Am I Fit Yet?

      Another month, and another resolution has passed, and I'm not sure this one turned out anything like I had expected. Honestly, I am so not into fitness that I thought I might simply spend the whole month demonstrating how useless 15-minute programs are, or pointing out the general ridiculousness of various gimmicks or gadgets.

       Instead, I think I benefitted from all of it. 

       Although I had assumed I would try a range of 15-minute workouts -- from yoga to aerobics -- the Peggy Brill one was enough of a challenge initially that it kept me going for the first 10 days or so, and after that, it started to feel like a habit.  Just like that, it was my new routine! I must admit that the 15-minutes I spend doing the exercises still feels longer, and I still have to talk myself into it every day. But the fact that it is only 15 minutes definitely makes it easier to just get down and do it.

       Adding the shape-up shoes and the iPosture device added some expense. But to me they felt almost like freebies, since they didn't demand any more of my day. I can simply use them, and benefit from them, while living my life normally. And as I wrote about yesterday, one certainly doesn't need the iPosture to stand up straight.  It's simply a little, vibrating, reminder.

       So am I fit now -- 27 days later?  

       Well...probably not. But I am surely more fit than I was before. I feel stronger, my muscles are clearly more toned and although I had come to accept some back pain as simply a fact of life, I am now pleasantly surprised to be having less of it.

       Will I keep up with my routine? I believe I will.  15 minutes a day is a fairly small investment to make into my on-going and future well-being. I may add some variety or experiment with other programs over time. But I think the concept works for me, while anything more demanding might not.

       I read recently that riding a bicycle for 40 minutes a day can add three years to one's life. But the way I calculate it, bike riding for 40 minutes a day, over time, could easily use up three years of one's life. So unless one actually enjoy bike riding, there's no net gain as far as I'm concerned.

       And I do not enjoy bike riding, or running, or aerobics classes, or beach volleyball.  I simply don't want to spend my time that way. If you do, that's your choice. 

       I'd rather read, or cook, or watch the news, or cuddle with Tom and Olympia, or simply sit on my deck and watch the sun set. I'll likely never run a marathon or go on a long-distance cycling expedition. Those will likely never be the sort of things I choose as resolutions. And I refuse to feel there is anything wrong with that.

       But I have shown myself that with just some minor changes, I can indeed look after myself better. And to me, that does seem worthwhile.

       And perhaps I have learned something important about resolutions too.

       They don't have to be big. They don't have to be dramatic. You don't have to make huge changes, promises, commitments or deprivations.  Something as small as a 15-minute a day change can make a difference.

Sitting Up Straight -- Without the Nagging

       My mother, probably like all mothers, used to nag me to sit up straight.  

       I had expected the iPosture to do the same thing. I thought it would be constantly vibrating or buzzing, perhaps with increasing strength and increasing annoyance, until I felt I was 11 years old again. 

       But it isn't like that at all.

       In fact, it seems that when I wear it, I work harder to sit up straight, virtually without the vibrating reminders.  It seems as it, simply by its presence, I do what I am supposed to (except when sitting on the toilet, apparently, and in my view, it's just fine to slouch there).

       And when I do sit up straight, I feel better. Maybe Mom was right, all those years ago.  Probably Moms often are.

       But the thing I wonder about now is whether the iPosture is truly necessary.  While it cost approximately $80.00, I can't help but wonder if a string tied around my finger would have done almost as much. Or maybe I could have switched a ring I wear on one hand onto the other hand instead -- just something to remind me of my renewed commitment to better posture.

       Maybe some of you readers will try it out for me. Just try sitting up straight, with your arms at your side. And anytime you happen to notice the string tied around your finger, or the ring on the wrong hand, if you happen to be slouching, just sit up straight again.  We can call it brenPosture.  And consider it my gift to you. 

An End to Back Pain?

       I had worn the iPosture to the lecture, in part because I had had back pain when I went to the theatre earlier in the week.  I had hoped the device would help remind me to sit upright.

       But I was rather surprised that the iPosture didn't buzz me while there.  As I did at home, I bent way over at one point to ensure it was functioning, and it did eventually vibrate.  And then I sat up straight again, and it didn't buzz me. I should have been paying attention to the lecture -- the ticket had cost $40. But I was distracted by my posture.  It seemed to me that my back was straight, my arms hanging by my side.  At most talks or lectures, I slouched, crossed my arms or squirmed.  But this time, it appeared that I was sitting up properly. Either that or the device worked only when I bent over.  

       Either way, when I left the lecture, I had no back pain.

       The next day, I wore my iPosture to a triple-feature movie.  We wanted to see all the movies nominated for Academy Award Best Picture that we hadn't yet seen, and this was the most efficient way to do it.  Once again, I wasn't buzzed -- at all. I was aware that I was sitting up quite straight in my movie seat. Sure, I leaned toward Tom occasionally to whisper something to him; I would bend over to take a quick drink from my giant frequently-refilled Diet Coke. But as none of those took longer than 60 seconds, I wasn't buzzed. The rest of the time, I sat up straight -- perhaps straighter than I ever had in a movie before.  I wondered if I looked fake to anyone -- sitting up with a false erectness. But it was dark, and I was with strangers. It seemed unlikely that anyone would either notice me, or care. And after eight hours of sitting in a theater, I got up and my back didn't hurt at all -- which was truly unexpected.

       The next night, I wore the device again to our neighbors' place, where we watched the Academy Awards together.  I sat on the sofa, Olympia stretched out next to me.  This time, the iPosture occasionally buzzed me. It went off maybe four times over the course of the four-hour program. And every time it did, I sat up straight, my arms at my side. I wondered again if it looked false or fake, but no one commented on it.  No one seemed to notice or care, even though I was not hiding in darkness and was with people who knew me.  And when I got up at the end of the long evening, my back felt fine again.

       It isn't like I have constant back pain or anything. But normally after sitting like that -- at a lecture, movie or a long television show, I get up with a groan -- like some kind of old, old lady. The back pain usually goes away quickly -- often within minutes.  But for the last three days, I hadn't had even that pain.

       It appeared that something was happening. Something good...

Apology

       Dear Friends and Readers,

       I am so sorry I haven't posted for the past few days. I had a dog health panic to deal with. But for those who know and love Olympia (and to know her is to love her), everything is absolutely fine now. And now I'm going to post more about my iPosture...

My First Posture Lessons

       I decided to wear the iPosture device to a lecture I was attending last night. I had several good reasons to think this would be a good environment to try it for the first time.

       First, in case I was electrocuted (which, I admit, seemed unlikely), I would be in a very public place where I was likely to get help from someone other than Tom (a possible, but also unlikely, co-conspirator).

       Second, I got a sore back after attending the theatre over the weekend, due in part to twisting and slouching in my uncomfortable seat. I didn't want this to happen again, and hoped the iPosture would help.

       Third, in case the lecture was boring, any vibration, electric shock or even electrocution might actually be a welcome distraction.

       The device fit easily on my bra strap, and surprisingly, could hardly be seen under my sweater.  Once it was on, the instructions told me to stand up erect "in a good, comfortable posture" and then to briefly press on the device's iPosture logo. Once activated, apparently the iPosture would vibrate when I slouched.

       I could see a problem already. What if I didn't stand up straight enough? What if what I thought of as good posture was really pretty poor posture? I remember that when the personal trainer commented on my posture last year, I was actually trying to stand up straight -- without being overly fake about it.

       And to confuse things more, the iPosture instructions advised against using a very strict posture. "Good posture is about feeling confident and tall (hmmmm...) not over-arched, stiff and inflexible."

       It sounded like I might need a real, live, posture coach just to get me started. Still, I stood up straight -- but not too straight -- and pressed the logo. The device vibrated briefly under my finger, to let me know it was ready to judge me.

       Then I walked around and waited. And I waited some more. And I tried to stand casually. And I waited. And nothing happened.

      I checked the instructions again and read that the iPosture would vibrate after about 60 seconds of poor posture -- not simply every time one moved about or bent slightly or slouched for a moment -- which probably is a good thing. I had envisioned a nearly constant reminder to stand up straight -- kind of like my ballet teacher hassling me as a child.  

       Still, to ensure the device was actually functional, I bent deeply over my laptop for maybe a minute, and eventually felt a subtle vibration and heard a small buzz, telling me that I was indeed bent over. So I knew it worked, sort of. It was at least an iDon'tBendOver.

       So I proceeded to prepare to go out. And I discovered some useful posture-related things about myself along the way.

       First, I found it difficult to brush my teeth while maintaining good posture. But I received no vibration/buzz while brushing because it seems that I don't brush my teeth for the 60 seconds required to activate the device. This, of course, raises questions about my dental hygiene. Indeed, Dental Health Magazine advises that proper tooth brushing takes at least two minutes, or 120 seconds. 

       Second, I learned that I definitely slouch while sitting on the toilet, and that I do spend at least the requisite 60 seconds at that task. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz.

       With that useful information in mind, and an empty bladder, I headed out the door to my lecture...

        

A Shocking Idea...

       The iPosture is a round white device, around 1.5 inch in diameter (3.5 cm.).  It is supposed to be attached to the wearer -- either worn as a rather bizarre necklace, attached to the skin with adhesive, or hung from a bra strap. Apparently, when the wearer slouches -- even for a short time -- the device will transmit "subtle vibrations" to the skin, reminding the wearer to correct his or her posture.

       It sounds simple, but I'm a little bit afraid. 

       I keep on thinking of Stanley Milgram's famous experiment where Milgram demonstrated the willingness of people to obey authority.  This is the one where "teachers" were told they were giving electric shocks to "learners" (or victims) who gave the wrong answers to questions. The "learners" were in on the study and were just pretending to receive electric shocks from the teachers. What was troubling is that when told to, some of the teachers were willing to continue giving increasingly strong "shocks" even when the victim cried out in pain or complained about their heart condition.

       I'm worried that the iPosture might work in reverse. 

       Sure, I am told that it will transmit only a subtle vibration to my skin. But what if that's a lie? What if it just pretends to vibrate, but instead delivers increasingly strong electric shocks to my body? What if, like Milgram's teachers, it is so eager to correct my posture that it tries to shock me into submission?  

       And what if, once I am compliant with regard to posture, it begins controlling other aspects of my existence by shocking me when I fail to do other things? What if, when I fail to make the bed in the morning (for I have indeed stopped), my iPosture shocks me? What if it makes other, more troubling demands?

       Maybe I should wait to try it until Tom gets home, in case I need medical assistance, or in case I need help tearing the controlling device off of my body.

       Or maybe he's in on it, and plans to use the iPosture to turn me into a mini-skirt-wearing Stepford Wife. He often complains that I don't wear skirts often enough.

       I feel a true sense of terror. 

       Help me, please...before it takes over...

       AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

My New Gadget

       It's time to introduce my newest gadget. Like the shape-up shoes, this one is designed to help me get fit without taking any more of my time.

       It's called iPosture.  According to the front of the pack it is "QUICK & EASY". It goes on: "Trim your waistline now! Maximize your height, Gain confidence and energy." It is, it says, my "own personal posture coach!"

   I admit that these breathless promises remind me of the "sea-monkey" ads that used to be on the back of comic books.  But just as I did in fact order my own sea monkey royal family all those years ago, I also simply had to have iPosture.

      Those you have been following this resolution all month long will know that the last personal trainer I visited commented on my poor posture, so I would likely benefit from a personal posture coach.  In addition, I think there is little doubt that good posture is key to a strong core.

       But the other iPosture promises are even more thrilling.  First, I have not been dieting this month, although the reality is that I'm sure I could lose 20 lbs. without anyone worrying I  was too skinny. And since fitness combined with laziness is my goal for the month, it is appealing to think that I may trim my waist without dieting.   (On the other hand, plenty of weight-loss products make promises like that, including many of those which talk about "cleansing". Yuck...)

       Way more important to me is the idea that I might somehow seem taller without having to grow -- not that that alone has much to do with my fitness resolution.

       However, the fact is that I am somewhat vertically-challenged. Indeed, I have been waiting to grow ever since I saw all my friends getting their magical "growth spurt" in their teens. I waited, wished and hoped -- for years -- but it never found it's way to me.  And at the age of 45, I guess it never will.

       "Maximizing my height" may be as close as I ever get. And at my age, I guess it's better than shrinking.

It Isn't Fair! Or Maybe it is...

       Tom took me to the theatre for Valentine's Day. It was nice and a little romantic, and a lovely performance. But I could feel myself slouching and twisting in my uncomfortable seat, and about an hour after we got home, I started having low back pain.  It didn't seem fair, since all the exercises I have been doing are designed to strengthen my core.  Surely my spine should be strong, tough and rugged by now -- a sort of Ford Truck, rather than a fragile Fiat.

       But then again, it was only February 14, which meant I had been doing my exercises for only two weeks. And to be honest, I think I skipped the first day, and I definitely hadn't done anything -- even the shapeup shoes -- on Valentine's Day morning. So maybe I had done my 15-minute workout for a total of 12 days.  Putting all those workouts together, I had put in a grand total of three hours on my core this month, and nothing the month before or the month before or the month before, or indeed, even the year before.

       I suppose it isn't fair to expect to be fit already. Certainly many others put in much more time than that, and over a much longer period.  

       This morning, after spending much of yesterday flat on my back, I found myself craving some of the stretching exercises in Peggy Brill's program, and put myself through a few of them.  

       And tomorrow, I'll get back on my routine, and see it through until the end of the month -- and hopefully beyond. I may not ever be ready to run a marathon, but that's okay with me. I'd way rather drive the 26 miles in air-conditioned comfort than ever put my body through something like that.

       But I would at least like to be able to go to the theatre in the future, and get something more profound or pleasing out of it than, "Oh, my aching back."

A Tiny Step Backward?

       I was curious to learn why my shapeup shoes might be similar to the shape of shoes worn by geishas. Thanks to Wikipedia and the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, perhaps I have found the reason -- and it brings up some unpleasant associations.

       Foot binding was a practice in China for close to 1,000 years, outlawed only in the 20th century. In this practice, the feet of Chinese women were tightly bound with bandages until the arch of the foot was broken and the foot was permanently deformed -- bent over itself until the entire foot, from toe to heel, measured only around 3 inches. (The photo at left shows natural feet next to bound feet.) This practice caused immense suffering, but the resulting tiny feet were considered things of beauty and were thought of as being shaped like the lotus flower. 

       Originally practiced only by the elite, it later expanded to include all Han Chinese women. Women with bound feet wore tiny beautiful slippers to adorn them, and walking on the feet required a swaying, tiny-stepped walk. This manner of walking became known as the lotus gait, and apparently, was considered exciting to men.  Indeed, it is said that the lotus gait resulted in a tightening of the pelvic muscles so that sex with a woman who walked with the lotus gain was said to be like "making love to a virgin".

       Manchu women, however, were forbidden to bind their feet.  But because these women wanted to emulate the enticing lotus gait, high-platformed shoes with a small central pedestal were developed for them (see photo to the right). These shoes caused Manchu women wearing them to walk with a form of the lotus gait.  Presumably the same is true of the shoes worn by modern-day apprentice geishas.

       And it seems that shapeup shoes might be based on the same theory -- that walking on them leads to a lotus gait type of walk which -- to quote the shapeup shoes advertisement -- may create "healthy and toned lower extremities".

       With Valentine's Day arriving tomorrow, it is troubling to think of the things done to women in the quest for "beauty" or sexuality.  And, of course, another effect of bound feet was to limit the mobility of women and leave them dependent on, and devoted to, their family, and their husband in particular.

       I was trying my modern-day shapeup shoes to give me a fitness advantage, and I may continue using them for that purpose. I can't help thinking, however, that they are symbolic of a tiny, swaying step backward to a troubling practice and a troubling time.

Cho-Cho-San Indeed!

       I wore my shapeup shoes again this morning.  I took mincing little steps as I did my morning tasks, only occasionally leaning on a counter or wall for assistance.  I thought I was doing well until Tom was ready to leave for the office.  When I leaned toward him for a goodbye kiss, I lost my balance and fell into him instead.

       Laughing as he stood me back on my feet, he kissed me and said "See you later, Cho-Cho-San."

       For those who are not opera fans, Cho-Cho-San (Cio-Cio-San) is the beautiful and fragile geisha of Puccini's Madame Butterfly, who faithfully loves an American soldier, only to be abandoned by him. I might have worried Tom was planning to abandon me -- perhaps tired of watching me stagger around in my shapeup shoes -- if not for the realization that he had a point. Indeed, my shapeup shoes suddenly seemed strangely similar to those worn by modern-day geishas! 

       I minced over to the laptop computer on the kitchen counter , and googled "geisha shoes". Sure enough, within minutes, I found images which confirmed it.  A few clicks later, I learned that these platform wooden shoes, called okobo, are worn by apprentice geishas known as maiko. They not only help keep kimonos from hanging into dirt or mud, they also encourage the apprentices to take tiny steps, just as I was forced to in my shapeup shoes.

       Although I was eager to continue my research, I could feel the muscles in the back of my legs knotting up from standing still for too long in my pink okobo. Still, I sensed there was something more to know...

Learning to Walk

       My day started, unexpectedly, with "whoa!", "oops!" and "whaaaa?"  

       After walking the dog, I had put on my pretty pink shapeup shoes for the first time. I had figured this would be an ideal time each day to devote 30 minutes to the shoes, since this is when I perform many little tasks around the household, and rarely sit down. 

       With the shoes on, however, I suddenly could hardly stand. For my first moments, I staggered about, just doing my best to stay upright. Over the weekend, I had told my mother about the shoes, and could now hear her worried voice inside my head, warning me not to break an ankle. As for the rest of the family, Tom stared at me with an incredulous look, while Olympia simply ran away. 

       Grabbing for the one-page advertisement that came with the shoes, I noted a vital "helpful hint"at the bottom of the document that I had merely skimmed earlier. It advises to "focus on the flat part of the shoe, under the ball of the foot". With that in mind, I was able to take my first careful steps, lifting each foot slightly and placing my weight on the flat part of the shoes with each step.  My movements were slow and deliberate, but I was at least able to get moving on my morning tasks.

       Within perhaps two minutes, I was impressed to feel a strain in my calves and at the back of my knees, and soon, I was actually beginning to sweat -- although I suspect that was more from the effort of staying upright than from any cardiovascular workout.  

       After about 10 minutes, as I fed Olympia and prepared for my day, I started to feel the back of my thighs working as well.  Within about 20 minutes, I could even feel my stomach muscles straining.  Incredibly, it felt like I was getting an accidental workout while still doing my everyday morning activities.

       It's too soon to say what this will mean for me and my fitness. But I'm already looking forward to trying them again tomorrow.

The Next Stage

       I did the Peggy Brill workout this morning -- in about 15 minutes. And I felt pretty good about it. I saw myself in a mirror afterward and was pleased to find a grin on my face. And since then, I have continued to feel good. Indeed, I am actually beginning to feel more fit.  So she has won me over, so far.  

       But it's time to take this resolution to the next stage.  When I started the month, I committed to 15 minutes of concentrated effort to get fit. Now that I have my 15 minutes of daily effort down, I am going to add in some non-concentrated effort.

      My first plan is to check out "rocker bottom" shoes. These shoes, angled at the heel and toe, encourage one's foot to roll smoothly from heel to toe with each step. Reportedly, this prevents forward lean, thereby encouraging good posture, and perhaps most importantly (from my point of view)  helps to tone one's bum. My thought is that by wearing such shoes while going about my normal daily activities, I will get an extra workout without really trying.  

       MBT (Masai Barefoot Technology) shoes are perhaps the most expensive of these -- ranging from around $180 - $250.  As this was more than I was willing to spend on what I feared might just be a gimmick, I decided to look instead at Fit Flops -- flip flops "with the gym built in".  These shoes, with a tapered midsole, are said to trigger increased gluteal, hamstring, thigh and calf muscle responses.  

       At only around $50, I almost placed an order, until I read that while using Fit Flops one walks similarly to a barefoot walker. And, when I thought about it, I realized that the MBT shoes seem to promise the same thing -- although with them, one presumably walks like a barefoot Masai walker. I began to doubt that either of these shoes would provide me with much benefit since, although I am not Masai, I already walk barefoot much of the time. Indeed, I find shoes and socks so annoying at home that my floors are often strewn with abandoned footwear. 

       Thus, I decided to order SHAPE UP shoes, instead. These shoes, also shaped like flip flops, have what can only be described as an extreme rocker bottom. The web site asserts that wearing these shoes for only 30 minutes a day will lead to "lifted buns, toned legs and a stronger core" and that the shoes are "the most convenient way to shape up".  

       As might already be apparent, convenience in getting fit is my number one goal for the month. And since I would be required to wear the shoes for only 30 minutes a day, I thought they might suit my preference to be barefoot.

       I ordered them in pink, thinking that if I do kick them off, they'll at least be easy to find in my decidedly un-pink home.  The shoes arrived over the weekend, and surprisingly, are actually kind of cute. I'll start giving them a try tomorrow...

An Easier Route to Fitness

       I did my Core Program exercises in under 18 minutes today, and while it wasn't perfectly easy, I am getting the hang of it.  I can see that by the end of the month, I might actually be in the habit of doing it daily.

       But there are other routes to fitness, and some are even easier --  and relaxing too!  Indeed, recent studies suggest that sleep is a key to fitness.  A study of athletes at Stanford University found that athletes performed better after getting extra sleep.  And an article in Shape magazine reported on a University of Chicago study which found that people who don't get enough sleep tend to eat more carb-laden snack food than those who sleep for eight and a half hours.  Shape concluded that "being tired makes you fat".

       I haven't had eight and a half hours of sleep in one night for a long time. And to be honest, I woke up today feeling very well-rested.  Maybe this is part of the "relief from fatigue" that Peggy Brill promises in her book. But as I am truly committed to being fit this month, I really must do more. So, well-rested or not, I think it's time for nap. I'm sure I'll feel much more fit when I wake.   

A Furry Exercise Partner

       Last month, I wrote about the challenge of shredding documents with our over-sensitive dog in the house. 

       I have long suspected that exercise at home might also be a challenge with Olympia around.  At a silent auction a few years ago, I won the right to serve as "guest conductor" for a local symphony. When I tried to prepare at home for my conducting debut, by playing a CD of the "The Stars and Stripes Forever" while waving a baton, Olympia went nuts every time -- barking, jumping up and down, and not even trying to stay in pace with the music.  I have always assumed that she would do the same if I ever tried to do an exercise or dance DVD at home, providing me with a handy excuse for not doing it.

       The Core Program exercises seemed low-key enough, however, that I though Olympia would not be bothered. Indeed, for the last few days, she has simply lay near my head as I exercised, whimpering occasionally -- likely in response to my not-too-subtle grunts.  

       But today, she decided to join in.  When I was lying on my stomach, and raised up my head and chest to do the "Cobra" move, she suddenly moved on to the exercise mat and lay down where my head and chest had been a moment before.  As I lowered myself, I gently rested on her fur and then lifted myself up again. When I did leg lifts, while lying on my back, she speedily moved to the end of the mat where my feet had been, so that when I lowered my legs, I lowered them again on to her soft fur.  She did not make a sound, or whimper, or move about. She seemed to just want to be in the middle of things. And for me, it was delightful, silly and exceedingly soft.  

       I'm not sure it was quality exercise, but it certainly made the time go faster -- just proving the point that exercise can indeed be more pleasant with a partner.

Tomorrow: Sleeping is important too!

Feeling Old

       I'm sorry to say I didn't exercise yesterday after all. I ended up with a bad headache that I sincerely hope wasn't related to the exercise I had done the day before. Despite the fact that I would have been thrilled to get out of gym class as a kid, today I know that I really must do some form of fitness and am fearful I may be leaving it too late.
       When I signed up for my Pilates class last year, it was my first midlife attempt to get fit. But then my hip pain started. I went to my doctor, had an X-ray, went to the doctor again, was referred for physiotherapy, and saw the physiotherapist six times -- with little improvement. The final diagnosis and prescription was that I should quit Pilates and maybe start swimming.
       I don't mind swimming. I actually like it, except for the getting wet part and then having to get dry again afterward.
       But worse than that was the fact that I started to feel very old. It was a bit of a blow to be told at the age of 44 that swimming is all I can safely handle. Indeed, that is part of the reason I decided to try The Core Program. Hopefully, it will strengthen the core muscle groups in my torso and perhaps help me learn that I can count on my body after all.
       So I did do the exercises today, although not first thing in the morning, as helpfully suggested by an anonymous commenter. 

       I skipped the "tongue stretch" though. Designed to exercise the muscles that support our eyes (is that part of the core anyway?), I figured that if my headache was indeed related to any one exercise, it was that one. I also skipped the "lying spinal twist" which looked like it might aggravate my hip. Other than that, I managed to work my way through the program in about 20 minutes, which is pretty close to 15.
       But to be honest, it felt more like 30...

I Won't Like it!

       I'm already deep into my second day of planned exercise, and I haven't done it yet.  I've showered and dressed, I have make-up on, I've eaten breakfast and lunch.  Surely I should have put in my 15 minutes already. But no...

       Just like the dreaded bed-making during my month of cleaning like Martha, rather than doing the task, I am finding myself thinking about my childhood.  

       The fact is that I never liked exercise. When kids were asked what their favorite class was in school, and they answered "Gym!" or worse, "Recess!", I always thought they were losers.  As for myself, in my early years, I much preferred spelling. Spelling I was good at. I was great, even. It was easy, and there was a certain satisfaction in knowing an answer was right. In those days, after the end of a spelling test, we passed our paper forwards or backwards to be marked by another classmate, and later were asked to raise our hand to signify what score we had earned.  20 out of 20? Yes! My hand went up nearly every time. And, in my superiority, I even sometimes changed the answers of the person whose paper I was marking, to help them get a better score.

       In gym, my successes were rather more limited.  Take climbing the heavy, clunky rope, for example, that was hanging from the 30-foot ceiling.  Not only could I not climb the rope, I also didn't want to. I could feel I didn't have the strength for it. Why on earth would I want to climb up higher when my obviously precarious hold could fail at any point and I would plummet to the ground?  The same was true of the very huge and frightening "climbing apparatus" which was installed sometime in Grade 2, and which remained my nemesis all the way through school.  

       As for sports, I wasn't much better.  I was scared of hurtling balls, which made me lousy at volleyball and baseball.  Although I was not the last one picked for teams, I was close enough to the end that I felt sorry for the poor sad sacks who were picked after I was. 

       My point is that I never learned to like physical exercise.  There are those who swear they get a "high" from their exertion.  For me, it has nearly always been something to be dreaded. There have been a few exceptions.  I was pretty good at basketball, and there was a time when I enjoyed running. But that was very long ago. When I think of exercise today, I continue to wish I could get a note from my parents, excusing me -- like the lucky girl who wore a brace on her back.  

       But for this month at least, I have committed to giving it a try -- for 15 minutes a day. And I will do it today. I really will. But I won't like it...

Why Fitness?

       At the age of 45, I fear my body may be a ticking time bomb. In the last year, I had a torn retina (which tends to occur in people over 40) and unexplained hip pain that developed soon after I signed up for 10 trendy Pilates sessions. A personal trainer I went to (only once) commented that I had surprisingly bad posture. Friends and relatives of mine are getting arthritis and fallen arches, backaches and bunions, cataracts and high cholesterol, diabetes, farsightedness, gout, hypertension... Who knows what's next -- for them, and for me?

       Peggy Brill writes that "The Core Program" allows one to develop a "proactive strategy for taking care of your  body". This is exactly what I need. Brill continues. "The core exercises help undo the muscle tightening and weakening that can lead to pain and injury, thereby reversing any long-standing mechanical problems and preventing new ones."  Obviously, it can't prevent everything, but the cover states that it can "stop aches and pains", "end fatigue", "build strength" and help one "feel energized all day long".  

       And if all this can be done in only 15 minutes a day, as promised, so much the better. I know myself well enough to know that  I might not stick with anything more demanding.

       So I tried it today, for the first time. I set an alarm clock to go off in 18 minutes, rather than 15, to allow myself some extra time for reading and figuring out the exercises. While doing the exercises, I made an honest attempt to do them correctly -- with slow, controlled movements, and the listed number of repetitions.  The exercises included silly-looking ones, like the "tongue stretch", tougher ones like "heel beats" (done while lying on my stomach) and graceful ones, like the classic yoga pose "the cobra".  As I worked my way through them, the dog lay nearby, watching closely and whimpering empathetically.

       When the alarm went off, however, I had accomplished only seven of the 14 elements in the core foundation program. I considered doing more, but didn't want to cheat on my 15-minute plan. Instead, I simply paged to to two final warmdown exercises and called it a day -- or at least a good quarter-hour.  In the coming days, as I get to know the exercises better, I expect to get through the entire core program in the alloted time.

       As for today, when I walked the dog soon afterward, I felt that maybe I was walking a little straighter.  Was that possible, or was it just my imagination?  And now, after writing this, my neck aches a bit. But it's a "good ache", I think.  Only the coming days will tell.

Getting Fit - Starting Tomorrow

       Over the last few days, Tom approached me a few times to express his concern. "The end of the month is coming," he pointed out. "Does that mean you're going to stop doing the Martha stuff?" Like me, Tom has become a convert to Marthaism -- not that he's doing much differently. But he can see the change in our home, and in particular, the change in how I am staying on top of what might formerly have become clutter.

       So let me make my plans clear. One of the main goals of this Midlife Resolutions Project is to try new things or experiences and see what works for me -- what I like, or what seems to improve my life. In January, I learned some useful "homekeeping" lessons from Martha Stewart, and there's no point in un-learning these and going back to how I was doing things before. I may not continue to do everything, however. For example, I suspect that making the bed first thing in the morning might quickly fall by the wayside. Despite its benefits, it has already started annoying me.

       And now that it is February, it's time to start a new resolution. Since it's a short month, it seemed like the perfect time to take on something I dread -- exercise.

       I have tried to work out in the past. I have paid for nearly abandoned gym memberships. I once bought a home treadmill that soon became simply a $700 clothes-drying rack. I currently have some smaller home equipment -- ankle weights, an inflatable exercise ball, a floor mat -- all unopened and in its original packaging. I also have DVDs, books and all the best intentions. What I have lacked is commitment. I simply haven't stuck with anything.

       So for February, I am going to try a new approach to getting fit. I want to make it so easy that it's nearly impossible to not do it. With the help of some new books, and a few gadgets, I am going to try to get in shape with only 15 minutes a day of concentrated effort.

       To help me start, I have purchased another new book. Peggy Brill's "The Core Program" claims to be the "15 Minutes a Day That Can Change Your Life". On the cover, it also adds, "Now Every Woman Can Feel Her Best!"

       Sounds good to me! Unfortunately, I had a lot of stuff to do today, including watching the Superbowl and four hours of pre-game programming. So, as it happens, I didn't manage to find that 15 minutes that might have started me on the road to feeling my best. In fact, I'm not feeling very good at all right now after drinking beer, eating chili and snacking on nacho chips with cheese dip.

       But starting tomorrow, I'm going to give it my all -- for 15 minutes a day, anyway.