Oh boy. It’s Thursday again. That means it’s time for me to give an update on my exercise routine and my progress in making it a habit.
I have to admit that the evening routine isn’t working out as nicely as it works in my head. But in all fairness, I think this whole week has been different. Sadly, even our new and somewhat easily adopted “bedtime game” routine has been neglected this week.
Saturday night was supposed to be an exercise night, but we (Joe and I) actually went out with friends! That hasn’t happened in a very long time. I think it was just what the doctor ordered for both of us.
I could have simply moved exercise night to Sunday night, but we were invited to attend a get-together with some friends and their Life Group. We’re new to this church, and it’s huge, so we need to take any opportunity we have to get to know people. And now that I think about it, the event did take place in a gym, and I did walk across the gym floor several times. I think maybe I could say I exercised.
Or not. But it was still worth it.
I did manage to exercise on Monday. Yay me!
Tuesday night was supposed to be an exercise night but I have now found myself with 2 hours to myself that night! Joe will be taking Josiah to Trail Life meetings! I’m so excited that we found a Christ-centered, leadership oriented activity for them to do together. But seriously, if you had 2 hours to yourself (and you worked from home and homeschooled your children) would you use any part of those 2 hours to exercise?
Yeah, see what I mean? I can get a lot of writing done during those two hours! So we’ll have to see. Maybe if I plan it well, I can use 20 minutes of my alone time to exercise, knowing it will get my brain in gear to write better. (Oh who are we kidding?)
So, all that to say, the routine is not second -nature yet. But it will get there.
My job for this week, along with cementing my routine, was to decide what kind of exercise I’m going to do.
I know it needs to be in my house. That cuts out a lot of choices, which is a good thing. This is no time for analysis paralysis.
The other thing I need to consider is my own health and what kind of exercise is best for me personally. I was recently diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue. In a nutshell, Adrenal Fatigue occurs when the adrenal glands become tired and do not function properly. It makes you feel completely exhausted most of the time. With that exhaustion comes “brain fog” poor sleep, and many other symptoms that are not only irritating but can be debilitating.
Now that I know what I’m dealing with, I can make adjustments in my lifestyle to help overcome the adrenal fatigue. Choosing appropriate exercise is very important.
Some things I learned about exercising with Adrenal Fatigue:
- Your body is showing signs of being stressed. Lack of exercise is stressful to your body, so is exercise that is too intense.
- Make sure that the aerobic exercises you do are truly aerobic. This means not too intense.
- Modify your anaerobic (strength training) routine. Make it something you can do without feeling completely worn out.
Using the information I’ve found about adrenal fatigue and sticking with exercise I can do at home, I’ve narrowed it down to a few options, which I will alternate between to keep from getting bored.
I’ll be doing a combination of the following:
- Pilates (for which I have several DVDs)
- Treadmill or elliptical, as soon as we decide which, and buy one.
- “T-Tapping”; I have some T-Tapp DVDs and I do enjoy the workouts. There are various levels of intensity, so I’ll always be able to find the level that is appropriate for me. I appreciate the scientific approach that Teresa Tapp takes to developing the exercises, and the fact that they are beneficial to people with adrenal fatigue. You can learn more about T-Tapp here.
- 5 minute bursts: I am developing a habit of making sure that I move my body at least 5 minutes out of every hour when I’m working. Anytime I’m working on the computer, reading, etc.– all the non-active activities it takes to run a blog– I make sure I never sit for longer than 50 minutes. I may fold a load of laundry, chase the dog around the yard or have a few foot races with my little boy. Just something to get me moving for a few minutes. I find that it helps me fight the sleepiness I’m so prone to, and I know it benefits my body to move every once in a while. (And it gets the laundry done!) So even on those days that I don’t do a dedicated work out, I still make sure to move frequently and with some intensity.
- Morning back stretch. This is a T-Tapp exercise. It’s perfect for those days that I’m not working out. It gives me just enough to get the energy flowing for the day but only takes about 5 minutes.
And that’s about it. Of course I’ll add in walks outside and any other natural activity I can think of. That’s the best kind of exercise, the kind that involves moving in real life. You can’t always plan that and make a predictable habit of it, but it’s great to do it when you can. And if you’ve been working out in between those opportunities, you’ll be in much better shape to enjoy them when they do happen.
Have you settled on a particular type of exercise, place, and time? Be sure and choose something that’s good for you, fits your budget and your schedule, and most of all, choose something you’ll do. What good is the best exercise program out there if you hate it and won’t do it?
Let me know in the comments what you’ve decided and how it’s going so far. (No beating yourself up if it’s not going well. Tomorrow is a new day, begin it with a resolve to take one step in the right direction!).
*This post is participating in the following linkups:
servingjoyfully.com moneysavingmom.com richlyrooted.com
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