I'm looking out the window at a crisp day with pretty foliage on the hills but our woods trails are pretty muddy.  Yet, snow showers are in the forecast for tomorrow, and the week ahead looks a little raw and damp so it will be a good day to get out and run with the Vizsla.  Another pair of muddy Ascics is no big deal.

But, while procrastinating by the wood fire a bit, I'll lay out some exercise ideas on what works for me - to get me out of bed, or away from the desk.  I'm not a fitness fanatic -- but like most of us, finds that the day goes better for me (and those around me) if I get a little exercise.  It works the same way for my Vizsla -- no workout and someone is going to pay. 

Finding time for fitness starts for me with two major decisions: 1)priority for exercise, and 2) planning workouts.

Set Your Exercise Priority High

We need to move exercise way up near the top of our personal priority list.  For me, it’s one of the things I’m always thinking about.  It’s a given that I’ll probably exercise -- that’s just part of my life, but what I do, where I do it, and when in the day can I fit it in, are all decisions to make. And then change it if need be.  Schedule a rest day -- and do it without guilt. Mix things up to keep for overusing muscles and to keep it interesting.

Plan Workouts
I tend to decide about exercise early each day, taking into consideration my preceeding exercise sessions (if I’ve run three times in a row, I’ll cycle or lift), how I feel physically, and when will I have time.  Of course, if I’m looking at a real early workout, I’ll decide that the night before.  If I have travel or other time commitments up ahead, I’ll do some rough planning for a weekend or a week. (”We’ll get there early enough for a quick run, then I can do a weight session next morning in the motel workout room.”)  The trick is to plan so that you have a time set up but then can change routines if you’d rather walk with the family than run solo.

It’s easy to get “preachy” when talking about finding time for fitness but that’s not the point. I just think that by moving exercise way up the priority chain, by thinking ahead on what the game plan for exercise is, and by being flexible (”It’s slushy, screw the run, I’m going to go downstairs and row”), exercise becomes part of your daily routine.  It has mine. Time to find the orange vest (it's bow hunting season) and loosen up.  The dog is ready to go.  Stay fit.

image from dawn pink chick

If you enjoyed this article, then please subscribe to our RSS feed or via email to receive all new posts 

If you enjoyed this article, then please subscribe to our RSS feed or via email to receive updates

I try to get exercise in a variety of ways: running with the dog, cutting firewood, mowing the lawn, and gardening.  Yes, I can forgo the rowing machine and weights and get some exercise in our little garden where I grow lettuce, radishes, peas, beans, and if the weather cooperates, tomatoes.  It’s a chance to work all the major muscle groups: legs, buttocks, arms, shoulders, neck, back and abdomen and by doing so, work on strength and flexibility and burn calories.
No rototiller for me, I turn the garden over by pitchfork and shovel.  After bending, lifting and shaking sod and dandelions, I get a moderate to heavy intensity workout.  (One report says that “women doing this activity burn 150 calories in a 30 minute period, men burn 197. This activity improves muscle strength and endurance as well because a great deal of resistance is involved.”)
Besides the exertion involved, gardening has other pluses that make it a good form of exercise and calorie burning. There can be a great deal of stretching involved with gardening, like reaching for weeds or tall branches, bending to plant and extending a rake. Lifting bags of mulch, pushing wheelbarrows and shoveling all provide resistance training similar to weight lifting, which leads to healthier bones and joints. Yet while doing all this, there is minimal jarring and stress on the body, unlike aerobics or jogging.

I also look at mowing the lawn as a good workout. A disclaimer:  I don’t mow the grass until June so that my bees can enjoy the dandelions and flowering weeds.  Then, I use a push mower (power).  Mowing with a push reel mower gives a better intensity workout involving the whole body and one is in our plans.  (Women burn 181 calories in 30 minutes, men burn 236.)  Mowing with a rotary power mower like mine gives the whole body a moderate workout.  (Women burn 135 calories in 30 minutes, men burn 177.)  Riding mowers aren’t green exercise.

I don’t look at gardening -- unless you have a big plot and spend hours each week on it -- as a substitute for more vigorous aerobic workouts.  Rather, it is a supplement to your walking, cycling, swimming, or running activities and has the added benefit of producing local fresh produce for your table.  Like using a push mower instead of a rider, a rake instead of a leaf blower, and clippers instead of a weed-whacker, integrating physical activity into many activities adds up -- and becomes a low-cost way to stay fit.  When you add in the stress-reducing benefits of fresh air and sunshine - you've got a win-win-win for your budget, your body and your brain.

top photo by groxie     lower photo from dan4th

If you enjoyed this article, then please subscribe to our RSS feed or via email to receive updates

"It’s no secret that many parents and their children are overweight. These 10 simple ‘secrets’ can help you change your family’s lifestyle so that you can all become fit and healthy."  Read more at Curb That Fat 

1) Eat Whole Grain Foods

Processed and refined grains, such as white bread, white rice, cereal, pasta, and other foods made with white flour have a high glycemic index, low amounts of fiber, and less vitamins and minerals as foods made with whole grains. Making the switch to whole grain foods, including whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and cereals made with whole grains, are an easy and healthy way to make your family’s diet more nutritious.

2) Limit Soda and Fruit Drinks

Soda and fruit drinks have low nutritional value and a lot of calories. At about 150 calories per 12 ounce serving, your kids will gain an extra pound about every 3 weeks if they drink just one can of soda each day.
Cutting back or eliminating soda, fruit drinks, and even fruit juice, can be a good way to get rid of a lot of extra calories and leave room for your kids to eat more nutritious foods.  Read whole article

photo by Essential Eating   

If you enjoyed this article, then please subscribe to our RSS feed or via email to receive all the updates

The maples are unfolding new bright green leaves and the ferns are unrolling from fiddlehead stage to leaf.  As I walk along, checking trees to mark for next year’s wood supply, Penny cruises to and fro, enjoying all sorts of overnight scents on the wet foliage.

We pass some stacked firewood that I leave in the woods to dry over the summer and note once again that a couple of my carefully-stacked piles have toppled.  That’s a project for another day.

Down near the stone wall which marks our southern boundary, I sense eyes on me and glancing, notice four sets of dark eyes.  The deer are motionless and the dog doesn’t see them (fortunately, she does not chase deer) and I wonder if there is a buck in the group.  This time of year, you can’t tell.
Heading back to the house, I mentally mark a couple of crooked soft maples that I’ll probably drop for next year.  I’ll have to get back out and put tape around them.

It’s a modest climb up the trail to the house and the dog sprints it -- and I chug along behind her.  She’s ready for breakfast, a nap, and more adventures.  I’m warmed up, have planned my day, and ready for a little coffee, toast, email and blogs.  She’ll be ready to go again in an hour or so.  The Vizsla’s motto is: “Hey guy, what have you done for me lately? 

If you enjoyed this article, then please subscribe to our RSS feed or via email to receive all the updates

  Bookmark this on Delicious

As we head into spring, it's a great time to walk a bit more, shed a few pounds, pick up a new sport, or just get outside in the longer days and milder temperatures. Here's a list of some of my ideas on how to get psyched to get more exercise.  I bet you can add your own top ten.

1.    Make Exercise a “to do" -- it needs to be on the schedule and treated just like any other personal appointment.  Keep a to-do list and move exercise way up priority-wise.  Mine comes up daily on my Palm desktop -- I enjoy checking it of each day -- even planned rest days.

2.    Give Yourself Permission to Take Time To Get in Shape – to often, we think we don’t have time in our busy schedules to exercise. 

3.    Hire a Personal Trainer – you don’t have to be an elite athlete to benefit from personal coaching.  Here is some practical guidance on selecting a personal trainer.

4.    Buy Yourself a Piece of New Fitness Gear – a new pair of running shoes or a new windsuit can perk up your workouts.  Or get someone else to get it: my daughter bought me a long-sleeved shirt made of some special material and I love running in it on these spring days.

5.    Aim Toward a Goal -- I like road races -- it gets you out the door when you’ve paid your fee and have three weeks to go. You don’t have to compete: walkathons, charity bike tours, or a hike to a destination can provide great motivation.  A friend of mine says that her goal, to complete another section of Vermont's Long Trail, gets her motivated.  On a similar note, another friend said, "Train like an athlete -- use spring to get ready for summer activities."

6.    Join A Fitness Club – this is a good time of year for deals on sign-ups.  There are often special programs aiming at spring – locally, our fitness club has spring training and rowing contests underway.

7.    Keep a Log -- it can be very informal or detailed and in a planner, online, or on stickies.  It’s not a bad idea to track your weight.  It’s fun to go back and check on what you were doing last year this time.

8.    Get a Dog – well, don’t go out and adopt one unless you're ready for another commitment.  If you read this blog much, you know that my four-year-old Vizsla needs lots of exercise.  In fact, she's lobbying for another run right now.

9.    Exercise Daily -- while you definitely want to take days off, make them part of your weekly plan.  For me, thirty minutes nearly every day is better than 90 minutes every three days.

10.    Have fun -- don’t make exercise a drudgery session.  If you’re on a treadmill, use the iPod or watch a DVD.  Vary your pace during a run and race to the next telephone pole once in a while.  Spring is a great time to listen and watch for new birds arriving -- just absorb the smells and sounds of this changing season.

And as a bonus tip -- Why not pick up a new activity or polish an old one?  Always wanted to be a better swimmer?  Sign up for a class right now to be ready for the summer.  Tune up that old bike, get a new helmet, and rediscover the fun of cycling.

What is your top tip for exercising?  What works best for you?  Comment below.

shoe photo by Josiah Mackenzie     Vizsla photo by author

If you enjoyed this article, then please subscribe to our RSS feed or via email to receive all the updates

  Bookmark this on Delicious