A Spiritually Enlightening Online Magazine. May's Theme: "Interconnectedness"
Volume 6 Issue 4 ISSN# 1708-3265

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Hello everyone. This is my first time as a fitness correspondent with Timeless Spirit Magazine and I wish to thank Aleesha and the staff for allowing me this privilege.

Now let's get down to business.

Do you like to exercise? Can you really commit to either getting up early in the morning, when it's dark and cold and head off to the gym? I mean come on! You have to wait for the car to heat up and then when it's just about heated up, you are at the gym. Then it's out into the cold, dark air again.

Well, if you are like me, then it's not your thing. I did it for a while until I realized I could workout at home. I bought different DVDs and promised myself I would continue to get up early. It would still be dark - but hey - it would be warm, right? I won't have to go anywhere, right? Wrong! Even the best of intentions do not always pan out. I would lay in bed and think, ah, this feels so much better than getting up and working out. I'll do it tomorrow.

Sounds familiar right? I have a desk job and even though I'm sort of on the lazy side of the committed working out regiment. I have incorporated some ways (especially during the winter months) to get up and move it. Like in the movie "Madagascar" where the animals sing, "I like to move it, move it, move it. I like to move it, move it, move it." I am doing that.

For instance, I park in a parking garage. Instead of using the elevator I use the stairs. It's seven flights of nine stairs and then I enter my work building and use the stairs again up to the second floor. I counted my steps one day and it's about 375 from my car to my desk. I do this four times a day - morning, noon (there and back) and evening.

That is one very simple workout to incorporate into your daily lifestyle - walking. I like to mix it up a little so some days I take two stairs at a time or I jog all the way UP to my office. The altitude is thinner up there, so it's hard on my breath! (*laughing*)

Another exercise I do is stretching. While at my desk I stretch every fifteen minutes. I put my arms above my head, straight up, lock my fingers and stretch as high as I can. This feels so good. I also do neck rolls at my desk. Ten in one direction and then another ten in the other direction.

I am always holding my stomach in. The stomach IS a muscle too and it's one we tend to not focus on. Hey, it is way easier to let it just hang than to work it. We work our legs, arms, mouths, eyes; so remember your stomach. If you look around - many folks are heavy in their bellies.

When I'm standing at the copy machine, I do leg lifts. I'll raise my right leg to the right about 10-15 times and then repeat on the other side with the left leg. Sometimes I will do calf-lifts. Just stand up straight and raise up and down on my toes slowly.

I also try to stand quite a bit. If for instance I have filing to do at my desk, sorting of paperwork or any project which I can do while standing, I do.

Another exercise I do at my desk is seated leg lifts. I sit with my back straight. Legs flat on the floor in front of me. I lift first my right leg about 2-4 inches off the floor with the foot perpendicular to the floor and lower slowly. Don't allow your leg to drop down. Control it. Now do it with the left leg. I try to do as many of these as I can throughout the day. WHILE HOLDING IN MY STOMACH! I guarantee you will feel these.

Another inexpensive way of exercising/flushing out toxins? Drink water. Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces a day. You'll be feeding your body much needed fluids and you will also have to get up and walk to the bathroom, where you can do some leg lifts on the toilet! Hahahaha!!! Seriously. Water is VERY good for your body. And readily available. Bring it from home if you don't trust the water supply at your place of employment or school.

I hope these tips will assist you to think of more ways you can change your activity level. You don't even have to leave your chair to do a little arm or leg work.

Look forward to the next installment of easy, inexpensive ways to get up and get moving. It is so very important for your health to get up and move. Look around you. Watch the children. They are constantly moving. Watch your pets and see how they stretch. Humans were meant to move it, move it, move it! We like to move it, move it, move it! So do it, do it, do it!

Lucy Brandt is a active member of Raw Food Talk and absolutely loves the Timeless Spirit Magazine. She joined us as a regular columnist here at Timeless Spirit Magazine in 2009. She immensely enjoys her life with her three fur pals, Dug 'da Pug (who is just a baby boy), Inga (who is a Great Dane in a Yorkie's body), and Emma (who goes with the flow - a wirehaired mini Dachshund). When these three aren't asking for ALL of her attention, she has five grandchildren, all from her daughter. She also spends quality time with her son and his girlfriend and her Mom, who is her best friend. Being a keeper of the forest (meaning total lover of nature) is a much rewarding, time-consuming job for her as well.

Besides holding down two jobs, she enjoys gardening, both indoors and outdoors, bird-watching, day dreaming, and soul searching. In her spare time, which is rare, you can catch her laying in the grass becoming one with Mama Earth.

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