Move Your Body

When I finally got some decent medical insurance, I went in for a check-up to confirm that I was perfectly healthy. The only advice my doctor gave me was, "Exercise, exercise, exercise!" At the time I was in my 20's and living in the City. I'd just sold my car because the only time I ever drove it was to look for a new parking space on street cleaning day. I walked everywhere. Even at work we would walk to visit our clients. The first time I went out with Matt we saw a play South of Market and ended up walking all the way home to Noe Valley, half way across the city. I was single and plenty of time to go to the gym after work. Exercise was built in to my life. I didn't even have to try.

Things are a little different now. I drive an hour to work. I drive to my patients' homes. I go back to the office and sit in front of a computer. I drive an hour home. By the time I finish with dinner, dishes, helping Quentin with homework, etc., I'm beat. When am I supposed to exercise? Sound familiar? I hear so many people say, "I know I need to exercise, but I just can't find the time." I've said it myself a million times. It's not as easy as it used to be to incorporate into the old routine.

Even writing about exercise is hard to fit in! I wrote this whole entry and a couple more in my head about two weeks ago and am just now finding a chance to sit down at the computer. Now I can't remember what I wanted to say!

Well I think it's just a choice we have to make. I can't tell you how many mornings I lay in bed arguing with myself about whether or not to get up and exercise. What a waste of my mind-time! You just have to decide it's something that is important to you.

I think the idea that we "should" exercise to help us lose weight carries a lot of the same dynamics as going on a diet. I think it's much more effective to choose to be more active for the joy of moving your body and for mental and physical health. And it just has to be a priority, a given, like brushing your teeth. Instead of trying to figure out how to fit exercise into your busy schedule, figure out how to fit your busy schedule around your exercise. (I have to give Judith Beck credit for that one.) Is everything else that fills up your day really that essential? Is it as important as maintaining your mental and physical health?

My fried Laurie says, "anything is better than nothing." Start where you are. See if you can add just a little bit more movement to your days. If you're not getting any exercise at all, start by stretching for five minutes once a week: certainly you can find five minutes. And if you can find five minutes on one day, you can probably find five minutes twice a week. And so on. Find something fun to do--it doesn't have to be drudgery. Dance in the kitchen while you're cooking. Put on some rocking music while you're cleaning the house. And the old stand-bys: take the stairs and park farther away. The more you move, the better you'll feel. Really: it's true!