Exercise and Will Power - Part Two Getting Started

Sometimes, the hardest part about getting enough physical activity is the getting started part. It is so easy to talk ourselves out of exercise. There are a million things that need doing, and if you aren't enthusiastic about exercising (or even if you are), it can be difficult to make it a priority. Don't talk yourself out of it!

If you have set aside a specific time for your exercise, then get yourself ready ahead of time. Put on the appropriate clothes, start thinking positive thoughts about how good you will feel, maybe listen to some "get up and go" music while folding laundry or running the vacuum or whatever it is that you are doing during the day. Then when the time comes, go for it! (I wanted to say "just do it", but that slogan is already taken isn't it?)

Be prepared for negative thoughts. One of my clients was a busy career mom. She found the most success was to get up early and exercise in the mornings before she got herself ready for work and her children ready for school. The biggest challenge was not talking herself out of her exercise. Lying in bed, it might still be dark outside, cold, and the bed feels so warm and cozy. Maybe it was a late night and there wasn't enough sleep. There are so many thoughts that can enter our minds as we are contemplating making the time to exercise.

Know this ahead of time. Be prepared for the negative talk. Be present and aware - and then don't let it happen. When the negative thoughts start, remind yourself of all the good reasons for getting up and getting your exercise done. Talk to yourself encouragingly as you would talk to a friend. In my post Voices In My Head I talk about the negative dialogue we often carry around with us. The first step is to be aware of it, the second step is to correct it. If you are going to make exercise a part of your life, you have to carry the right dialogue in your head to succeed.

If you haven't already, I suggest you read Exercise and Will Power - Part One. I talk about "using our will to accomplish something despite obstacles. Doing something even when it is hard. This is certainly a quality we would like our children to develop, and often the best way to do so is by being a living example of strong will forces ourselves."

Once you get started, it becomes easier to make exercise a part of your weekly routine. Oh there will be times when life gets in the way, but it will be easier to get back on track the longer you stick with it. As I mentioned in Homeschool Burn Out, your good health is the most important gift you can give to your family.

Now, the question becomes where to start? For each of you the answer will be different. For some, it will mean including a brisk walk three days each week. By "brisk" I mean faster than the grocery store walk, and definitely faster than the toddler walks you take with your kids. But start where you are. If you have knee and/or back issues, then take it easy. The point is to do SOMETHING. Work on improving with time. If the best you can do to start is a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood, three times a week, then that is where you start. You can work on increasing your time to 15-minutes and then eventually to 30-minutes. And then you can add another day each week.

On the other hand, don't set unsustainable goals either. I have heard clients/patients tell me they "are going to work out everyday for an hour!" And then when they miss a day, they feel terrible. Please don't set your self up for failure. Set small and realistic goals for yourself to start with.

The type of exercise you choose should be realistic as well. Don't jump into running if you haven't been walking. But I do want to encourage you to do cardiovascular training, or aerobic work such as walking, biking, jogging, perhaps an aerobic video at home or even better a class at your local gym. In addition, I strongly encourage all of you to include some resistance training. This is where you methodically work the major muscle groups of the body with some type of resistance. It might be using your own body weight, or you might like to obtain some light weight dumbbells. Elastic exercise bands can work too.

Why do I encourage the resistance training? There are many reasons. Numerous studies have shown benefits to resistance training including:

• Increased bone density
• Increased muscle mass - I'm not talking big bulky muscles, I'm talking small changes that result in a higher metabolism - that means you burn more calories at rest with more muscle. Now who can't appreciate eating a few extra calories every day?
• Higher resting metabolism - this can lead to greater weight loss if that is your goal
• Increased muscle tone - none of us want saggy arms!
• Increased strength
• Increased flexibility - as we work our muscles, we are also working the ligaments and tendons supporting our joints, and they remain more flexible with use (use it or lose it)
• Other health benefits - studies have shown improvement in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar control, and cardiovascular improvements with strength training

Alright, so how to do resistance training if you don't belong to a gym or have a home gym? If you can invest in the following equipment, I can take you through an entire full body resistance training routine:

1. a large exercise ball
2. two sets of light weight dumbbells (5# and 10#)

For a number of years I was a fitness instructor, working from a local gym where I lived on the Outer Banks. Unfortunately, in 2003 hurricane Isabelle destroyed the building where the gym was located. In order to continue training with my clients, I went to their homes, and the above was the primary equipment we used. And I can tell you, we saw great results as indicated by a lower resting heart rate, weight loss, loss of inches around the waist and hips, and increased muscle strength.

In my next post, I will take you through some of the resistance exercises you can do with an exercise ball and dumbbells. I will talk about the different muscle groups we will be working, which ones to start with, proper form and technique, and common mistakes to avoid.

Hope this gets you moving!
M

Training Log January

Monday January 2nd

• Resistance training working on chest, back, shoulders
• Stationary bike - interval training 30 minutes

Friday January 6th

• 1 hour hiking, slight hills

Saturday January 7th

• Resistance training chest, back
• Run 20 minutes hills, followed by stationary bike 25 minutes intervals

Sunday January 8th

• Trail run one hour

Wednesday January 11th

• Run 1.5 miles (at 6.1-6.3 mph); Stationary bike 30 minutes; Run 1.5 miles (at 6.2-6.3 mph)

Saturday January 14th

• Bike 30 minutes; Run 20 minutes

Monday January 16th

• Resistance training chest, back, shoulders
• Stationary bike 25 minutes

Saturday January 21st

• Run 1.5 miles (at 6.1-6.3 mph); Stationary bike 40 minutes; Run 2 miles (at 6.3-6.8 mph)

Sunday January 22nd

• Resistance training arms, legs
• Run hills 20 minutes

Training Plans

As I describe in Exercise and Will Power, exercise is a very important part of self-development. Unless you have a job that keeps you moving all day, most of us need much more physical activity than we typically get on a daily basis. The human body is designed for movement.

Currently I am training for a duathlon event in early April. The event involves competing in three consecutive events. For this race, the first portion is a 5k run, the second portion is a 30k bike, and the third portion is another 5k run. The overall fastest combined time wins the race.

I decided to share my weekly and monthly training routine. If anyone has any questions or would like help creating an individualized exercise plan for their own fitness goals, please let me know! I would love to chat.
Michelle

Exercise and Will Power - Part One

In Waldorf Education, we often talk about “developing the will”. This is similar to those outside of Waldorf talking about their “will power” or “self-discipline”. Perhaps it is a new diet and the “will power” or discipline needed to stick with it. Sometimes we talk about people surviving amazing circumstances because of their “strong will to live”. Or the “will to succeed” combined with strong self-discipline resulting in great personal success.

In all these cases, it is about using our will to accomplish something despite obstacles. Doing something even when it is hard. This is certainly a quality we would like our children to develop, and often the best way to do so is by being a living example of strong will forces ourselves.

I think I have pretty a pretty strong will. Attending college in my early twenties, while simultaneously working two and sometimes three jobs to support myself required a strong will and self-discipline. During graduate school, while trying to juggle a part-time job, volunteer work, the birth of my first child and a long internship program, I often felt like giving up. But with encouragement from my family and friends and perseverance, I was able to successfully manage all of these things simultaneously.

This was soon followed by the loss of both parents and a devastating divorce. Those were tough times, but again I persevered.

But lately, despite the comfort and joy in my life, I have been struggling with my will. Perhaps it is the lack of difficulties in my life that leaves me increasingly lethargic and undisciplined. Perhaps it is the lack of urgency – parenting and homeschooling is a long-term commitment, not something with a clear endpoint.

When I think back to the consistent thread of all the challenging times, it was my exercise. I always made time to exercise. When my classmates were celebrating the end of exams with parties and intoxication, I was headed to the gym for a good long training session. After the birth of my son, I would get up extra early for a run and have my shower, breakfast, and be dressed and ready for quality time with him. Grieving for my father, it was the long walks in the woods that most soothed me. My mother’s loss was more of a shock, and the long daily runs, often ending in tears of grief, helped me to heal.

During the separation and divorce years, I managed to squeeze in moments to train for a biathlon. The music on my Ipod and the rapid beating of my heart helped me to cope with the grief of losing my family and kept me moving forward.

I know there are many moms struggling with their own will forces. Whether it is planning healthy meals for their families, meeting all the demands of parenting, balancing work outside the home, or being prepared for their homeschooling, many moms struggle to find more self-discipline and will forces to accomplish all that is required of them. And few take the time to exercise.

I can hear it now, “Exercise?! Now Michelle, how can you possibly expect me to squeeze one more thing into my day, let alone time to exercise?”

Let me tell you, if you can make time for yourself in this small way, it will spill over into other areas of your life as well. When I am self-disciplined and exercising regularly, it starts a chain reaction. I then find myself motivated to do more, accomplish more.

I thought of you and writing this post when I returned from my training last night. Last week was a typical week of lessons, chores, piano lessons, meals. I had been feeling increasingly lethargic. Late yesterday afternoon, after starting dinner, it was time for my exercise. I really didn't feel like training. In fact I would have been perfectly happy to stay in and work on my knitting, or spend some time on the computer. But I felt obligated to go and train. After all, as I mention in an earlier post Home School Burn Out, I have made the commitment to compete in a duathlon this spring. I have paid the registration fee. I have informed my family of my intentions. I really needed to take advantage of the training time available to me. So out the door I went.

An hour and a half later I returned, and I was a new woman. My thinking was clearer. I felt more like "myself" (rather than the lethargic grumpy woman I had been earlier.) I felt strong and well. I felt energetic and happy. I was proud of my accomplishment (see training log January.) I was excited to be moving toward a goal. And the feelings of health and well-being have continued with me today. Working out creates momentum - one good experience leads to another. You will look forward to your next training session remembering the sense of accomplishment from the last.

We all know the benefits of regular exercise – lower blood pressure, lower “bad” cholesterol levels, elevated “good” cholesterol levels, weight control. But what about the less talked about benefits of exercise?

The release of endorphins helps us feel better. We enjoy stress relief. Our thinking is clearer. Increased circulation aids digestion, improves mobility, and creates healthier joints. Exercise improves our balance. Our lymph system, so important to a healthy immunity, requires large muscle movement to circulate properly. I could go on and on. Many moms are devoted to working on themselves, to being better people and better parents. Exercise and being physically active are just as important as inner work.

Let me say it again. Exercise and being physically active are just as important as inner work.

There is a lot of information available out there about exercising (good and bad). I hope you will continue reading as I describe different options for exercise, how to get started, types of exercise, common mistakes, and setting realistic exercise goals.

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please share!
Michelle