While I’ve long believed in the power of simple health habits when practiced consistently, I’ve spent a lot of my life choosing more complex paths to health – especially when it comes to physical activity.
For about 6 years, the bulk of my health-related choices revolved around marathons. While marathon training can be fairly simple given running is the primary workout and minimal gear is required, it does take a good amount of time to stay healthy, especially if performance-based goals are being chased. I was lucky enough to share most of the training miles and 15 marathons with very dear friends of mine, which added the value of connection. In addition to running, I made a point to hit the gym and yoga classes a few days a week. While I enjoyed it all and it certainly paid dividends on race days, it was not feasible for me to maintain such a training regimen when I found out I was pregnant and immediately opted to stop training for Boston. Nor was it something I wanted to continue when fatigue, trouble sleeping, headaches, metallic taste and all-day nausea set in.
Initially, I tried to continue running at least 3-5 miles, 3-4 days a week. It wasn’t long until I realized I felt worse on the days I ran and was struggling to get through the work day. After a good deal of thinking and finally accepting that running was not enjoyable for me in this season of life, I decided to trade in my early morning workouts for an early start at work.
I’m very fortunate and grateful my job is flexible. I’ve been working from 0630-1500 most days and getting my physical activity in after dinner. I typically go for a brisk walk or do a light weight workout at home if it’s raining. I’ve been enjoying the BabyFit by Amy workouts. I also have been working in yoga when I can, lately from SarahBeth Yoga – she has a few prenatal options. Seeing these women pregnant in their videos help me feel comfortable knowing the workouts are safe for Baby J and me.
I’ve really grown to look forward to, and enjoy, my evening strolls. If I’m not lucky enough to have the company of George or a good friend, I enjoy listening to random podcasts or music or simply being with my own thoughts. It’s been neat slowing down to notice different things in our neighborhood and also chat with friends and neighbors.
While my workouts are much lower in intensity and duration, I still feel healthy, strong and fit. My weight gain has been gradual and steady, right on target. I don’t miss the gym at all. I’m even okay with taking a break from running, I just miss the built-in time with my friends.
I’m grateful I was pushed to take a step back and examine my mindset related to physical activity. Just as with eating, I think we’ve made physical fitness more complicated than it needs to be. I’ve thought a lot about my late Great Grandmother. She never adhered to an exercise regimen and she maintained a healthy body and weight that allowed her to live independently well into her 90s. While genes certainly may have played a role, I do believe the old school methods of making food from scratch and taking care of your home without hiring help or resorting to energy saving devices can have great health benefits. Unfortunately, it seems the norm today is to lean heavily on processed foods or dining out and hiring crews to take care of our lawns and clean our homes to free up time for things like hitting the gym or working longer hours. While not true for everyone, it seems as though some of us may be adding unnecessary steps by taking such “shortcuts.” For we may be resorting to the gym in attempt to “undo” poor food choices and make up for opportunities to be physically active that we have sold off. In addition to health consequences, frequent dining out, hiring labor and gym fees all add to our expenses and can feed the vicious circle by prompting us to spend more of our time at work to cover the added bills.
Pregnancy has taught me a lot. I’ve come to believe prescribed and rigid workouts may only be necessary if we’re choosing to take “shortcuts” or are training for a specific athletic endeavor. While I won’t be ditching my washer to hand wash clothes, I do believe we can simplify our lives and reap health and financial gains by incorporating some of the old school methods and making the choice to be physically active each day. Whether you have 15 minutes or an hour, go for it – something is better than nothing and will help you maintain your momentum. In addition to discipline, the key is to include what you like, whether it’s walking, biking, dancing, online workout videos or even hitting the gym – there are so many options. If we choose joyful activity, it’s easier to say yes to it each day. If you’re able to share the time with loved ones or friends a few times a week, even better. Long, intense, complicated workouts are not required for health and wellness if we’re putting the time and effort into making wise food choices and moving our bodies everyday.