Fitness and health have never been primary concerns for me.
I've been lucky to have high metabolism and a relatively lean frame, so up through my twenties, I never focused too closely on what or when I ate. I always stayed on the skinny side. Not so much in my thirties. Since having two kids, I started to notice the pounds add up and extra fat spill over my pants. Over the years, I would join a gym or take up a particular fitness routine, which would last two to three months. It would always end because of something disrupting it--a vacation or getting sick or just telling myself I'd take a short break, but then never returning to it. I found excuses more than excuses found me. Late last year, something clicked for some reason and I've decided to get in the best shape of my life. It was early November, 2018, and I haven't stopped yet and have only added to my routine in different ways. Not that writing was expressly to blame for my bad health, I must say that as a writer, typical writing routines don't help. Like many writers, I spend many hours upon hours sitting down and staring into a computer screen. That type of stasis over long periods of time doesn't get the heart rate going or shed extra pounds. This is what has worked for me. Of course, long walks can be brain fuel. In terms of writing or ideas for your stories, nothing helps more than time at a park, in the sunshine, or a walk away from the buzz of a city. Just immersing yourself in nature is both healthy for you body and food for your mind. More deeply, though, for extra fitness, I've found that going to a gym has always been a barrier I found hard to cross. If I brought the gym home, so to speak, then I'd have one less excuse, right? Right. So, I joined an "online" gym and it's much cheaper than a typical membership. It's called Beachbody and for a year, it's about $8/month, with dozens of videos, different workouts and various regimens taught by different trainers, all dependent upon where you happen to be in your fitness journey. I also purchased a pair of Bowflex adjustable weights so I wouldn't have to shell out thousands on an intricate weight set-up. I found an eating plan that works for me. Diets always struck me as difficult because you're typically denying yourself something: certain foods or amounts. I've been eating low-carb/Keto for about six months and I don't ever feel hungry after meals, although I have to resist certain things like sugar and carbs. All in all, it's the easiest "diet" I've ever tried. Now that summer is here, my wife and I have made it a mission to kayak more. Our boys love the water, its fun to get on a boat and explore, and it's good, free exercise. You're outside, in the elements, basking in sunshine, and we'll often picnic on the water or land on a beach to eat. It's been an awesome journey so far and it's given me purpose and goals outside of the pursuit of publishing.
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AuthorI am a writer. I write. Archives
January 2021
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