Wellbeing for the Body

I must say that keeping up my body’s well being this year has been a challenge. I have spent most of this year on the road for work and since my new love lives on a different continent I am now also traveling between homes.

Before all the travel, my routine was 4 to 5 Bikram yoga classes per week (1.5 hr each) and since I live in San Francisco, I normally walk to any destination that is within a 45min walk instead of taking the car. That combined with healthy food, meant that both my body and mind were in a great state. It has been proven that being active improves your state of mind as well. It definitely works for me. In addition, my body punishes me for not being active with all kind of aches especially my back.

Barely being at home this year, meant that I had to find new routines to keep my body and mind in shape. Most of these were outside activities, like walking, hiking, snorkeling and swimming.

Now, we are at that time of year when the days are growing shorter and colder. Most of my outside activities are cut short because of lack of light or non existent because it is too cold. To make matters worse it is also that time of year when we tend to eat more due to several holidays or simply because where we live the food in the winter is more calorie rich.

So here are some of my tricks to keep my body in shape this winter. Some might work for you, while others might inspire you to new ideas.

1. Timing – The only way I was able to fit 4 to 5 Bikram yoga classes into my busy schedule was by going first thing in the morning. Knowing myself all to well, I knew there would be too many excuses and interferences to fit it in later in the day. This meant waking up at 5:20am to make 6am yoga. I am not a morning person at all so this was a painful activity. However, what made me crawl out of bed every morning was the knowledge that I would feel great the rest of the day. I was also able to deal with a lot more stress at work on days I had gone to yoga.

2. Buddy up – I have a tendency to encourage other people to come with me. This works both at home as on the road with colleagues. The effect is that even if I really would like another hour of sleep or have to finish some work, I have committed and someone is waiting for me.

3. Broadcast your intentions – If there are no people around to buddy with or they are not interested, what works for me is to tell several people of my intended activity. The knowledge that other people know of my intention, is a strong motivator for me to put that intention into action, else I will feel ashamed to face them and have to acknowledge I didn’t come true on my word.

4. Simplicity – I have a tendency to give myself stretch goals. For staying in shape I have found that doesn’t really work. It has the opposite effect of discouraging me when I do not make my self-imposed goals. So instead of setting the goal of going to the gym five times a week, I might focus on 5 days of at least 45min of activity which could include a brisk walk to town or the grocery market, walk up and down to our 11th floor apartment three times a day, or while traveling take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator and walk instead of using the moving walkways.

Not being at home this winter means I am missing out on my regular yoga. So my plan to stay in shape will be: going to the gym twice a week, walk to town and back (45min) twice a week, do yoga stretches at home on the days I’m walking , walk the stairs to the 11th floor at least four times a week and go skiing or something else active in the weekend.

Good luck this winter season and don’t forget to have fun while you’re at it!!!!