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"Health
is real wealth, not
pieces of gold and silver"
Mohandas Gandhi
Staying
Strong in a Weak Economy
It’s
scary out there. You need only turn
on the news or glance at a newspaper
to get a bad case of recession depression.
All too often, our knee-jerk reaction
is to treat anxiety with a gallon
of ice cream, white wine or both,
but here’s an alternative.
Why not channel all that nervous
energy and, if applicable, free
time toward taking your fitness
level to an all-time high?
The
economy may be weak, feeble and
anemic, but you don’t have
to be. If you haven’t already,
try physical activity as your coping
mechanism of choice. Exercise is
a proven stress reducer, builds
resilience and increases confidence.
These benefits are always desirable,
but become even more so when you
are looking for a job, trying keep
your business afloat or working
in a competitive job market.
Getting
and staying fit doesn’t have
to cost an arm and a leg, either.
Here are some ideas to stay lean
during lean times:
- Get
out!
Who decided we needed machines
to walk, run and climb stairs?
We are especially fortunate in
Marin to have beautiful surroundings;
great weather (for the most part)
and varied terrain. Hike, walk,
bike or run with friends, with
music, and with appreciation of
our beautiful county. The cost:
At most, you’ll need a new
pair of shoes.
- Why
Weight?
Weight training is important,
especially as we get older. Fortunately,
light free weights and rubber
tubing are versatile, inexpensive
and easily stored out of sight
in your home. Even better, gravity
and your own body weight work
well, too. Push-ups, dips, squats,
lunges and crunches require no
equipment whatsoever and are both
effective and functional.
- A
Class Act.
Taking fitness classes offered
by your local park and recreation
department is both fun and inexpensive.
Check out the offerings in their
regular mailings or on line. You
can attend many of them on a drop-in
basis, so if you don’t want
to commit to an entire series
right away, you can try a sampling
of classes. Drop-in rates are
slightly higher, but overall,
the costs are still quite reasonable.
- Stay
flexible. Flexibility is required
to adapt to changing times. Your
body needs to remain flexible,
too, and yoga is a great way to
move in this direction. It’s
also a terrific way to manage
stress. Many park districts offer
yoga classes, and if you do belong
to a health club, yoga classes
are often included in your membership.
There are also a variety of DVDs
for both beginners and long-time
yogis, to lead you in your own
home.
- Keep
your trainer or think about sharing
one. Personal
training may seem an extravagance,
but this isn’t necessarily
so. The economic downturn has
encouraged many of us to look
for maximum value for our dollars.
But time is valuable, too. Whether
you’re a beginner or a seasoned
fitness buff, a trainer can help
you get the biggest bang for the
buck during your workouts.
To make personal training more
affordable, the popularity of
partner- and small-group training
is growing rapidly. When you join
forces with a friend or group
of friends and share the cost,
working with a trainer becomes
quite reasonable and a lot of
fun, too. Partner- and small-group
training are available in health
clubs, but there are independent
trainers who will come to your
home for small-group training,
as well. Instead of getting together
for a cup of coffee with friends
at the kitchen table, think about
sharing a workout, instead!
Now
more than ever, it’s important
to take responsibility for the things
we can control, and taking care
of ourselves is an important example.
It’s also time to focus on
what is truly important in life.
In the words of Mohandas Gandhi:
It is health that is real
wealth and not pieces of gold and
silver.
To
Your Health and Fitness,
415-847-2895
LinIvice@MarinHomeFit.com
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