Your whole body is designed to move. However, many clients who come in rarely move. It's not in their vocabulary. I have a section in my Health Questionnaire about exercise. It goes like this. What is your workout routine? What types of exercise do you do, how long do you workout and how many days do you practice? Does exercise come easy or hard? Did you have physical training as a child?
Is it an option to remain sedentary? Are you aware that exercise is more healing than diet in curing diabetes? It burns up the glucose. Is diabetes epidemic? Yes!
If you are one of those who are not moving your body on a regular basis I want to encourage you to do so. Now that spring is coming and weather is warmer, it's great time to get outdoors or to the gym and move. Some make excuses. It's too hot, it's too cold. Those are just excuses. You can always find a way to move, to exercise, to get your circulation and endorphins going, the feel good hormones.
I have a dear friend from Southern Arizona Hiking Club and we got talking about the lack of exercise among my clients. She gave me so many good ideas. Many of my clients express to me how much they want to be outdoors during the day, during the very hours they are indoors doing an 8-5 job. Being outside is one of the healthiest things we can do. We have the fresh air and sunlight; all forms of nutrition.
So how can you get going? Sometimes it's better to workout with a friend, that way you really get up and do it. Check out your local outdoor type clubs. For example, in Tucson we have:
Southern AZ Hiking Club (http://www.sahcinfo.org)
Southern AZ Paddlers Club (http://www.soazpaddlers.org/)
Greater AZ Bicycle Association (http://www.bikegaba.org/) and the
Orienteering Club (http://www.tucsonorienteeringclub.org/).
That's just for starts. You can google clubs in your area. Also, you have the option of the health clubs. Just think movement. Maybe today it's gardening, playing with your children, doing housework or walking in the neighborhood. Perhaps, it's yoga, pilates, chi kung or the martial arts. Just find a few activities that you enjoy doing and get going.
I plan my schedule around my workout. I enjoy hiking, walking, yoga and tennis. The key is to pick a few activities that you enjoy. Do it with a friend; that always helps. When you join clubs, you meet new people and that's another plus. If you choose gardening, you can begin to grow and nurture the very natural foods you can begin to eat not to mention get a good workout outside.
Remember, when you have air and sunlight for nutrition and you get your endorphins going, you have the tendency to eat less not more. Now that's a big plus for working out. If you want to email me any of your unique ways of getting yourself into movement, please do so. I can post it in the next newsletter.
My friend Maria on our hike on the Pontatoc Trail in Tucson, Nov 26, 2011, Thanksgiving weekend.