Finding an Exercise Plan I Can Live With

When I lived in New York City, I walked everywhere. I walked to the subway and the shop, I walked to my inlaws or to visit friends. The city is so crowded and there’s no where to park anyway, so I always walked. I enjoy walking and people watching or looking in store windows. Plus walking clears my mind and helps me think of ideas.

When I moved to suburbia I had to learn to drive. Nothing is in walking distance. The nearest grocery store is several miles away so walking with a bunch of shopping bags on a busy main thoroughfare with no sidewalks is sort of out of the question.

As I grew older and heavier finding exercises I can do without giving myself a heart attack became a challenge. I still like to walk, but not when it’s 12 degrees out. I have a couple of videos from the 80’s but those aerobics are difficult and I’m 20 years older now. Lately I’ve been doing Denise Austin’s morning workout on ESPN Classics. It’s made up of reruns of her series from the 80’s and 90’s but I don’t need to be a dance major or Olympic gymnast to keep up. It’s on at 7:30 AM (EST) which is perfect for me because that’s when I put my son on the school bus.

Denise looks a little silly with her big hair and neon pink and green costumes, but the workout is a good one. As I get into better shape, I’ll graduate to videos or programs with more of an impact.

When the weather starts getting warmer, my family is going to do some weekend activities that involve exercise. We have lots of hiking trails and walking and biking paths around here. There’s no reason we shouldn’t do more of these activities. We all enjoy getting out for the day and taking a short hike to a picnic spot isn’t a terrible way to spend a Sunday.

I think exercise and good health is all about making the right choices for us. I know my limits. But by finding a simple program that works for me, I’m more inclined to keep up.

Do you have some great exercise ideas for a 43 year old out of shape woman? Do share!