Fitness Challenge Update

Hi, gals! I pray that you had a blessed Easter. I was on vacation over Easter break and did not have internet access, so I am just getting the opportunity to send an email your way. How is your fitness program going? If you haven’t had time to do all of the different activities, or if you have not been able to do as many reps as you want, please don’t get discouraged or give up. With Sabre 12’s, for example, make yours Sabre 3’s, 5’s or 7’s, whatever you need to. If 55 jumping jacks a day seem overwhelming, try 19 before each meal. And don’t forget that “incidental exercise”, which is what I have had a great deal of lately.

I love active vacations, and we went on a snow skiing trip. I love exercising when it doesn’t feel like exercise. Part of our vacation was spent at a resort that had two indoor waterslides. We had to walk up three stories of stairs to go down the slides, and one night we went 27 times, which meant we climbed 81 stories worth of stairs (kudos to Serah and the 27 Dresses movie which gave us the inspiration!). My point is that it is so important to take care of yourself and have good health and fitness so you can enjoy activities with your family. And you’re never too young or too old to start. I snow skied for the first time at age 21 and did not go again until age 38 (years of raising wee ones in between). When it comes to fitness, one size does not fit all. And we all have a few sizes in our closets! Wouldn’t it be nice if a size fit the same at every store? Right now I wear clothes in four different sizes. So don’t get hung up on the size, because manufacturers aren’t consistent anyway; buy what fits you well. If you don’t like the size tag, just cut it out!

I have another exercise that I want to share. I like that it targets my hips, thighs, and bum. It’s one I call doggies-- yes, doggies. You know how a dog lifts its leg to go to the bathroom? Yup, that’s it. You get the picture. Get down on all fours, on your hands and knees. I would venture to say that this is an exercise best not done in public. Keeping your back level like a table and not arching up or down, slowly raise your left leg up, keeping the knee bent, until your leg is level like a tabletop. Hold that position for a moment, and then lower your leg. Repeat with the same leg. Do as many reps as you can; I do 10-12. Then do the right leg. If you can, do another set. Stretch out between sides if you need to (I like the pretzel stretch). Another variation of this exercise is where you straighten your leg out to the side and lift it straight up to flat, tabletop level, pause and then lower, doing a series of reps on the same leg before moving to the other side. Whenever I do the straight leg version I think of the song Disco Inferno, because boy does it burn baby burn!

Well, now that I am back home and on my laptop, you’ll have to put up with more of my babbling in the near future. I know you are trying; keep up the good work! Have a great weekend. It is supposed to be a beautiful day Saturday. Get out and get some incidental exercise! Blessings —Suzanne.