Just One More than Before
How are you with exercise? Addicted to it? Consider it a necessary evil? Detest it?
I have always thought that exercise should just become part of our day and movement. Nothing fancy. God made us to move and so we should.
Probably I have felt that way because, I hate to run and most exercise requires some type of fast, running movement. The only time that I like to run is if I am running after a tennis ball.
There was a delightful gal with whom I played tennis. She just had the best sayings while we played. Her best comment if we were down by a couple of points: just get one more point than before. Her thinking- don’t overthink this, don’t worry about the end game, just concentrate on what we are doing now. I can’t say that we won every time but thinking in that way certainly reduced any anxiety.
Sadly, I am in the stage of life that I need just a little more oomph in my daily exercise. I have joined the local women’s fitness group. It is so convenient- right around the corner from our home. I like the slogan- “Strong is the new skinny”. I attend the strength and tone class so that I can strengthen my osteo-poor bones.
The woman who runs the place is very encouraging and over the new year, she sent out an exercise program one can do at home: HIIT- High Intensity Interval Training. Apparently it is the “latest” thing. Or at least, the latest for me. The idea is that you push yourself hard for a short duration (20 seconds to a couple minutes) before slowing down to an equal or slightly longer recovery period.
Within the HIIT mode, is a regime called Tabata. Named for Japanese research scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and his team from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports at Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, it is a higher intensity version of HIIT- 20 seconds of intense movement followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated eight times. The entire routine can be built around bodyweight exercises so no special equipment is needed.
In the plan, there are 4 sections of these eight types of tabatas. I have started doing these at home. At first I was lucky to complete one section. Each time I have worked on it, I try and do one more than before.
And it has worked. I have been able to complete the entire workout sheet. There were times when I wanted to quit mid-way but I said to myself, just do one more. That one more, turned into another one more and before I knew it, the eight times were completed. In addition to telling myself to do one more, I also tried to just be present in the experience. I just concentrated on that one more and tried not think about getting to the end or what I was going to do afterwards- shower, have lunch, etc.
It was all about being present, just one more that helped me.
I have really had to be intentional about being present. As I have shared in the past- I am a planner. I like to see the big picture, the final result and work on all the details in between. I am the type of person, who thinks more in large swaths of connection and details. It becomes a question of controlling all the aspects of a situation.
In thinking- one more than before, I have realized that I am not anxious about the outcome because I am not concerning myself with the outcome at that point in time. Consequently, what is experienced doesn’t have to be perfect. Just one more, one more word, one more repetition, one more step- whatever the one more is and before I know it, it is completed.
What about you? Do you get anxious with the big picture? Wonder about the ending and therefore never begin? What if you just started- one thing. And then do one more than before?
I think that we were created in this design- to be present with what we are doing and to take one thing at a time. In order to do that, we must remember. Remember what we have done (good or bad) and apply that knowledge to what we are currently doing.
I think that is why Jesus reminded us to not be anxious. Don’t worry about all the big and little things. He reminds us that God has been faithful in the past and will continue to be. We just need to remember our past and to concentrate on one thing at a time in our present. Not only is it healthier for our well-being, it also moves us closer to our outcome.
Sick List
One thing about being sick is that you are forced to be still. It seems as if all I have done these last three days is sleep. When I am awake I can't focus on anything- no reading, no watching television, nothing. Only today have I had enough energy to move around the house. It did occur to me some possible reasons why I got sick and what I can do in the future to prevent it. I list them below as a reminder to myself and as an encouragement to you to not get in the same boat.
1) Get enough sleep. I certainly wasn't getting my required 8 hours of winks a night. Most of that stems from our two, four-footed creatures who decide that the middle of the night is the best time to bark at the passing foxes outside.
2) Get outside for exercise. With all the running back and forth to my father's house I haven't been outside like I normally am. Plus, the afternoon walk for me and my four-footed creatures would ensure that they would be tired and would sleep through the night and therefore I would too.
3) Reduce stress. Ah, the rub. Easily stated, difficult to execute. I have looked over the list of responsibilities that I have for the next six months. Some things are short-lived while others will be ongoing. I have realized that I cannot take on any more, even if it is something as simple as baking brownies for a meeting. That simple action becomes just one more thing in a list of too many things. The proverbial straw that breaks the camels back. Of course, there are projects and people that I want to help but for the majority of things I need to say no for right now.
4) Stop being the little red hen. There are situations in my life when, I don't receive help from those who I think should help me, I become like the little red hen. I will handle it all myself. And then I get annoyed, upset and looking for reasons to get even angrier at the ones who are not helping. In not being the little red hen, I am going to try and ask for help. Or at least state what needs to be done and then let the chips fall where they may. The work might get done, perhaps not the way I thought it should originally be done but if it gets done, then so be it. The work might not get done either and then I need to let things happen as such.
The thing is, most times I practice good habits. Usually I get enough sleep, exercise and have a good diet. It is the stress that gets me every time. Stress affects each of us differently. Regardless on the cause and the effects, stress is one of those insidious situations that sneak up on us. We go along fine, thinking we are handling our situation when out of the blue, we get sick, or have tooth problems, or stomach issues, or insomnia. When I feel under stress I like to list the responsibilities that I have to do and that I want to do. Are there things that can be put off in order to stretch out the responsibilities? I am learning to be more clear with my family and friends of the things I can and cannot do. It still can be difficult. Some people, on hearing that you cannot do something today will decide that you meant forever and will be miffed. I am learning that I can only be clear with what I say. I cannot ensure that the hearer is clear too.
What about you? What would you add to the above list- things that you know if you do not practice you will end up sick and in bed. How do you deal with stress? Do you keep it at bay? Do you feel that your life is overrun by stress? What small changes can you make to lessen the stress? Are there things you can put off, say for the next six months?
What would your sick list be?
People Walkers
This summer while in Boston they had fun signs along the Rose Kennedy walkway.
“Need motivation to walk? Scared to walk alone at night? Don’t like walking alone at all? Don’t want people to see you walking alone and just assume you have no friends? Don’t like listening to music or podcasts but can’t walk alone in silence, forced to face thoughts of the unknown future, or your own insignificance in the ever expanding universe?”
If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you might be interested in hiring a people walker.
My husband shared with me an interesting article in The Guardian. Just as you can hire a dog walker to take your pooch out for exercise and some companionship during the day, you can hire people walkers to do the same. A gentleman from LA started this business, more as a joke, but soon realized how much people are craving for connectivity. For all our highfalutin techno society we still long for simplicity and for human interaction.
I used to walk regularly with a friend. Due to life schedules we do not walk together any more. I really miss it. Certainly the exercise was great but it is the connection, the discussions and the interaction that I miss the most. We shared joys, sorrows, funny stories, life tips and encouragements with one another. There is something about walking and talking. Talking by itself is good but adding the walking element and you feel that you accomplishing something good for both body and mind.
What about you? Do you walk or exercise regularly? Do you have a companion or a walking partner? If not, would you like to try? You don't necessarily have to hire a people walker. Ask a neighbor to join you as you walk around the block. Or find a walking/running group in your community via Facebook, or neighborhood website? Check out the community bulletin boards at your local coffee shop, grocery store, or advertise yourself.
But, if you are looking for a new career- check out this guy's story: Click here to see the article.
Channel your Monty-Python?
Radical Ramblings
In our town there is an weekly alternative newspaper. Most weeks the articles and subject matter are a little avant garde, even for me. This past week though there were some thought provoking articles all on the subject of walking, and specifically walking as a mode of transportation in a city.
In some ways, it still gets me that we look at walking as if we have a choice. Isn't that how are bodies are made- to move and to move in the form of walking? Of course we could roll on the ground to where we need to go or we could crawl on our hands and knees but that is not a desirable mode of transport.
One of the articles in the newspaper was written by a self proclaimed radical pedestrian. Whether he truly believes what he wrote or just trying to provoke, he does have some interesting points. When you are traveling at car-speed, sitting and driving in a car, you don't notice your surroundings. "At car-speed, building simply seem 'dilapidated' and people 'loitering' or 'hanging around'." When you are walking you get to see the surroundings. You decide to speak or not to speak with another person out on the street. You have the opportunity to interact with those surroundings and to elevate the inhabitants from "loiterers" to "people with stories, backgrounds, loves and sorrows".
We saw the difference of car speed vs. bike or walk speed when we travelled through the city on our bikes a couple of weeks ago. There were some areas that we went through that, if we had traveled by car, would have been seen as a blight in our city. We would have been anxious to get through that neighborhood and never give it another thought. Instead, because we were slowly traveling at bike-speed, we were able to have some conversations with the residents. They were not long, nor deep interactions but they were interactions nonetheless. The residents asked about our fund raiser and where we had ridden. As a society, each time we have these little discourses, we strengthen the ties that bind us together. Each interaction draws us a little bit closer in community.
The writer of the newspaper article wonders how much cars have kept our city segregated. He writes about the frustration of people talking diversity and intersectionality yet no one wants to get out of their cars and interact. "Facebook stokes fears so that people don't want to walk in certain neighborhoods." The irony is that if people did get out into the streets, the safer the neighborhood would be.
He also wonders if automobiles have subsidized the suburbs at the expense of the cities. He feels that if all roads were toll roads in order to reflect the true cost of the automobile- pollution, parking, construction and congestion- people would think again about walking. Interesting. Would that make people think twice about driving? He poses some radical thoughts.
I wonder, why does everything have to be extreme in America? Why can't we embrace and choose a middle road? Why can't we decide that for certain activities we will walk and not use a car? Especially for those of us that live in a more congested area. Does it have to come down to government regulation for us to function in the way in which we were designed? Why can't we decide when we walk and when we use a car? Yes, a car is certainly very convenient. (I can tell you that after walking home from the store with heavy grocery bags digging into the palm of my hands and my shoulders.) And yes, some people do not have the luxury of a car. (I guess the definition of a car being a luxury or necessity is also another debate.)
I know for me that walking and bike riding for errands are a conscious choice over just jumping into the car. I have to think about my schedule, how much time do I have, the weather, the distance, etc. It is not my default mode of thinking (yet) though it is getting there. I realize that by not making it my first choice, I might be losing out- missing community, interactions and exercise.
What about you? Have you ever thought about using another means of transport other than a car to get from here to there? What is your city or town like? Do you think that the car has segregated it?
This week, is there any time or opportunity for you to walk or bike ride instead of using the car for a specific errand? For instance, getting milk at the convenience store, dropping your kids off at a friend's house or meeting a friend for coffee? Are you up for some radical ramblings?
May- National Bike Month
The start- 1/4 of those who rode were assigned this time of 8:45 am. We all entered from different streets. The weather was a continuing mist/rain throughout the day.
Yesterday, my husband, our one son and I road the Five Boro Bike Tour in NYC. What a blast! We road 40 miles (actually almost 50 when considering the bike travel to and from the starting place) through Manhattan (starting by Battery Park, riding up 6th Avenue, Central Park and Harlem), The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and finishing on Staten Island. We went over 5 bridges and road on the FDR Drive, the Gowanus Expressway, and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. There were 31,997 other cyclists joining us!
It was quite a thrill to have the roads free for cyclists. At every intersection there were NYPD and/or Bike tour volunteers to ensure no auto crossed through the intersection and to help any pedestrians cross. Riding across the bridges was something. When I am in a car I don't even think of the elevation and incline in going up to the top of the bridge. Now I know.
The bike tour started in 1977. It is one of the main events for Bike New York. Bike New York's mission "is to facilitate and promote cycling as a safe and sustainable means of recreation and transportation through free bike education classes, public events and collaboration with community organizations and municipal agencies." The money raised goes toward funding free bike education programs.
No matter the skill level, they have classes: there are classes for learning to ride for adults and kids, bike practice sessions, bicycling basics, bike path cruise ride, street skills class and street skill ride. They teach classes on bike commuting, winter riding, bike maintenance, winter bike maintenance, family cycling, how to buy a bike, bike safety. They also offer after school and summer camps for kids. Last year they taught bike skills to more than 17,000 people.
It was just fun to be part of a collective, all riding together. Everyone we encountered was pleasant and it seemed as if everyone was looking out for one another. As with anything that takes place in NYC, the people watching was worth the price of admission. Throughout the day we kept seeing these three gentlemen riding along wearing capes and cavalier hats (complete with a plume of feathers) over top their helmets (a requirement for riding). Alas, when we saw them towards the end of their ride, their feathers had flopped due to the rain.
Some people are fanatical about cycling while others are just enthusiastic. I would say that our family is enthusiastic. The son who was with us (it was his idea for us to participate) is a cycling enthusiast in that he doesn't own a car and uses his bicycle for commuting as well as for leisure. Of course, he lives in the Tri-State area and has the advantage of great mass transit.
My husband is involved with a local bike co-op which mostly refurbishes bicycles so that people who do not have the means to have a car have some type of transportation that provides a little more freedom and exploration than just walking.
I know that I have penned the attributes to cycling in the past. I use a bicycle mostly for leisure and getting some exercise. Though I do try and use it for certain types of errands- not too far a trip and not too heavy or multiple items to carry.
As this is National Bike month I would encourage you to revisit your bicycle. If you have one stored in a garage, pull it out, dust it off and take it to a bike shop (or do it yourself if you are able) to get it ready to ride. If you have never ridden before or it has been a while, check out your state or local bicycle advocate groups. Many offer bicycle riding classes and lessons for riding on the roads. For example, Bike Maryland is the advocacy group for bicyclists in the state of MD. The The League of American Bicyclists is a national organization. Even some local bike shops will offer classes on riding, bike maintenance, etc.
Cycling is a great way to see your surroundings. Time goes by at a slower pace. You can pull off to the side of the road for those impromptu adventures- stop and go into a store you always whiz by in the car, say hello and chat with a neighbor planting in her garden, watch some neighborhood kids playing a pick up game of soccer, notice the architecture and gardens of various neighborhoods. All the while enjoying the sun and fresh air on your skin. Plus you can feel good about the human powered machine and that you have kept your carbon print low.
What about you? Have you ever been part of a collective group event? Run or walk for a charity? How was it? Did you enjoy the experience? Would you do it again or was it a once and done? Have you ever gone on a long-ish bicycle ride? Where and with whom?