As I’ve mentioned in more than one post on this blog, I don’t like exercise for the point of exercise. Walking from point a to point b because it’s the best way to get there? Sure! Taking the stairs? Heck yes – saves time! Carrying the groceries an extra hundred yards or so? I’m for it – means I probably found a shady parking spot!
But riding a bicycle for an hour without leaving the gym? That feels pointless and dismal to me. Climbing into a contraption designed to isolate one set of muscles moving in one particular direction and then working those muscles in that direction until it hurts to do the things life requires of me? That’s just not logical or efficient.
That said, I know I need the exercise. My lifestyle as a fundraiser/non-profit administrator/dad of three doesn’t exactly provide the level of physical exertion human males evolved to need for optimal long-term health. In other words, as I lean into my mid-forties, I understand that I need to be more aware of creating healthy muscle-mass than I was twenty years ago. And I know lean muscle mass burns calories faster than flab. Not to mention the cardiovascular benefits of aerobic exercise.
Sooo … I know I need to build exercise into my day, and I know that exercise needs to be the kind that I can make part of my life, not just something I do for a few months and then ease out of. Two-hour gym visits need not apply. And yes, by the time I drive to a gym, change, warm up, resistance train, cardio train, cool down, shower, dress and go back to work/home, I’ve used two hours.
Here’s where I’ll start: Push-ups, sit-ups and some stretches. Ends up being about 15 minutes out of the day (start-to-finish, assuming I take time to, you know, breathe), and I can fit it into any part of the day – if I get up before everyone else, that’s great, but if one of the sprightly daughters decides 4:30 AM is the right time to start the day, I’ll find another part of the day to make it happen. Starting tomorrow.
Then – and I haven’t figured this part out logistically yet – I’ll add in a half-hour walk (which is actually at least 45 minutes, start-to-finish) at least four days a week. Yes, more would be better. Would you like to see my schedule? In about three more pounds I’ll start accelerating parts of that walk to a run and eventually it will become a full half-hour run at least four days a week. I hate running, but when I was running regularly I always enjoyed having run.
I’d really like to add-in some sport or another (“sport” being loosely defined to possibly include golf, but not so loosely as to include driving my car) a time or two a week, but every sport I know of will take longer than I can reasonably commit with a newborn in the house. We’ll see how the “sporting” segment develops. By the time all three of my daughters are teenagers at once I’ll need a hobby like golf. Which leaves me a good decade to prepare, but it’s never too early to start.
Will keep you updated, as always, constant reader.
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Tomorrow: Why does convenient, highly-processed “food” make me crave more convenient, highly-processed “food?”
Skipping Dessert 
Posted by Laurel on June 23, 2011 at 11:31 am
Yes, going to the gym is so time-consuming! I walk the dogs almost every day but crave something more… will be interested to see how your plan goes! And congrats on Kennedy!
Posted by hlward on June 23, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Thanks Laurel – and thanks for reading!
Posted by Amy on June 24, 2011 at 12:55 pm
I’ve always been amazed at new mothers’ wicked triceps. I wonder, if you started bench-pressing Kennedy now, every day, if you could still life her when she’s a teenager?
Of course, that would mean she’d hate you…but it would be a fun thing to see at Thanksgiving.
Posted by hlward on June 24, 2011 at 2:55 pm
Baby carriers + long lines = world’s greatest biceps workout. Every now and then I pick up Resli and Lela at the same time and walk around, which makes everybody happy … but I haven’t figured out how to carry all three of them at once.