Walk On!

It was sunny, if a bit chilly today, and my husband and I headed out for a long walk by the river. There is a well maintained rail trail that passes through our area and we headed for a section that is several miles outside of town. We spent a peaceful hour and a half walking, talking, and pointing out the wonders of nature to each other. It was good for the body, mind, heart and soul. Such a delightful and simple thing. This was the perfect walk for today!

Now on other days, I have other kinds of walks. Sometimes I want to challenge my heart and lungs and I walk where there are hills or staircases to climb. I tie a bandanna around my forehead to catch the sweat as I push myself forward, straining my legs as well as my heart and lungs. Those days I sometimes have to give myself a pep talk to get out the door for the walk, but ten minutes in I am committed and know I will see it through.

On yet other days, I grab my Nordic walking poles, my ipod loaded with a continuing education lecture, and I head for the rail trail for a steady, moderate intensity walk. Study and exercise all in one, multitasking at it's best!

And then there are the days when I am worried about family or business matters and I walk while I ruminate and problem solve, looking for a path of wisdom to emerge if I keep plodding forward. On those days the walk is a moving metaphor.

There was a walk last week, where I came to a spot on the trail that I remembered as the spot where I had to turn around when I first started walking in Morgantown in 2004. I was new in town and 70 pounds heavier than I am now. I was trying to get my health and fitness back and I had to start slowly. When I walked past that spot on the trail last week, I reviewed all the many times I have walked ( and yes, sometimes even run) that trail since that day and felt proud of the accomplishments that have come as I have continued to walk towards my future.

I don't ever recall going out for a walk and coming back wishing I hadn't gone. Such a simple and healthful pleasure. Have you been for a walk today?

Timing is Everything

I just completed my workout for today and I feel great! The weather was sunny and above freezing for the first time in days so I went outside for a long Nordic walk. When I came home I did a 10 minute stretching routine and now I'm full of energy to tackle the long list of paperwork tasks that await me. That burst of energy and enthusiasm got me thinking about how exercise enhances my life and how I have learned to integrate exercise into my daily responsibilities.

Whenever possible I try to schedule my workout first thing in the morning (after being sure I have eaten a good breakfast - see previous post). If I leave it for later in the day I am much more likely to decide not to workout. Other tasks compete for time. But the real cost will come later when I am getting ready for bed and taking account of my day and realize that I did not take care of my health. By exercising early, I get a psychological boost along with the physiological one. I cruise through the day confident that I have met my obligation to myself to take good care of me. When the evening has set in I am relaxed and calm and am able to count up all the things I accomplished in my day beginning with honoring my committment to my health. It works for me.

This pattern doesn't work for everyone. I have a son in college who has ADHD. He doesn't wake up easily in the morning. When he sits in a classroom all day the stress builds for him. It is not only psychological, but physiological as well. At the end of a day of school work he needs to work his body to release that toxic buildup of chemicals that stress brings with it. We learned this together when he was still in grade school and it has stood the test of time for him. Exercising first thing in the morning just wouldn't give him the same benefits (although there is emerging evidence that getting your heart rate up in aerobic activity can improve the brain's capacity for learning tasks in the hours that immediately follow - maybe I'll blog more about that soon).

I'm sure many businesspeople find it advantageous to exercise on their lunch hour or after work as well. In fact, yesterday I read an interesting article from a businessman who works at his desk with his computer most of the day. He said he sets a timer for either 30 minutes or 60 minutes - never longer - and when it rings he pauses in whatever task he is working on and gets up and walks around the office or does a set of pushups against his desk. Sometimes he does 20 squats or lunges and then gets a drink and stretches a bit before he sits back down to his task. He insists it helps his productivity as well as ensuring that he gets some exercise. He'd rather spend his evenings with his children and wife than in the gym. His workout plan fits his situation.

Exercise can work wonders in your life, but you have to actually do it. When you are planning your health and fitness goals it helps to reflect a bit on what timing will work for you. Also think about what environment is best for you. If you know that at home you will be constantly distracted by family responsibilities, consider the gym or outdoor activities. If you feel self-conscious in the gym or it is too far away from home, hire a personal trainer to come to your home and design a workout for you in your own environment. There is a way around every obstacle to exercise. Be creative and keep yourself moving.