Being a full-time stay-at-home writer is a wonderful thing, but after nearly a year, I have discovered one area in which it is severely lacking – namely that of exercise.
Back in the days of the Dreaded Day Job, I used to walk to work. Not for the sake of the walk itself, but because the buses were so utterly unreliable. Which was probably just as well, all things considered, because the DDJ was an office job, and the biggest bit of exercise in the day was walking up the stairs in the morning.
Once I left the DDJ, that was four brisk 3km walks (1.86 miles, imperialists) which disappeared from my week. And did I replace them with several other brisk walks?
I did not. I like to do things efficiently, and it seems rather inefficient to leave the house just to wander around and then come back again. I do go for walks with the Caped Gooseberry, but chronic fatigue and brisk multi-kilometre walks do not go well together.
So here’s the question: what do you do to stay fit? What are your recommendations?
My criteria: simple, local, inexpensive, and preferably enjoyable.
I’m not looking to lose weight (nicely, nicely, thank you) or to develop a six-pack and bulging biceps – I just want to be fitter, and to have abdominal muscles capable of keeping my insides, well, inside. Ideas?
I am totally with you on the topic of pointless exercise. I do gardening for exercise – vitD and calcium uptake into bones and the odd flower to sniff or pineapple to eat. And I make all our bread – so mixing the dough and then kneading it for 10 minutes twice a week – good upper body workout and very soothing too – there is something in the world that I can make a difference to! yes! even if it is only bread dough. Housework, alas, is also good exercise – carrying the washing out, tugging the vacuum cleaner along, getting down the heavy bars of chocolate from wholesale supplies kept in the high cupboard. (This last is just a fantasy but what a nice one it is!)
These exercises are easier on the arthritic joints than walking on nasty pavements. You are well out of it. Kaaz
Housework! I hadn’t thought of that. I certainly get laundry-related exercise (bend and lift and stretch and peg and bend and…).
Gardening has a great deal to be said for it (fresh pineapples! sob), but it’s one of those jobs where the work is never done – and is frequently undone by nature the moment you look away.
Pumping chocolate, however, is a brilliant idea and one which I can see receiving widespread popularity and acclaim.
I am indeed glad that I don’t have arthritis, and sorry that you do. I’ve heard that swimming is easy on the joints – have you considered announcing that you need a jacuzzi for medicinal purposes?