Behold the beauty of winter in Wisconsin; 40 degrees, foggy and endless drizzle. If dreary weather affects your mood I advise you to not live in Wisconson. As a native Floridian I have to admit these overcast days do seem to out-number clear skies and sunshine. As I child I fantasized of wintry landscapes, Santas who arrived by sleigh rather than boat, and Christmas lights in snow-laden evergreens rather than plam trees. It is true, the grass is always greener, particularly in South Florida!
Regardless of the weather, exercise routines need to stay consistent. I migrate indoors and try to become a routine fixture at the YMCA, on the wheel of life, the treadmill. It's not so bad if you have updated tunes, an entertaining tv show, a friend, or simply an active imagination to help pass the time. The reality is no matter how mundane exercise may feel the benefits far outweigh the potential boredom. If exercise came in a bottle it would be the most widely prescribed medication on the market. Exercise decreases anxiety, decreases the stress hormone cortisol, lowers triglycerides, lowers cholesterol levels, decreases your risk of stroke, increases the strength of your heart, and likely increases the strength of your relationships. We can run, walk, Zumba, swim, spin, step, dance, or do the elliptical. Ideally we sweat, elevate our heart rates, and encourage our bodies slightly beyond our natural comfort zone. I confess, some mornings my comfort zone is simply in the bed; thus making it to the treadmill becomes the accomplishment. Something is better than nothing!
This is the perfect time of year to do more in the exercise realm rather than less. A few added minutes of cardio may enhance the expression of Thanksgiving in our homes. This expression is reflected by our time, hospitality, smile, patience, good cheer and generosity.
The "enchantment" file below highlights an upcoming 5 K and kids run (The Reindeer Dash) to be held at the Washington County Fairgrounds in the midst of their Holiday Light Show on Sunday, December 6th. For those hearty enough to run outdoors in the winter, I salute you and hope to see you there. Look for me relaxing indoors with the hot chocolate!
http://www.active.com/running/west-bend-wi/enchantment-in-the-park-runwalk-2009-fq499
Regardless of the weather, exercise routines need to stay consistent. I migrate indoors and try to become a routine fixture at the YMCA, on the wheel of life, the treadmill. It's not so bad if you have updated tunes, an entertaining tv show, a friend, or simply an active imagination to help pass the time. The reality is no matter how mundane exercise may feel the benefits far outweigh the potential boredom. If exercise came in a bottle it would be the most widely prescribed medication on the market. Exercise decreases anxiety, decreases the stress hormone cortisol, lowers triglycerides, lowers cholesterol levels, decreases your risk of stroke, increases the strength of your heart, and likely increases the strength of your relationships. We can run, walk, Zumba, swim, spin, step, dance, or do the elliptical. Ideally we sweat, elevate our heart rates, and encourage our bodies slightly beyond our natural comfort zone. I confess, some mornings my comfort zone is simply in the bed; thus making it to the treadmill becomes the accomplishment. Something is better than nothing!
This is the perfect time of year to do more in the exercise realm rather than less. A few added minutes of cardio may enhance the expression of Thanksgiving in our homes. This expression is reflected by our time, hospitality, smile, patience, good cheer and generosity.
The "enchantment" file below highlights an upcoming 5 K and kids run (The Reindeer Dash) to be held at the Washington County Fairgrounds in the midst of their Holiday Light Show on Sunday, December 6th. For those hearty enough to run outdoors in the winter, I salute you and hope to see you there. Look for me relaxing indoors with the hot chocolate!
http://www.active.com/running/west-bend-wi/enchantment-in-the-park-runwalk-2009-fq499
| enchantmentv1.1.pdf |
RSS Feed