Come Walk with Me

Do you need motivation to exercise?

By Annette Beach

The national news recently reported, “If women want to avoid gaining weight as they age, they must exercise one hour every day.”

Excuse me, but what happened to the 30 minute, three times per week routine? Raising the bar from 90 minutes to seven hours per week – every week – lacks desire and motivation in my book!

If you follow my blogs then you know I’m on a quest to improve my overall health and wellbeing in order to avoid the common illnesses we face as we age. As much as it hurts to admit, “I’ve reached THAT age,” it’s equally important for me to take responsibility for my eating and exercise habits.

Having arthritis, it’s easy for me to justify not being able to follow through with an exercise program. Regardless of my good intensions to get fit and stay that way, I am guilty (and without fault) of allowing arthritis to dictate the days when I can and cannot physically move.

I, too, become a victim to the dictatorship of Arthur. As hard as it is for some to comprehend, there really are days when the grip of arthritis takes hold and movement is next to impossible. Often, the strikes come without warning, making absolutely no sense or justification for the limitations and degrees of pain. The days following are then filled with anxiety and concerns about starting again, pushing too hard, causing further injury, etc., trumping any and all expectations or self-motivation for a healthier lifestyle.

Whether you have a chronic illness or you’re as healthy as a person can be, when it comes to exercise, do you lack the ability to get started or stay motivated? What does it take for you to get up and move? Would a companion be helpful (someone to make/keep you accountable)?

If you need a friend, come walk with me. We can walk together using cyberspace as our common ground, posting goals, accomplishments, tools, comments and frustrations. Sharing workout methods, exercise routines, tips for eating better and being accountable to one and other, as understanding partners, could be a fun way to get fit.

A few weeks ago, in my blog, “Walking,” I asked for suggestions or recommendations about arthritis-friendly DVD’s. Receiving multiple e-mails, I’ve checked out a few and found the overall idea is to “keep moving” regardless of the routine. Focusing on the cardio workout, while keeping the heart rate up is the key to fitness and avoiding the ailments that accompany aging.

In addition, every program had to be adjusted to meet my personal abilities, which was a fun challenge. Letting out a ridiculous laugh when the instructor’s peppy voice told me to reach for the sky, followed by the harsh words I shouted at the TV because of the impossible expectations, did nothing for my arms, but it did expand my lungs while my feet kept moving! That in itself was motivating because it proved I could pass the talking while walking test. The talking while walking test is a simple way to see if you’re overexerting yourself. Simply talk out loud, sing or recite a poem while you walk. If you can't speak comfortably without gasping or taking harsh breaths, then you are working too hard and you must slow down! Over time, you will find you can exert yourself harder and for longer durations and still be able to talk. This can be used as a gage for setting goals and is a way to measure your progress.

Periodically, I’ll return to this blog to report on my progress. I will also attach this link to future blogs as a reminder and for accountability. If you feel motivated to post, I welcome your comments and look forward to walking with you!