Good news...

Speaking for myself, the early part of this week is all about cooking and cleaning.  People are coming!  I love that, but there is no way I am going to let them see what the bathroom ends up looking like when I procrastinate on the housework.  The good news is that standing (and I defy you all if you think cooking can be done sitting down) is healthy for us.  The better news is that running up and down the stairs while cleaning and, um, hiding things in closets counts as exercise.  Yes, I will probably work out—it is good for my stress levels—but if I don’t manage to spend quality time with my spin bike, I’m not going to freak out about it.

My point?  Holidays can be full.  There are the good things to be full of (hiya sweet potato pie!) and the less good things (existential angst, family drama, bad green bean casserole).  We get to choose what we fill up on.  We want to be happy and healthy.  If that means we get our sweat in while cleaning the kitchen, that’s great!  If we need a break from relatives, we can get that on a bike ride or a run around the neighborhood.  Even if we make all the wrong choices (Sure, Uncle Steve, I’d love to discuss politics!  Of course, Grandma, I want a piece of all five kinds of pie!), the holiday is just one day.  We get to make new choices every single day.

Do what makes you less stressed.

Monday Workout: Rope Therapy

In the lead-up to the holidays, some of us feel a certain amount of stress.  This week’s workout to the rescue!  There is nothing quite a therapeutic as slamming things into the ground and we don’t get in trouble when it is battle ropes!  Most of the exercises this week are about upper body, so your arms might not like me very much, but if we keep ourselves in our semi-squat while we’re working the ropes, our legs will feel like they’ve been doing their fair share.  And, of course, we work our abs the whole time.  Three rounds!

rope double slams	30
bench press	20
lateral raise	10
rope alternating slams	30
flies	20
curls	10
rope circles	30
rows	20
brains	10

Not just for kids

I named my studio Recess on purpose.  I believe that fitness should be as much fun as possible, that it should be a break from the relentless pressure of life.  Adults have forgotten that a lot of the things we tell kids are good ideas for ourselves as well.  Here are a few:

• Go outside.  I was out running errands and I saw some kids playing in the park, just running around with a ball on the grass.  There were some supervising adults around somewhere who were doubtless going to herd the kids back to some other sort of activity eventually, but the joy was visible from far away.  Especially in this dark time of year, we need to remember to go outside when it is light whenever we can, even if it is just a quick walk around the block at lunch time.

• Go play.  Don’t go work.  Don’t go work out.  Go play.  With a ball or a frisbee or a game you make up on the spot with two sticks and a Koosh ball.  Is the hallway empty at work?  See if you can hop on one foot the whole way along.  Do the other foot on the way back.  It’s good for your brain and your body.

• Take a nap.  Feeling cranky?  Even fifteen minutes with your eyes closed can help revitalize the afternoon.

• Have a snack.  Another possible reason for that crankiness could be that you’re hungry.  And no, that doesn’t mean you can hit the vending machine for a candy bar.  Try a handful of nuts or some veggies and dip or cheese and crackers.

• Turn off the television/video game/computer/screen.  Enough is enough.  Give your brain a break and your body some movement.

• Go play with your friends.  We all need to connect.  Kids shouldn’t get all the playdates.

Let’s do it.