Maintaining the habit of walking, or biking, or rowing 30 – 60 minutes per day does not come easy to me. The “treadmill” and other stationary machines get old very fast. The easiest walks and/or rides come when I have a place to go – a walk to the store; or the bank; or a ride to the post office. Apparently I need to constantly change “it” up. When I had Frost (a Great Pyreneese Dog) we walked every day. Those dog walk years ended quite a few years ago. After the heart attack it seemed quite easy to get out there and walk and ride and count the calories. The weather was warm. The change in life-style was new and felt necessary and urgent. I lost 30 lbs between March and November. When the weather got cold – biking and walking became less “comfortable.” Daily exercise routines became every other day and then once or twice a week. Then the holiday sweets came along – and what do you know – within a couple months I managed to pack 9 lbs back on my aging frame.
This week I returned to the disciplin of counting the calories coming in and the calories burning off. I rededicated myself to getting the daily exercise required for the best possible health. Wednesday I didn’t feel like climbing on the machines at the YMCA, nor the two I have at home. The thought of walking up and down the concrete sidewalk of Mequon Road held no appeal; and besides – I didn’t need anything from the store.
I remember the wonderful walks with Frost, and Doug, and David, in Highland Woods. I considered riding the bike to the woods – but the 15 mile an hour winds at 35 degrees F just didn’t appeal to me. So I drove over and enjoyed a wonderful walk on the narrow, hard packed snow trails. The sounds of the tree limbs clicking and squeaking in the wind were delightfully new music. Certain locations within the woods made memories more vivid.
So if you’re having trouble maintaining your exercise routine in the colder weather – CHANGE IT UP. Invite friends and family to come along or suggest new places. Here’s an open invitation from me: Anybody who’d like to take a walk – please give me a call! Let’s pick a beautiful place and walk it, together, for an hour – for our mutual health and well being.
Highland Woods, Thiensville, WI:
(click photograph for larger view)
Leica M8, either 50 mm Summilux Asph or 28 mm Summicron Asph
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I have the same problem with exercise!