurped chosen the dining room for his office since that was literally the only viable space available. Our poor little house was not meant to be home and office space both, and the irony is that my mom rattles around in her much larger house while we're sort of busting out at the seams here in this one. Why don't we switch houses? you're thinking. Let's just say there's about as much chance of that happening as there is for gasoline to return to under $1 per gallon. But I digress...what I've really come to talk to you about is walking.
I began a home walking program a couple of months ago, and it's been a hugely positive addition to my daily routine. I'm now a charter member of Leslie Sansone's Walk At Home club - I simply pop in a video every morning, choose whether to walk 1, 2 or 3 miles, and in 30 minutes I've completed a total body workout. There are so many videos to choose from (I get mine from Netflix) that you can literally do a different workout every day for six months.
Now this might sound hokey to you...I suppose walking in your bedroom in front of the tv set does seem a little silly on the face of it. But I definitely see a difference in the way my clothes fit, I feel lots more energetic, and best of all, my chronic backaches have improved significantly. And just the other day, I was standing at the sink with my arms folded in front of me, and felt a suspicious tightness inside my upper arm. "There's something hard in here..." I said aloud.
My husband chuckled. "That's probably muscle, from all those weights you've been lifting."
Guess what? He was right. (Hand weights are incorporated into many of the walking programs.)
I readily admit to being a powder puff when it comes to physical activity. I've joined gyms, and signed up for exercise classes. Bottom line is, it has to be convenient. I have enough places to go during the day, and getting in my car to drive somewhere to exercise just doesn't work for me. But if I can get up from my couch and get a good workout right in my own home, then hop into the shower and start the day, I feel way ahead of the game.
Now each morning while Jim sips his second cup of coffee, reads e-mails and the online news, I'm power walking in the den with Leslie and the crew. My morning exercise is something positive I can do just for me, and it makes me feel better about myself physically and emotionally (walking is a great stress reliever, and there's been plenty of that around here lately!)
I like being a walking woman.
How about you? What's your relationship with exercise? Love it or hate it? Have you had success with any particular kind of exercise program?