Showing posts with label writing and exercise. Show all posts

Flex Those Writing Muscles

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!

One thing for which I am most recently thankful is I finally got the cast on my foot removed, I’ve been slowly regaining strength in my ankle, and starting in December I can start running again. Yay!

Fun fact about me: I am an athlete. I swim competitively and dabble in triathlons and trail running, so I love being on the go. But the foot cast, followed by a bout of bronchitis, has kept my immobilized the past few weeks. This week, however, I was able to get back to the gym. Sort of.

Flex Your Writing Muscles!

After having so much time off, it is difficult to regain the motivation to exercise every day. My body doesn’t respond to the workouts like it used to. I doubt myself. It’s more comfortable to sit on the couch than go to the pool. Blah, blah, blah with the excuses.

And of course this reminds me of writing. When life gets in the way, and I go for days (weeks?!) without writing creatively, my writing muscles atrophy. So when it’s time to write again, it’s difficult to find the motivation to do it. It doesn’t come as easily as it had when I was writing every day. I doubt myself. It’s more comfortable reading someone else’s writing than producing my own. Blah, blah, blah with the excuses.

What helps – in either the exercise or the writing scenarios – is knowing that it will be difficult and uncomfortable at first, but with a little practice, I’ll ease back into it. My muscles will loosen and strengthen, and I’ll get back into a rhythm.

During the holidays, it’s easy to skip the daily writing and exercise routines in favor of family and friends. So don’t feel (too) guilty if you go for days without writing or exercising. Know it may be a little uncomfortable to get back into it again, but you will. With any luck you’ll feel even stronger and more confident than before because you’ll now know you can overcome a little muscle fatigue.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Writing!

Like the writing AND exercising? Check out the WOW! archives to see more comparisons between writing and exercise in an interview with fitness guru Jillian Michaels.

Written by Anne Greenawalt: writer and athlete.

1 comment Anne Greenawalt, writing and exercise

The Unfit Writer

Thursday, March 26, 2015

No, I’m not talking about my writing ability (I hope, anyway!) I’m talking about the fact that once again, I’ve pulled out my spring clothing to discover that I obviously had my “butt in the chair” just a little too much this winter.

I’ve known it was coming. I would get on the scale occasionally and notice an extra pound here and there. I’d say to myself “I’ll be sure to get back to the gym this week.” Weeks turned into months, and one really bad chest cold that lasted three weeks in February, and before I knew it, I can’t hide behind baggy sweaters and leggings any more.

So this week I’ve decided to embark on a new project, in addition to my writing. And that project is me. I go through this every few years, when I somehow forget that I no longer have the metabolism of a 16-year-old. (Note to 16-year-old Renee: I am so sorry I didn’t appreciate you when I had the chance!)

Here are the steps I’ve already taken:

I’m increasing my water intake. While the Keurig was the best Christmas present I’ve ever received, I blame it for keeping me from drinking the copious amounts of water throughout the day like I used to. So this week, I’m back to refilling my water bottle three or four times a day, while throwing in some extra slices of lemon for good measure. I’ve been in the bathroom a lot, but I’m feeling good.

I’m decreasing my coffee intake. Because of the aforementioned Keurig, I’ve been drinking my two normal cups of coffee from the pot and then making myself coffee from K-cups one or two times in the afternoon. I love my coffee with a lot of cream and sugar, which adds up to a whole lot of extra calories. I’m now sticking to only two cups of coffee in the morning to kick-start my day and drinking a cup of hot tea with only a teaspoon of honey in the afternoon.

I’m doing my best to ditch the comfort/convenience food. Because I’ve been so busy with work the past few months, I’ve fallen into a rut of eating out a lot, gravitating towards the carbs at lunch and dinner and letting the vegetables in the refrigerator rot. I’ve also let my sweet tooth get the best of me. I’ve already hit up the grocery store and am minding my portions, eating only fruits, vegetables, or nuts for snacks in between meals, and cooking more at home. Tonight, my family had tacos and refried beans that I made and I settled for a tossed salad and a baked potato.

I’m exercising again. Luckily I have two dogs that I walk twice a day, but the walks we’ve been taking haven't been enough to combat all the extra calories I’ve been consuming. In addition to the walks, I’ve worked out every day this week, and while I’m sore and tired, I already feel my energy levels picking up. I am planning to get back to the gym tomorrow, but in the past few days I’ve kept my workouts small and manageable at home with strength training exercises and jogging.

Have you fallen into an unfit rut because of work, deadlines, or a big project? How do you bust out of it?

Renee Roberson is an award-winning freelance writer who also works as a blog tour manager for WOW! Women on Writing. Right now she’s still looking for a few hosts for D.A. Russell’s book Lifting the Curtain: The Disgrace We Call Urban High School Education and Scott Keen’s MG/YA fantasy novel Scar of the Downers. Email her at renee [at] wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for more information.

2 comments health and fitness, nutrition, Renee Roberson, writing and exercise, writing habits

How Writers Keep Fit (Suggestions Welcome)

Tuesday, July 01, 2014

It’s hard to believe that the ridiculously adorable eight-pound dog you see there can do so much damage.

She’s ruined a (very nice upholstered) chair, the (somewhat nice) carpet and the (sorta nice) skin on my husband’s arms. Basically, there’s ample reason why she’s called The Reign of Terror.

However, there is one redeeming grace to The Reign of Terror. She gets my husband up and out of his office about 27 times a day. For a fellow who used to sit for hours on end, this movement strikes me as a heart-healthy alternative.

I, on the other hand, have found myself sitting for longer and longer periods every day. And I’ve also found that by the end of the day, I’m stiff and sore and my bones and back are creakin’.

For years, I’ve managed to fit exercise into my daily routine. Running after three kids? Check. Up and down in teeny-tiny chairs, caring for preschoolers? Check. Walking miles of halls, patrolling middle schoolers? Check. I’ve pretty much had running, walking, bending, stretching and twisting covered for most of my life. Until now.

Now, I sit.

Oh, occasionally I’ll get in walking when I’m running errands. And I climb the stairs to get to my office. But honestly, if I could find a way to install a dumbwaiter, I wouldn’t have to go ALL THE WAY DOWNSTAIRS to eat lunch.

And before you think, geez, Cathy, how lazy can you get? It’s not laziness (Okay, it’s a little bit of laziness). But mostly, it’s writing. It’s getting into the zone and not wanting to stop. It’s the drive to keep going because I know that if I lose the plot thread now, I may never get it back. It’s the primal need to feed the writing beast. More, more, more, my brain shouts and my fingers take off with a mind of their own. By the time I come up for air, it's time for supper. A very late supper.

I cannot be the only one out there who struggles with fitting exercise into the writing lifestyle. It’s a necessary part of the business, this butt-in-chair discipline. But I’m betting that there are writers who’ve come up with solutions to this problem. Unfortunately, short of taking over the duties of the Reign of Terror (and really, I couldn’t possibly deny my husband that pleasure), I’m at a loss.

So I thought I’d ask you to share your exercise advice. Do you set a timer? Do you drink a ton of water? Do you train puppies? What? What do you do?

My aching back wants to know your tips. And I might even stop writing long enough to try a few.

~Cathy C. Hall

14 comments Cathy C. Hall, exercise, writing and exercise

Work Exercise into Your Day with a Treadmill Desk

Sunday, September 30, 2012

If you are like me, you’d rather write than do all kinds of other things like dishes, laundry and exercise. That said, I know that I feel better when I work walking into my day. To make this easier, my husband built me a treadmill desk.

You’ve probably already guessed by the name alone, but a treadmill desk is simply a treadmill combined with a desk. My husband made my desk by clamping a shelf onto the treadmill’s side-rails. This shelf is the home for my cordless keyboard, the volume control for my speakers and a towel. Hint: as you increase your speed the towel becomes important. The treadmill is positioned in front of a set of shelves that is home to my monitor and speakers.

Where is my computer? Upstairs in my office. A splitter and a cable feed in the basement ceiling mean that a monitor in my office and the monitor at the treadmill show the same display. I can leave my office and go downstairs and all I have to take with me is my water glass.

I’ve only had the treadmill desk for a few weeks, but I am definitely getting more exercise. Instead of walking two or three times a week, I am averaging five times a week and am walking for longer periods. My energy level and focus are up and so is my word count.

The downside? This will come as no surprise to those who know me well. I am very uncoordinated. I’m really not comfortable typing and walking. This means that so far I am limiting my treadmill desk use to reading blog posts. That may not sound like much, but with 50 individual blogs including several news feeds going into Google Reader, this makes for between 30 and 60 minutes of reading and walking per day.

My shortcomings aside, there are writers who actually manage to write on their treadmill desks. This includes the Muffin’s very own Darcy Pattison, Joelle Anthony and Arthur Slade.

Not that I consider my experience a failure. I’ve found a solid way to work more exercise into my writing day and I’m actually eager to get to it every morning. Not bad for someone who would rather be writing.

–SueBE

Author Sue Bradford Edwards blogs from the desk in her office at One Writer's Journey.

9 comments exercise, writing and exercise

The Writer's Diet OR How to Balance With Writing, Food and Exercise

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

If you're like most writers, you made a list of goals/resolutions/promises for 2012. You'll stop procrastinating, establish a daily writing routine, and cash in on those paychecks.

Like 40 - 45 percent of most Americans, you also made a list of goals/resolutions/promises for your personal life. You'll eat healthy food, take a class, exercise more.

But in your quest for balance between real life and the writing life, did you think about how those two lists mesh? How do you find balance between writing life and reality, especially when it comes to diet and exercise?

If you're concerned that the battle of the bulge may beat out the battle of words, thanks to the butt-in-chair nature of writing, here are a few tips to implement in your writing routine:

Bypass bloaters. Sip soda? Chew gum? Add artificial sweeteners to food and drink? Chewing gum may help you concentrate, and a soda may provide refreshing relief, but foods high in sodium or sugar, and carbonated beverages make you gassy. Avoid these misplaced modifiers of the food world.
Consume veggies. If you're like me, you would probably prefer to reach for a candy bar, but that short sugar high wears off. One of my resolutions is to keep fresh veggies on hand and reach for a handful of carrots or green pepper slices for a mid-afternoon snack. Since they are fiber-rich foods, you'll feel fuller for a longer period.
Exercise more. Ah, here's the rub. What does 'more' mean? I'm going to try to break my writing day down so I take a break after 90 minutes of writing and exercise for 15. It may be a brisk walk or I may work out along side my favorite trainers on a "Biggest Loser" DVD, but the bottom line is that I'm getting out of the chair and moving.
Nosh on protein. A small amount of protein with every meal and snack stabilizes blood sugar levels and reduces hunger pains. My favorite: yogurt or a handful of almonds. Beats a decadent piece of dessert every time.
Track what you eat. Sure, here's one more thing to write down, but tracking meals, snacks, and drinks makes you accountable and lets you see eating patterns (translate: bad habits).