Wednesday, July 20, 2016

A body in motion tends to stay in... better shape


Quotes du jour: A body in motion tends to stay in motion. - Newton
A body in chair tends to stay there. - Me

When I first set up my new elliptical, I was surprised to find that I could feel the arm muscles getting a work out using the moveable arms. It was actually an effort to pedal for a few minutes. Not a huge effort, true, but the mere fact that it was an effort at all shocked me. This was not a lot to ask of my body. I hadn't realized quite how out of shape I'd gotten. I was also surprised, a day or so later, when I tried the elliptical again. This time, it was much less of an effort.
A few days after that, I ellipticalled for 30 minutes while watching a TV show. Didn't feel anything at all.
It is amazing how quickly a body can adapt to being in motion or being in chair.

Exercise du jour:

10 a.m. -- Get up from my desk. 15 minutes ellipticalling. Done
12 noon -- Get up from my desk. 30 minutes cleaning the house.Fail 30 minutes ellipticalling.done
3:30 p.m. -- Get up from my desk. 30 minutes yard work.Fail. My poor yard
4 p.m. -- 60 minutes ellipticalling.done
7 p.m. -- 15 minutes ellipticalling.done

4 comments:

messymimi said...

Trust me also when i add that, once you are in motion, it's easier to stay that way than to stop and get started again!

solarity said...

So true, messymimi, until you reach the Falling Over Now stage.

Mary Anne in Kentucky

The Merry said...

Yes, but I'd rather become horizontal because I've fallen over rather than because I never got up in the first place. The thing I worry about is how to exercise when injured. Mary Anne, is swimming an option for you?

solarity said...

Yes, falling over is good. I'm not one of the people who can takes breaks. That's why I love my job; I keep moving constantly.

No, swimming is just too expensive. Also I hate having to wear a suit and have waist-length hair and infection-prone ears. My gym membership, which I keep not using, is ten dollars a month. (One changing room, no showers, two bathroom stalls for each sex, no free classes included. Or towels. Just what I need.) I think I'm going to have to learn to use machines, though not the leg press, the one I love, because putting extra weight on my feet is a bad idea now. Doing all the arm work sitting feels weird. Walking, my main and favorite form of exercise, has to be watched carefully now. The hated stationary bike also seems to require pushing with just the wrong part of my foot, but maybe I can adapt. Otherwise my right leg is going to get considerably more muscular than my left.

Mary Anne in Kentucky