FUNCTIONAL EXERCISE

So it's Spring again. As some of you know I started blogging about eating May flowers, incorporating those local, seasonal flowers that our ancestors had used; however, it clearly was not time for me to write about that because most of that blog was lost when my computer crashed Friday night. Now I'm back up and running and instead of writing about flowers I'm feeling the need to spread the word about Functional Exercise. Springtime is a great time to get your movement habit groovin’ again and there's no better way than to get into it using functional exercise.

What is Functional Exercise? Well, it's exercise that is functional. . . Ok, duh Collette, but what does that mean.  Yard work, garden work, Spring cleaning, mowing the lawn, walking the dogs, throwing balls for the dogs, playing with kids or grandchildren.  These are all ways to incorporate exercise in your day without feeling like you're taking time away from what “needs” to be done.  They get your chores done but also get some movement in.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm a huge proponent of exercise. I love it. Especially if I'm outdoors.  Hiking, swimming, aerobics, running (believe it or not I love to run), are all ways I love to workout. But I tend to have to fight those feelings of not meeting my obligations or someone else's needs when I take the time to do those activities.  And I tend to think of all the things I should be doing instead of working out.  I've learned, most of the time, to fight off those feelings of letting someone else down or not doing what I should be to keep up my house, etc.  But I've also learned not to try to fit too much into a day or a weekend. So what's the lesson here?

Doing functional exercise is still exercising. The more you get done around the house the more “workout” you get in. Washing walls is work, cleaning the garage is work, creating and maintaining a garden is work and all of these are also workouts.  So if you're like I used to be and are one of those people who feels you're not working out unless you're at the gym or the track, start giving yourself credit for the workouts you do daily while meeting your regular obligations of caring for you, your house and your family.  Sometimes the best motivation to increasing movement is simply acknowledging all the movement you do regularly.
​
So this Spring, set goals, find projects, keep active and you'll find Spring is a great time to naturally start getting more movement in daily while accomplishing the big chores that Spring beckons you to do.