A Single Step
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step –
Chinese Proverb
Yesterday, my dog got more steps than I did*. Since the
start of the global pandemic, my world has shrunk as has my step count. Climbing
two flights of stairs to my office has been replaced by the ten steps from my
kitchen to home office. I could always count on higher steps on a grocery
shopping day, but even that has been replaced by delivery. My sons’ soccer
games have been replaced by drills in the front yard so now the steps from my
car to the field (and the subsequent pacing of a goalie mom) are no more.
Bottom line, I move a lot less than I used to,
So how to keep moving in this stressful time with gyms closed
and all of us sticking closer to home? First, find a form of exercise you love
(or at least, don’t hate) and second, to quote friend and fitness coach
Kristine Olesen, “something is better than nothing”.
I finally found exercise that I love when my kids were
little, and I heard about Kristine’s “Mommy Bootie Camp”. I’d bring my toddler
and preschooler to play on the sidelines with the other kids while the moms did
a class that mixed aerobic exercise with resistance training, set to upbeat
music. Interruptions were frequent but working out without having to worry
about childcare was a dream. In recent years, she started posting classes
online and I became one of her “laptop workout warriors” from my living room
(curtains firmly closed).
Kristine posts a new class every week. You provide a mat (a towel will do) and
weights (two bottles of water will suffice.) You can purchase the classes one
at a time or pay monthly and access every class in her library. Download a
class on your laptop and it’s yours to revisit forever. But, or as Kristine
would say, butt, she has a free beginner series (links below), a great
place to start.
Which brings me to my second point, something is better than
nothing. Add a first or second walk around your neighborhood to your day. Or
find an engrossing audiobook and walk twice as far. Do a plank for 20 seconds
every morning. Find a 6-minute workout app you like. Instead of a Zoom meeting,
connect with coworkers on the phone while you walk outside. Or take an even
bigger step and download the Couch to 5k app. You begin by running one minute
at a time. And there are plenty of virtual 5Ks, many with a charity component,
to do at your own pace (see here). Whatever works. If you’re interested in
Mommy Bootie Camp, Kristine offers three complementary 15-minute videos. Start
small, and take it from there. Or try one song from any of her workouts. Three minutes
can make a difference.
Some days are better than others. Give yourself grace, but
also show up. I’m trying. And maybe on my next walk around the block, I won’t
bring my dog..
*Apparently being stuck inside for three and a half months can lead to internet shopping, hence we now own a doggie step counter.
Mommy Bootie Camp (MBC) links:
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