A Writer's Workout Routine

I don't go to the gym. I don't have a personal trainer and I don't have a collection of hi-tech workout equipment. But, I'm a writer, which means I'm kind of odd, yet creative. So, I developed a workout routine that was tailor made for the life of a writer. I'm also horrible about schedules, which is why my workout routine is based on strategic placement of exercise equipment and methods I can do while I work.

Laughing my stomach away: One of my problem areas is my stomach. I'm 37 and I gave birth almost 10 years ago. I developed a habit of slouching while I work. These things combine and come down to one basic fact. Gravity is not my friend. Since I hate sit ups and never really saw results from them when I actually forced myself to do them, I knew that wasn't going to be the key. Instead, I do stomach crunches as I work and I sit on a stability ball instead of a chair. This forces me to balance myself and also makes me move around more. I literally felt the results within days. One other thing I do is laugh a lot. Laughing isn't just good for the soul. If you've ever had one of those belly busting laughs-and I hope you have, you'll know they aren't called belly busters for nothing.

Trampoline time: I have a small trampoline that has straps for doing various exercises. I keep this in the living room so I can use it when I need to think or when I'm watching a movie. I jog on it for as long as is comfortable for me and my aching knees, which is better than not at all. I use the straps that are attached to work my arms and upper body area by pulling them over my head and pulling the strap to the opposite side of the trampoline.

Creative cleaning: I'm not going to sing up for an aerobics class to get my blood pumping. I don't want to spend money on something I'd rather do at home. I also don't use videos because I don't want to watch some totally in shape woman bouncing around like she just got an injection of caffeine. Instead, I clean. While I'm cleaning, I'm speed walking and doing my stomach crunches. It's not hard to multitask this as I carry items from one room to the other or scrub something. When I am cleaning in one place, I'm working the muscles that I use as I clean. For example, when I clean the bath tub and I'm on my knees, I'm flexing my legs and scrubbing very fast, whether it needs it or not. It really doesn't matter how I get the blood flowing, as long as I do it. Why not get the house clean at the same time?

Leg lifts and conversation: If I happen to be sitting and chatting with one of my friends, I do some leg exercises. My friends know that my knees bother me so they probably just assume I'm easing the ache out of them since I tend to massage them as I exercise. I concentrate on the muscles of my legs as I straighten them and bend them.

Getting out and about: When the weather is nice, I like to ride my bike. It not only gives me exercise, but allows me to be out in a world that isn't virtual. For days that aren't so nice, I sometimes walk laps around my building after dinner.

Write the Weight Off: Part of my workout routine includes a site that I administer and have the pleasure of working with fellow writers on. We each write about our progress one day a week. For me, reading about their progress or writing about my own is my cue to get up and get moving. It's incredibly encouraging to have people comment on your progress or to see the efforts and struggles that my fellow writers endure. Naturally, as writers, we have a special element to our weight loss and that element is our wit, which we must exercise daily!

The key to any of my exercises is concentrating on what muscle group I'm working on. For instance, if you walk and don't really think about what each part of your body is doing, you aren't maximizing the experience. However, if you make sure to think about specific muscles, you're more apt to actually use them. I naturally walk using the speed walking method, so this is an easy task for me.