The Case for Exercise - Especially When You're Too Busy

Winter Bounty - November 2024

​Snowflakes fall. Evergreen boughs cradle mounds of snow. Familiar tunes tickle the ear. The nights are long and velvety dark, lights strung up all over town shining bright in the cold air.

Yet, December brings the stress of overstuffed days and nights, the kind of busyness that can sap the spirit out of even the most joyful person. In the midst of the tension of the season, often one of the first things to go is exercise. Yet carving out a small slice of your day to move your body gives you a significant return on investment.

A good workout that gets your heart pumping and makes you sweat also releases endorphins, decreases stress, and increases oxygen to the brain. This is all terrific for keeping your energy going through demanding days. Being outside boosts mood, decreases depression, and quiets the mind. A great way to find calm in the midst of the storm.

Not motivated? 
You just need to take the first step. Go for a walk - beneficial for your feet, your joints, your brain, your lungs, your heart, and your mood. (See my post Walk: A Win for Your Body and Brain.) Walking on a snowy trail is gentle on joints and connective tissues, and the birdsong and quiet are a bonus. When I’m really tired at the end of a work day and the thought of the cold is not enticing, I tell myself, “I’m just going for five minutes, for some fresh air.” Once I get out there I don’t want to stop, I just want to keep walking and drink it all in. This strategy works every time.

Don’t have time?
Decrease your normal workout time by a few minutes, and increase intensity. You’ll get the sweat, increased heart rate and oxygenation, but still have time for other items in your day. One way to do this is with Tabata workouts. Four minutes is all it takes, not counting warm up and cool down, with eight rounds of 20 seconds on (at almost all-out effort) and ten seconds off (rest). You can play around with the timing to suit your needs, but the idea is to get the intensity and also the rest in between. You can use specific exercises or apply this on a stationary bike or a run. These definitely kick your bum in very short order. 

Ice and snow not your thing?
Find a cleared sidewalk (in Steamboat, the Core Trail or even the sidewalks around the hospital), or take a class indoors at the gym. You can even get a great 30 minute workout right in your living room with streaming classes at essentrics.com. 
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Regardless of what you choose to do, I hope that you will find physical and mental relief and peace by moving your body every day, especially during this busy wintry season.