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?
Becca's Byline 
Good for you! That sounds great. My relationship with exercise? Ick. Walking is OK — but I’m unreliable (though when I was in France, I was walking zillions of miles a day and 85 steps up everytime I came home, which was at least twice a day, sometimes more! My pants that were too short became the right length and the ones that were right I was tripping over!). I need to be better. I know that. But I’d rather do art/garden/read/cook/blog…
Anything that works. My exercise program is pretty hit and miss. I used to be at the gym almost every morning – at least five days a week – no later than 6:00 a.m. Right now I’m getting there once or twice a week, but even that is making a difference.
Working out from home is definitely the way to go, Becca. Less stress, saves time, more fun, so in control, motivating… Good on you. I’m inspired. 🙂
This sounds like a wonderful thing to do, and I hope you’re finding it counts as a positive difference in your life right now.
Buying a treadmill was one of the best things we did for my exercise life; finding the time and place to walk since we moved out here would otherwise be nearly impossible.
Ha! We have something in common. I walk with Leslie and the gang too. I’m not as consistent as I should be, but I plan to improve on that soon. When the whether is beautiful, I walk outside but I have no intention of getting in my car to go to a gym. When we move back to our house, I’ll have access to a small gym that’s in our community – about a block from my house. I may use the elliptical occasionally. I’m glad you’re seeing benefits and that you’re doing something healthy for yourself during this stressful time.
that sounds cool. Fun to notice a difference.
I don’t think i’d be motivated to exercise in front of a tv myself. Fortunately I live a block away from a sports center where I do once a week aerobics (if I don’t work overtime too much) and once a week train in the pool with our diving club. Not nearly enough excercise to challenge my non-existing physical condition but I guess all bits help. In the summer months I take a break though, so will start again in September.