It's that time of year again. The darkness has set in and the holiday cookies are everywhere. We are not out and about hitting the beach or throwing the ball around in the backyard. We are holed up in our houses eating cookies and watching "Elf" for the 90th time. There has been a lot written about exercise affecting your mood, increasing your sero-something levels and giving you that famed "runners high". Given all the research out there on this and the benefits of exercise, you would think people would be hitting the gym as much as possible. Somehow, for many people, exercise is something still viewed as a chore. For artists and crafters, we spend long periods hunched over our work in concentration, then go to craft shows and spend long hours sitting in a chair (although setting up and taking down your display is a workout and never let anyone tell you different!). With jobs, kids, and the many other responsibilities we have, exercise seems to just be another thing we "just don't have time" for. I have noticed that exercise programs. like diets, seem to follow trends. The south beach and paleo diet seem to be poular, alongside the spin and zumba classes. Here is my advice of today, though: just find your own path and don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Exercise is important, but more imporatant than what exercise you choose to do is just getting out there and doing something. If you have a dog, this should be easy. Every dog will treat a meager stroll around the block as the highlight of the entire day. So get out there and walk your dog, even on colder days (although I'll admit to skipping this one more recently as icy conditions have set in). If. like me, the thought of riding around on a stationary bike for an hour in a group class sounds dismal, then do something else (I mean no offense to spin classes, or spin class instructors, everyone needs to find their own path). I do believe what they say about exercise affecting your mood. If I haven't had time to do anything else, spinning my hula hoop around in the basement and working up a sweat for twenty minutes will work wonders to chase my glum mood away. Practicing my shimmy while cooking dinner will do the same (which may explain why I tend to overcook things). I have been attracted to belly dance and hoop dance because they are creative forms of exercise and always provide new challenges and goals to shoot for, which keep me motivated. That, however, is me. Everyone has their own path and my advice is to truly find what you like to do and just do it. Bike riding, dance, skateboarding, hula hooping, kickboxing, walking, prancercisizing, dance walking, rollerblading, shooting hoops, spin classes, zumba, crossfit, and on and on. I can not even begin to list the possibilities. Just find something that you like to do. Dance in your living room. It will make you feel better, I promise. It can be formal programs like at the gym, or just trying to walk for a little bit each day. I have even brought my hula hoop to exercise on Main St. while my daughter was taking art classes (for more on this see my last blog on not caring so much about what others think of you). Whatever you choose to do, just do it!
