Can We Talk About the "E" Word?

And, yes, I mean EXERCISE! In the last blog I called it the "dreaded 'E' word". Dread is how I used to think of exercise. Anything and everything you read about diet, health and fitness will inevitably stress how important exercise is. I used to read those things and groan at the mere sight of the word. Most fitness experts advise finding an activity you enjoy so you'll be more likely to stick with it. Being one of the most unathletic klutzes on the planet, I was never able to pinpoint an "activity" I liked, much less enjoyed. All that has changed and "dread" has become delight. I LOVE to workout!

When I first began to implement my healthy resolves, (remember - I promised the Lord I would eat healthy foods in healthy amounts and incorporate healthy activity into my life) I began walking at a nearby park. I'd take the munchkins and let them ride their bikes around the track while I walked (or play on the soccer field within my eyesight). It worked pretty well and all three of us enjoyed the fresh air but it was quite a hassle to load two four year olds and their bicycles into the car and drive to the park. I wasn't doing it nearly often enough or walking nearly long enough to be of much physical benefit. Then Fall turned into Winter and it became more and more difficult to find favorable weather conditions that coincided with my available time. By February, though I was steadily losing weight, exercise was not a vital part of my life.

Ladies, this was a MISTAKE. One I wish I had not made. Because I was not exercising, as I lost body weight, I lost muscle as well as fat. In Bob Greene's book, The Best Life Diet, he actually suggests increasing your activity levels for the first four weeks without changing your eating habits at all! That gives your metabolism a good "jump start" for when you begin to cut back on the amount of food you eat. (So, heed the sound advice and exercise from the very beginning!)

One day in late February, I was cleaning out a cabinet and came across a couple of VHS tapes I had bought years ago (on my oldest daughter's recommendation) and never even taken one of them out of their wrapper. Without a doubt, finding them was one of those "divine appointments" God is so good at orchestrating. They were Leslie Sansone's Walk the Walk exercise tapes for "in home walking". I was very skeptical as to how walking in place could be much benefit. Ahh ... but the workouts are SO much more than that! God has used them to absolutely revolutionize how I feel about exercise. I can't recommend them highly enough!

Leslie Sansone has been a fitness expert for more than 20 years and has many videos and books available. The Walk the Walk series (that I have) was produced in 2002 and is an "inspirational" series that is set to Christian music. On them (and all her walking videos) she uses four basic and easy moves: simply walking in place, lateral side steps, knee lifts and kicks. She couples them with equally easy arm movements that end up giving all your muscle groups a workout during the alloted 1 or 2 mile sequence. Leslie herself is so positive and upbeat as a leader, so encouraging and affirming as an instructor, that she really keeps you motivated. I often find myself remembering something she's said long after my workout is over.

The best part is that her workouts don't require any special equipment and you can do them any time - morning, noon or night - without ever leaving your house. I've found I can stick supper in the oven to cook and go do my workout ... or I can change over a load of laundry and go workout while it dries. The convenience is WONDERFUL! I've ordered some of her other tapes (or DVD's) online from www.lesliesansonevideos.com and found them reasonably priced and punctually shipped. (They are actually distributed on that site through a company called Fitness, Etc.)

Leslie has a new book recently released called Walking the Walk (also Christian based) that comes with a DVD for a half mile and 2 mile walk (I think). I've seen it at LifeWay and Christian Books Distributor (www.christianbook.com) but don't own it. If some of you have it, comment and let us know what it's like, okay?

The first Walk the Walk video has two complete workouts on it: a 1 mile (which takes about 20 minutes) and a 2 mile (which takes about 40 minutes). Those times may sound a little slow to you for a 1 or 2 mile walk but the workouts begin with a slow warm up and end with a cool down recovery time and stretching exercises.... so good for your muscles! When I first began, I could hardly do the 1 mile walk. I definitely couldn't do all the moves at the right pace. For the first two weeks I did only the 1 mile walk, but I did it six days each week. The third and fourth weeks I added the 2 mile walk a couple of times each week. There were some of the functional fitness moves that I felt like a total spaz trying to do when I first began. Now I do them with the grace of a ballerina. Well, maybe not that graceful ... but you get my drift. GRIN!

I'm going to share some personal body information here so if there are any male readers, you may want to skip this paragraph. I just thought this data might serve as encouragement and/or incentive for some of you girls. When I first got serious about exercise and started doing Leslie's workouts, I had already lost nearly 40 pounds. However, I still had a roll of fat in my midriff and tummy that really troubled me. (Now, it's mostly just loose skin that at my age probably won't ever completely tighten up; but back then it was still a pretty sizable fat deposit.) That first month, without changing anything I was already doing in regard to my eating, just by adding the exercise; I lost 1/2" in my bust, 1 1/2" in my midriff, 1" in my waist, 2" in my tummy, and 1" in my hips. I've continued to lose inches each month.

One thing Leslie says on almost every workout video and I can attest to it being unequivocal truth is: "The more you sit, the more you want to sit. The more you move, the more you want to move." This former couch potato is now a perpetual motion machine .... And my body thanks me for it. GRIN! I used to wake up every morning of my life with a backache. I nagged Roy constantly about us needing a new mattress. Now my back NEVER hurts. I have so much energy I'm absolutely astounded by it some days. I feel 10 years younger than I did this time last year!

The second video in the Walk the Walk series is called Firm Walk and is divided into three sections. It utilizes hand weights (any size you select) for upper body exercises like: bicep curls, tricep kick-backs, one arm rows, lateral lifts, etc. Great exercises and her instructions are EXCELLENT for those of us unfamiliar with working with weights. The second section for lower body uses ankle weights and are standing exercises that involve: squats, lunges, and leg movements that work all the muscle groups in each leg. The third part for abdominal muscles is done on the floor and involves variations of the simple ab curl. It is a wonderful workout and I try to do it at least twice a week.

I also love her Walk Away the Pounds Express videos (1, 2 & 3 mile workouts) though they don't have Christian music. They utilize a stretchy band (like is used in yoga exercises) that really goes deep into the muscle layers. It's a good variation.

One of the best things about all of Leslie's workouts, to me, is they are not exhausting. They are energizing and stress relieving like you wouldn't believe. I find myself actually SMILING while I'm working out and feeling refreshed when I've finished.

You may have to make some major adjustments to your schedule to make time for exercise. I sure did! But let me promise you - whatever it takes - it is WORTH it! Why don't you ask Abba to be your personal trainer and see what He tells you to do first.