Posted on by exercisehelps

I lost my wife and my motivation

My sweet wife passed away about a year ago after a 16 month battle with cancer. I was her caregiver and I was very thankful to have served her in this role.

It was hard, it was brutal but it was my honor to ‘walk her home for the last mile’.

In the course of all the demands of caregiving, the psychological chaos in my interior and the anticipatory grief, my exercise went to the wayside. I just could not leave her side except for short periods of time. I just couldn’t.

So my exercise and my movement were interrupted. I am certain that my blood sugar rose during this time of inactivity … glucose sticks confirmed it. My low energy levels also confirmed it. My brain fog confirmed it.

And even after her passing, I was mired psychologically in grief. Unable to muster the motivation to get off the couch and out the door.

Until recently.

The inner pressure to get moving again had built up to the point that I simply had to reestablish my exercise routine or die.

So … I drove to the gym and was astonished at how my muscle mass had diminished. I was equally freaked out at how winded I would get on the treadmill. I had clearly regressed. Oh, for good reason I suppose but nevertheless.

Here’s what I did, even through the inertia of grief. Even though the dark hand of mourning was still pushing me down.

I made up my mind to daily get off the couch and walk. I made up my mind to daily get off the couch and go to the gym.

I started small. I walked only about a half of a mile. I lifted far lighter dumbbells than previously. But I was there, doing it.

As I continued, I have grown stronger. My wind has come back.

I have gradually increased my walking distance and my lifting weight until I was able to lift more and walk further.

And my brain rewarded me with far better brain chemistry. And my blood sugar was under 100!

They say that loss of a spouse is the most stressful of all life events. It sits atop the stress pyramid. Alone at the top.

So it is understandable if the logjam of grief and caregiving pushes us underwater in terms of exercising and moving. Very understandable.

But there comes a point when we have to face our inactivity and resolve to burst the inertia dam blocking our way to movement.

If you fit this category, I want to encourage you to take a deep breath and get off the couch today. Please drop me a line at terryread.blankenship@gmail.com and tell me how you did it.

If I can do it, you can do it.

Get off the couch today!

[Author’s note: I have written a book to help you get off the couch. Find it HERE ]

#Diabetes #Exercise #Grief #Walking #Type2 #LossOfSpouse #Mourning

Posted on by exercisehelps

Walking helps grief

I have been walking extra-hard recently.

Why?

My wife of many years passed away mid-summer and I was left grief-stricken. I was left with a great big hole in my heart. My soul-mate had departed this life after a bout with cancer.

I started this blog as a way to encourage diabetics to get off their duffs and get out the door and exercise. Exercise often cancels diabetes, especially when you watch your diet. So I am ecstatic to report that exercise, in my case, walking, has helped me with my grief immensely.

I have a favorite park nearby and this is where I walk. It has a lazy river winding through it. It is a perfect place to run, walk, bike, whatever. Walking in this park has become a habit.

Grief can often leave a person depressed and for some, downright non-functional. Feeling sad and lonely is a normal part of the grief process; this makes it imperative that folks like me move through grief in a healthy way. In my case, this means tons of walking.

Here’s what I found: walking 45 minutes a day helped me feel actually less sad. It makes me feel somewhat hopeful on many days. It kept collapse away from my door.

All because I got off the couch and went for a brisk walk.

Inertia (anti-movement) is especially strong in the grief-stricken who seek to exercise.

I had to stare inertia down day after day and it was not fun.

But it helped my inner mood tremendously.

Are you mourning the loss of a significant other, family member, friend, pet or job loss? Open the front door, start walking. No excuses, just start walking.

I promise you will feel a bit better, it is SO worth it. I am living proof

Posted on by exercisehelps

My Surprising Struggle with Pushups

I was in a routine for years where I would do 3 sets of 10 pushups every day. Seriously, every day.

Until my routine collapsed. Inertia had taken a sledgehammer to my activity. Apathy had thrown my best intentions into the ditch. I quit doing my pushups. I mean, totally quit. Zero pushups.

But this is a hopeful story.

I recently awakened thoroughly disgusted with my lapse in routine. I swear I could feel the weakness in my arms. I was determined to face down inertia yet once again. My old enemy, inertia.

So, I got down on the floor and attempted to go through my 3 sets of 10 pushups. Here’s how I ended up … 3 pushups, 2 pushups, 2 pushups. A far cry from 10, 10, 10.

I was stunned at how quickly my strength had departed.

But … the next day, I got down on the floor and did 4,3,3 pushups. The next day was the same, 4,3,3.

Then a new day rolled around, and I did 5,4,4. My strength had increased a little. I was surprised to see how quickly it was coming back.

My arms stung from the lactic acid that poured onto my muscles as I struggled to increase the number of repetitions daily. But it felt oddly good.

Within two weeks I was back at 10, 10, 10. The positive inertia has kept me going and I have now exceeded that.

But it flipped me out to see how quickly my muscle strength came back. After that, as I was lifting some heavy items, I remember thinking ‘hey, this isn’t so heavy after all’. It was the pushups that did it!

Strength exercises like pushups are excellent for diabetes as it helps manage insulin resistance. Add aerobic exercise to your routine and you will have done your blood sugar control a huge favor.

Have you fallen out of your exercise routine? Inertia and apathy CAN be put back into their box if we start small and slowly ramp back up. Here’s to 10,10,10!

———

[Author’s note: I hope you enjoy this blog! It was started because I am so sedentary that it is unbelievable. If you want to support this work, consider buying my book ’42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise’ on Amazon by clicking HERE ]

Posted on by exercisehelps

If you can walk to the refrigerator, you can exercise!

Joe Rogan, a popular American media personality, recently had a guest on his podcast who made the statement that her husband, who is a celebrity in some circles, hadn’t exercised because it is just too difficult.

Wrong thing to say to the former host of “Fear Factor”.

He basically wasn’t having any of this … and made the statement that became the title of this post. To sum up his reaction in four words, “give me a break!”.

I am a master of inventing excuses to not exercise. I have won an Oscar for my inertia-invoking performances on why exercise today is just simply too awful and too painful to even begin.

On those days when the “it’s too hard to exercise” mood dominates my brain, I take a deep breath and get moving anyway. It is slow. It is hard.

It is imperative.

“If you can walk to the refrigerator, you can exercise!”

#joerogan, #diabetes, #exercise

Posted on by exercisehelps

Yes, your camera can help blast you out of lethargy

I saw a photo of myself taken years ago and was aghast at how out of shape I looked. I mean, it stopped me in my tracks.

Honestly, I looked swollen and hideous.

If you’re not where you want to be physically and you’re a diabetic, take a picture of yourself. I don’t even have to explain how motivational this is to simply gaze upon a picture of yourself.

Chances are you’re not where you want to be.

Exercise is a way to change that picture. Oh by the way, you will be improving your diabetic condition immensely while you do this.

I know I know, you don’t want to do this. It’s just too painful. There is not enough time. It’s WAY too inconvenient.

All of the above is why you have to do it. But I thought this was a blog about managing diabetes through exercise and not about weight loss, you might say. You’re right it is. However the magic is that they both often move together.

So, either look back at an old photo for motivation or snap a new pic – either way, now your camera is part of your health team. Who would have thought??!!

(Author’s note: Share my book with friends! https://www.amazon.com/Motivate-Sedentary-Diabetic-Actually-Exercise/dp/1692830473/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 )

Posted on by exercisehelps

When you absolutely, positively, totally do not want to move

Recently, I had a day where I simply did not want to go to the gym, walk on my street, or do anything at all. I was frozen, like an iceberg.

All of this despite my being an exercise blogger who has written a book on the criticality of getting off our collective rumps and moving (ahem, exercising).

On this day, this un-moving day, my brain just simply could not process doing anything other than sitting in my recliner. It was simply a bridge too far for me to conceptualize. It was a thought that could find no place in my menu of activities for that day.

Trying to combat this dreadful turn of events, I reminded myself of the enormous benefits that diabetics enjoy when they exercise. And then I reminded myself again. And again. Nothing worked. I was still in the clutches of inertia … let me capitalize that, I was still in the clutches of INERTIA.

I’m confident that I’m not the only one who has ever found themselves in this sorry situation, right?

So what did I do?

I got out my self-winch and winched myself out the front door. There, I got that far. Let’s see if I have enough motivation to make it to the street. OK, I found a couple of cracks in inertia’s wall, giving me a few ounces of motivation to actually walk to the street (the self-winch is straining, straining, straining against the force of inactivity). OK, now I’m standing on the street, motionless. So I will myself to walk 100 steps on the street. By step 10, inertia conceded that it is defeated today and I end up walking a mile, which isn’t that much but is much better than the day started out, which found me lacking the will to get out of the recliner. Yep, my battle with inertia is that deep, folks.

Inertia flees in the face of action.

Inactivity retreats whenever we engage even in modest activity.

Even one step on these very difficult days is a victory.

Our daily iceberg can be melted, one day at a time. (But it can be hard, as evidenced by my account above).

Let me encourage us, when we are in the throes of a ‘cannot do anything’ day, take one step. It will lead to two, which will lead to three.

And our diabetes will thank us.

Posted on by exercisehelps

Cold, rain, wind all conspired to stop me from getting off the couch today

It’s cold. It’s raining buckets. The wind is tearing my roof off it seems.

It’s January.

Not much sunlight. Days are short.

In other words, an awfully fine day to chuck my exercise activities and resume my comatose lifestyle.

Knock, knock, knock. I hear this knocking in my brain.

A whisper comes through, “…. fine! This is a great way to make your type 2 grow stronger.”

I battle briefly with myself then run up the white flag of surrender to that knocking and whisper, get into my exercise clothes, make it to my car and drive to the gym.

I didn’t want to. I cannot find words in the English language to adequately describe my resistance to exercising today. Enormous, huge, spectacular resistance.

But I won another round with inertia.

Barely.

You see, my better angel on my right shoulder was advising me that #diabetics need daily exercise in order to combat insulin resistance and help their #A1C numbers move down.

Even in the cold.

Even in the rain.

Even in the wind.

Even in January.

Posted on by exercisehelps

The revenge of the dumbbells … or how I learned to blast through dumbbell boredom

Boredom has always feverishly nipped at my heels whenever I exercise.

Yep, I don’t get exhausted much but almost always I do get bored.

It’s funny, in all my years of researching exercise, I have only seen one article that addressed boredom and that article specifically focused on marathoners.

Yet back to my dumbbells … in a previous posting, I had discussed how they disappeared for a year and then reappeared magically one day. And how I was now faithfully using them daily.

However, as an update to this, boredom started setting in during my exercise with them. Boredom in exercise for me is as mustard to a hot dog. It just is.

However, I know my type 2 diabetes benefits from not only aerobic exercise but also from strength exercises like dumbbells so I had to figure out a work-around.

Enter my Roku-TV.

It fits under my arm and is as light as a feather so I decided to position it in front of my dumbbells and watch something interesting while I was working out. You know, “Christmas Vacation”, “Family Stone”, documentaries about planets etc.

It worked.

Boredom kicked to the curb.

My dumbbells are again fulfilling their destiny.

Does your exercise bore you?

Figure out a way to untie that knot! Inertia will go down for the count!!

Posted on by exercisehelps

My dumbbells, their tragic yet hopeful story

I have always loved my #dumbbells.

Simple workouts with them always seemed to be easy and effective. I could sit on a stool and do arm curls (I usually do 30 for each arm, 20 lbs) without too much hassle or disruption to my day (remember, I HATE to exercise).

And I know from my #diabetes research that strength exercises can have a super positive impact on diabetes numbers, working in concert with diet and aerobic exercise.

Then I lost my dumbbells.

How??

I am not sure other to say that some other-worldly creature must have stolen them while I slept and relocated to an obscure corner of my house. I hate it when things like this happen!

However, about a year after this theft, I rediscovered my dumbbells in the aforementioned obscure corner of my house.

And then I faced a new obstacle … motivating myself again to actually use them.

How to overcome, yet once more, my old nemesis, inertia.

Here’s how I did it, listen carefully … I got a stool and placed in the hall of my home where I would see it everyday and have to intentionally walk around it. I then walked over to the dumbbells, picked them up, sat on the stool and did 10 reps on each arm (arm curls).

Then I did it the next day.

Then I did it the next day.

It has been 3 weeks now and I have increased the number of repetitions every couple of days.

My arms feel fabulous.

But I had to encumber my hall to do it.

You see, I have to do all sorts of crazy things to defeat inertia however I won this round.

You too may have to get creative but you can do it.

At any rate, I am on a roll with my newly-found dumbbells, feeling great and loving it.

BTW, we recently took a trip to a second home and guess what? My dumbbells were packed in the car and traveled with us.

So even though my dumbbells’ story had a tragic turn, it has all ended up just fine.

I challenge you to buy some dumbbells at weights comfortable for you to lift.

And then put a stool in your hall! Your #A1C numbers will thank you!

#diabetes #diabetic #type2diabetes #diabeticexercise #A1C

Posted on by exercisehelps

The wrestling match in my head today

We are in the midst of another #covid lockdown, this time much more restrictive.

Somehow the thought has gotten into my head that exercise (walking, running, whatever) is going to be tougher for me during this season. Somehow, I have begun thinking “oh no! I am going to just shut down my physical movement!”

Keep in mind that my #diabetes is saying “Please get off your butt and get out the front door and move!!! We need this!” Actually my #diabetes is not just saying this, it is SCREAMING this!

In my mind, I see #inertia and #diabetes wrestling each other. One is going to win, trust me.

This is the point of this blog, to make sure #inertia does not win.

To make sure #ExerciseAndDiabetes walks away with the trophy.

As I write this today, I am in the middle of this internal wrestling match.

But I am here to say, once this piece is completed, I am going to get off the couch and out the front door.

I promise.

How about you?

Posted on by exercisehelps

Inertia, inertia, how do I loathe thee, let me count the ways

The dictionary defines #inertia as ‘the tendency to do nothing or remain unchanged’.

OUCH!

It’s funny how inertia sticks to #type2 diabetics like super glue. It’s interesting how inertia always shadows us, even on days when shadows don’t normally appear.

Inertia keeps us from exercising.

Inertia keeps us from even putting on our walking (or running) shoes. Actually it keeps us from even looking from them in the first place.

Inertia keeps us on the couch.

Inertia makes sure that the only thing about our bodies that moves is our thumb as it scrolls mindlessly through our phone, reading yet another useless article on absolutely nothing.

Inertia ensures that exercise remains a theory only, not a practice.

Inertia guarantees that we talk a lot about exercise and how it helps our diabetes but not ever moving beyond talk. (to actual movement … gasp!)

Inertia places all its bets on our remaining stationary.

Stationary means ‘not moving’.

Stationary means ‘going nowhere’.

Inertia is the enemy of health.

Inertia is the foe of diabetes.

This entire blog is dedicated to those of us who hate to exercise.

We can take that first step!

We will take that first step!

Take that, inertia!

[Author’s note, if you enjoy this blog, please share it!! If you would like to support this blog through the purchase of my book on exercise motivation, please click HERE, thank you!!]

#covid #covid19 #diabetes #type2diabetics #diabetics #walking #exercise

Posted on by exercisehelps

Rut alert!! Rut alert!!

#Covid has put a big dent in my exercise, for a number of reasons. You may have found this also.

Exercising is hard enough without ANY additional headwinds. And when we encounter a new obstacle or setback, well … you know the rest of the story.

Often our motivation goes into the toilet.

Soooo, long story short, this outhouse experience happened to me, yours truly.

Before I knew it, inertia had sneaked up on me, motivation went out the door and it was three weeks before I realized I had done NOTHING insofar as exercise was concerned. Let me repeat … NOTHING. Zip. Zero. Nada.

How did I get out of this?

It was hard. It was brutal. I was extremely inconsistent. I kept trying to establish a pattern of exercise. I kept failing. It was weird, quite frankly.

I just couldn’t get it going. At all.

So I finally, after a gazillion failures, made it out the door for a great walk one day. Then the next. Then the next. And suddenly my routine was going again.

I do this for a number of reasons … my #diabetes improves with every little bit of exercise that I do. Exercise is also a wonderful mood-elevator.

Mark Twain said the only difference between a rut and a grave is its depth.

Are you in the kind of rut that I fell into? I wish I had a magic key to give you so you could unlock this conundrum but persistence is the only thing I can offer up.

Just keep trying, don’t give up.

Giving up is not what we are about, is it?

[Author’s note: if you enjoy this writing, consider purchasing my book! “42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise” – here is the LINK ]

#covid #covid19 #walking #diabetes #diabetic #type2

Posted on by exercisehelps

Have a running conversation with yourself … this very day!

There will come that day when you absolutely do not want to begin exercising at all. There are a myriad of reasons that cloud your mind and press you back down to the couch so inertia keeps you from moving out the front door.

These are the tough days that you must tackle and overcome. Your type 2 #diabetes may well depend on it. Experience too many of these days and you will lose a valuable ally in your journey to health.

This is when you have to talk to yourself. You have to remind yourself that regardless of how you feel, you must act on what you know. And what you know is that you must get moving.

Oh sure, it is cold outside. And that will make your walk slightly uncomfortable. Or it is raining outside and you must go to your mall or your gym to either walk or workout. But you must overcome this. And you must overcome the inertia by talking to yourself.

Something like this:

-> I am going to exercise today regardless how I feel.

-> I really enjoy exercise once I get into it and today will be no different.

-> I will not let laziness stand in the way of the healthy benefits that I get through exercise

-> I grow stronger when I exercise, especially when I don’t feel like it.

It is amazing how powerful self talk is. It can literally move you from a demotivated sedentary human being to a motivated person getting on with life. And it is all within our power.

#diabetes #type2 #bloodglucose #diabetic

Posted on by exercisehelps

How the local zoo helped my diabetes, seriously!

Recently, I had the occasion to go with some family members to the #NashvilleZoo one morning.

It was great and I ended up walking at least 3 miles … at least!

Get this, I did not notice! I was too caught up in the wonder of this well laid-out zoo and all the amazing animals.

I got my exercise in for the day while I did not notice at all! I felt this was too good for me not to share.

The exercise helped my #diabetes by decreasing #InsulinResistance which in turn, lowered my #BloodGlucose readings for the day.

Isn’t that what this is all about?

Go to your local #zoo and walk through it! You’ll be glad you did!

Posted on by exercisehelps

Diabetes, meet swimming … swimming, meet diabetes!

#Swimming just might be the very best exercise there is for a #diabetic. It is low impact and high aerobic. And you are as likely to find swimmers over age 80 as you are under the age of 30 in any fitness center or YMCA pool.

The downside of #swimming obviously is that you need a pool.

With walking, you just put your shoes on and walk out the front door. With swimming, you need a pool. Not a problem, virtually every fitness center or YMCA has one and they usually are parts of the fitness center that open before any other part, often before five in the morning.

If this appeals to you, take the first step and find a pool. Overcome the inertia and locate a facility that will accommodate you.

Trust me, it’s not hard.

There’s even a competitive swimming program called #MastersSwimming for those adults who would like to compete in swim tournaments. I have gone to a few of these and there is nothing more heartwarming than seeing a few 70-year-olds battling it out in the backstroke.

When they get out of the pool, they look far better than most of their peers and if they are #diabetic, they have added satisfaction of knowing that they are doing something wonderful for their condition.

Posted on by exercisehelps

When your calendar becomes your workout buddy … huh???

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Let’s face it, there is something compelling when we schedule something on our calendar. We are more apt to follow through and keep a commitment that is on our calendar than one that is not.

It always helps me personally to proactively plan my exercise in the future by committing it to my calendar. If you use a paper calendar, pencil it in. If you use an electronic/phone calendar, then schedule it and you will have an automatic reminder.

I hate to work out, you might also but we know our #diabetes will thank us for getting out the door and into some activity, right?

There is something about human nature that simply makes this work. Let’s make it work on our behalf to help us manage our #diabetes better.

Thank you Mr Calendar!

(Author’s note: I have published a book for diabetics who hate to exercise, ’42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise’ … written primarily for my always inactive self … click HERE to purchase on Amazon, purchase and give away to friends and family who need it … purchase and send to your local diabetes society for distribution and if you cannot afford it, let me know)

Posted on by exercisehelps

What you FEEL will make you ill, but what you KNOW will make you go!

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Early in my career, I was a church worker. As such, I had the benefit of exceptional motivational teachings that I would listen to as various teachers came through my territory.

One teacher stressed the importance of not allowing our feelings to dictate our actions inordinately. He focused on the fact that if we allow our feelings to rule our lives, we would never amount to much of anything or accomplish anything significant.

He stressed that we should operate a great deal out of what we knew as fact that we needed to do as opposed to what we felt. He had a great motto for this… “What you FEEL will make you ill, but what you KNOW will make you go.”

Throughout my years, I have always marveled at the wisdom in this saying.

In many ways it applies to motivating us to get out the front door and get exercising.

With that in mind, I think it is vital to reflect on why we are exercising at all. In short, exercising benefits our #diabetic condition in so many ways it is impossible to list.

For starters, if you have insulin resistance which most #type2 diabetics do, exercise will lessen that resistance. Exercise will open the receptivity of your cells for blood glucose to enter them. That way it’s not in your bloodstream and your blood glucose levels of your blood will fall. That’s a good thing.

#Diabetes can contribute to a person being depressed.

Studies show that walking 20 minutes a day is as therapeutic as most medications or talk therapy. Can you believe that? Well you should because it’s true.

Exercise can increase a person’s overall fitness level which lessens the co-morbidities that can spring up when you deal with #diabetes in a person’s life.

This alone makes exercise a fabulous, fabulous option for a #diabetic.

So think about those mornings when you absolutely do not want to exercise. Your feelings are screaming “do not exercise at all because I do not feel like it”. It is mornings like this that what you feel is making you ILL but what you know has got to make you GO. Because you know you need to exercise, you put your feelings up on a shelf and get out the door and get to the business of exercising. Because your intellect is making the smart choice and the smart decision here.

We can do this!

Posted on by exercisehelps

Just moving your clothes will benefit your diabetes enormously … wait, say that again!

PHOTO BY NATHAN FRIED-LIPSKI

In the business world, especially in those parts where efficiency in movement is crucial, efficiency is often achieved by moving things around to make the movement easier. For example, in a warehouse, the most frequently used items will be stacked the closest to the loading dock in order to save time. And it does save an ENORMOUS amount of time.

There is a principle here that you can leverage in becoming more motivated to exercise…make it easy on yourself.

Here is a quick tip:

Put your exercise clothes at the foot of your bed or somewhere where you can easily reach them. Make it easy to find your exercise clothes. If you are a walker, this might pertain only to your walking shoes. If you are a runner, this would pertain to your running clothes plus your running shoes. If you are doing yoga, this is your mat plus your yoga clothes.

It is all meant to remove a hurdle standing in the way of exercise and make it easier to move into it. Believe it or not, I find this to be motivational in itself… you might not but I do. If I have to run all over the house looking for my clothes, somehow I lose a little bit of motivation and find something else to do.

It is too important for me to exercise to allow this to occur so I see this as a very small step that can yield very large dividends for our diabetes for those of us who hate to exercise.

JUST MOVE YOUR CLOTHES! LOL!

#diabetes #diabetic #exercise #YoungerNextYear

 

Posted on by exercisehelps

Write your way out of lethargy and fatigue … A1C numbers just might drop!!

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We are here to help you explode your inertia and get you off the couch to actually exercise! (and your #diabetes numbers will thank you)

Believe it or not, studies have shown that if you keep an exercise journal daily, this by itself will give you motivation to get out the front door.

Studies have also shown that as you record your obstacles, challenges, dead zones as well as your successes, you will exercise at a more consistent pace than the person who does not do this.

As I have alluded to before, the toughest step to take in any exercise program is the first step. Any advantage that we can get on our side to get us exercising and keep us exercising, we should take and embrace it enthusiastically.

This really, REALLY helps me. Seriously. It REALLY helps me!

So go buy a small notebook that you can write in and start today. If you have an iPhone, droid etc that you can keep a journal on, by all means do that!

The manner of journaling does not matter… that you do it is the only thing that does matter.

#covid #diabetes #diabetics #exercisejournal

Posted on by exercisehelps

Spin your way to lower blood glucose numbers, seriously!

spinning

Spinning is basically riding a stationary bicycle. A spin class however, takes a rather boring activity and throws fun and sparkle all over it.

Most YMCAs and other fitness centers, have spin classes, even during covid. You will be socially distanced and maintain all the proper health precautions but spinning is still occurring, trust me!

Typically these are 20 or more stationary bicycles in a large room, that are utilized for a group activity lasting from 45 minutes to an hour with an instructor leading it to the melodies of great music.

To say that this is fun is a huge understatement. It is incredibly fun!

And it is low impact and high aerobic. Almost a perfect exercise. And since you are spinning with other people, the added benefit of socialization is baked right into this.

So many people in spin classes make friends with each other and this serves to motivate each other to higher fitness goals.

It is not uncommon to see people of all ages in spin classes. I’m talking about from teenagers to young adults to middle-age to senior citizens. The spin class I go to has a fellow by the name of Ollie who sits in the corner and participates enthusiastically. He has been doing this for at least 10 to 15years. Ollie is 80 years old. He is in great shape. I do not know if he has diabetes or not but that is beside the point, isn’t it? He may not have diabetes because his fitness level may have been forestalled. Or if he does, he is helping manage it well.

I challenge you to go to your local YMCA or fitness center and see if there is a spin class. The instructors are extremely sympathetic to beginners and you can get in a spin class and going slowly for the entire period of time and no one will say a word because they understand you’re starting out.

Who could ask for more than that?

#covid19 #covid #spinclass #diabetes #diabetics

Posted on by exercisehelps

How a trip to Italy and France reversed my diabetes … wait, what?!?

venice

 

It was a normal day for me, much like many others. Except that I was to have my long-procrastinated physical from my physician.

No problem … I jumped in the car and quickly navigated the Nashville landscape in the beautiful October sunshine, arriving at her office in about 20 minutes.

Greeting me, we went through the all of the regular tests, exams, etc. She is a very personable doctor and I always enjoyed my visits.

Wrapping up, I thanked her and went on my way.

All was well with the world.

Until she called me a few days later and asked me to come back in for a glucose tolerance test.

“Sure, let’s set up an appointment. By the way, why?” I asked.

“Your fasting glucose level came back a bit higher than I would like to see it. This other test can tell us a lot more.” she explained.

“Fine, see you then”

Long story short, my glucose tolerance test took about 4 hours with my blood being drawn over and over. I felt like I had given a gallon of blood and was ever so glad to show back up at work that day.

A few days later, the physician called again. Read more

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How to throw inertia into the ditch and start exercising again!!

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Today, I’m going to focus on inertia.

Check out the dictionary definition of inertia: ‘a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged.’

Inertia keeps us from exercising. It is a force in itself.

Inertia is an invisible hand that keeps us on the couch or in our office chair, when we know better.

It is the hobgoblin that whispers in our ear ‘Put it off until tomorrow’. It is the belief that says, ‘It’s too much effort to find my walking shoes (or workout clothes, etc)’.

Inertia is an internal mountain that we attempt to climb daily.  Did I say climb? More often than not, we just sit and stare at it. Then night comes, we sleep and we get up the next day only to repeat the cycle all over.

Inertia is a paralyzing poison that renders us incapable of forward movement. It throws its thick straps onto us and holds us tightly in place.

This happens to me all the time.

What do I do when this tsunami of inactivity has me jailed?

I find my walking shoes.

I put them on.

I take one step. Then another. Then another.

By this time, inertia recedes a tiny bit. But that’s all I need, an opening. A chink in its armor.

And usually I find myself walking a bit, and a bit turns into a mile and a mile turns into two, you get the picture.

And I will have put inertia in its place until I face it all over again tomorrow.

You too? Sound familiar?

Let me encourage you to punch inertia in the nose today.

Your diabetes will forever be grateful!

(Author’s note: I have published a book for diabetics who hate to exercise, ’42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise’ … written primarily for my always inactive self … click HERE to purchase on Amazon, purchase and give away to friends and family who need it … purchase and send to your local diabetes society for distribution and if you cannot afford it, let me know)

#covid #covid19 #coronavirus

 

 

Posted on by exercisehelps

Diabetics to COVID: Stand Down!

One great thing about getting off your couch (or off your office chair) and out the door is that the effect on your diabetes is consistently, unarguably and profoundly massive.

As we have all taken a step back for a while due to #COVID, I have found that taking that step out the door and into a brisk walk is amazing, even for one who hates to exercise (like me).

The video I have loaded at the beginning of this blog (isn’t the trail beautiful??) shows my walking path in the woods … it is restful, life-giving, level and works with me to get my diabetes numbers to where they need to be.

I walk 2 miles a day (yes, yes, I am working to get that much higher) at a pace of about 3.3 mph.

I have made this a daily routine. Making this a daily routine delivers a punch in the face to inertia, which is my greatest enemy against regular exercise.

It works.

Managing diabetes makes a person healthier during the #coronavirus thing we are going through.

And walking daily gives a daily boost to our moods which will boost our immune systems.

Take off your lethargy jacket today and get out the door! Take that, #COVID!

#walking #youngernextyear #ihatetoexercise

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Covid and social distancing and diabetes and … and … I’m still exercising

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As you are reading this, most of America is under some kind of stay-at-home, shelter-in-place, safer-at-home restriction.

Yet many of us have diabetes.

And many of us have to exercise in order to help manage our diabetes.

Well, let me tell you what I am doing. It is springtime in Tennessee and we are now often experiencing days that are warm and full of sunshine. And we are experiencing days that are a bit cooler but still perfect … like any springtime season.

My wife and I have been getting out on our street and walking religiously. We also live near a greenway that we frequent. It can all be done with appropriate social distancing guidelines. (that’s me on a greenway in the photo above)

And the walking decreases my insulin resistance.  And this benefits type 2 diabetics.

But the entire point of this is that there is a way to get off the couch even during a dang quarantine.

If ever I needed an excuse to not exercise, a national pandemic would be one, wouldn’t it? I mean, everyone would understand, right?

But if I didn’t exercise during this national emergency, here’s what would happen:

  1. a key tool in my diabetes management would vanish
  2. my mood would darken
  3. because my mood might darken, depression might set in
  4. because depression might set in, that would adversely affect diabetes (see my post on this)

Exercise brings hope.

Let hope back in!

#coronavirus #covid19 #covid #socialdistancing #YoungerNextYear #ChrisCrowley

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How to exercise during a pandemic … or … Covid-19, get outta my way!

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First and foremost, especially during a pandemic, you have to exercise!

Inactivity increases disease risk!!

Let me repeat this: inactivity increases disease risk!

Covid-19 cannot be just another excuse for those of us who already hate to exercise, to avoid walking, running, biking, swimming, etc etc A pandemic cannot be a new momentum-buster, standing in the way of activities that help manage your diabetes.

I hate to exercise.

I have diabetes.

Therefore I must exercise.

During this current crisis, here’s what I have been doing:

On my street, I have been getting out at least twice a day for walks. I have wireless headphones (Beats) and I listen to an audio-book that I purchase through Audible. This walking routine can be done easily with social distancing needs still being met.

I also have a weight bench in my basement (barbells, etc) that I have started using every other day. I put a podcast on that I enjoy and jump into my routine.

Exercise helps lower insulin resistance. Exercise helps your A1C numbers. Exercise is not a nice-to-have, it is mandatory for those of us with blood sugar issues.

I know not everyone has a convenient street on which to walk. And I understand that gyms are to be avoided.

But be creative! You can figure this out!

Just make sure covid-19 doesn’t stop you from this extremely important activity of daily exercise.

#covid19 #covid-19 #coronavirusandexercise #diabetesandcovid19 #exercisehelps #ChrisCrowley

(author’s note: if you enjoy this blog, please purchase my book on Amazon! “42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise” … and leave a review on Amazon if you enjoy it!)

 

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Video onboard! How to squeeze in a 20 minute walk between business meetings

Hi there everyone!

I had a noon meeting in Franklin, TN yesterday that lasted an hour. I had not gotten any exercise in because, well, I hate to exercise.

And inertia battles me every single day.

But because of type 2 diabetes, I must exercise.

So I decided to take a 20 minute walk on Main Street in Franklin which is an extraordinarily picturesque walk. Plus it was 65 degrees in February.

It was fun, I enjoyed it, I didn’t even notice the walk because I was so absorbed in the sights and sounds.

Diabetic conditions can be improved through regular exercise, like this.

If we enjoy our exercise, we are more likely to do it.

If we pick an exercise that we loathe, odds are that we might not do it. (I know myself, I assure you, I won’t)

Get off the couch and out of your office today … I’ll bet you also can find a way to squeeze in a 20 minute walk somehow, some way, even today.

#diabetes #diabetics #walking #exercisehelpsdiabetics #FranklinTN

(Author’s note: Click HERE to check out my book on Amazon “42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise” … this would make a great gift for friends and family who need encouragement to exercise)

Posted on by exercisehelps

Mo-mo-mo-momentum!

momentum

When I was younger, I would hang-glide in cow pastures. (You immediately see a myriad of issues with this, I suspect).

I would run with the hang-glider until I had enough momentum that the air would lift me off the ground into the sky. It was like magic to me. Momentum always propelled me to new heights. (side note: upon landing, I had to make sure I missed the cows and their by-products!)

I hate to exercise.

I must exercise in order to control my type 2 diabetes. Exercise and diet are my two main tools. And they work amazingly.

But I have found that momentum is a key to overcoming the inertia that keeps us from getting off the couch (or out of our office) and exercising.

Here’s what momentum looks like:

You walk one day for 5 minutes. Day 2 you walk for 5 minutes. Day 3 you drive to the gym to climb on the stair step machine. Day 4 you walk for 10 minutes. Momentum will now deposit you into some kind of activity on day 5 and beyond.

Voila!

Your hang-glider will now be airborne!

hangglider

 

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Rock, paper, scissors … depression, diabetes, walking

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I was sitting in a graduate-level psychology class once upon a time when I heard a jaw-dropping fact – if you walk 20 minutes a day, the anti-depressive effects of that walk will equal any, I repeat ANY, antidepressant on the market today.

The professor saw the class’s incredulity and proceeded to show scholarly study after scholarly study where this was proven out.

Now, the truly amazing part is that when you combine walking, with an antidepressant and talk therapy, you definitely have the most powerful tool to combat depression.

Read more

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Making sad ole winter your best exercise season

sadwinter

Wait, what?

My best exercise season?!?!

No way!

Way.

As you know, diabetes responds well to exercise. Blood sugar is controlled and managed better when we exercise. Insulin resistance decreases. Many, many benefits come to the diabetic through simple exercise.

But if you are like me, January has served up a boatload of inertia against getting out there and doing something … anything! I mean, when I try to get myself into gear, I hit a concrete wall … not thin concrete either but 8 foot thick concrete walls.

Seeing an opportunity in this sad state of affairs, I decided to try some new machines in the gym, to see if the variety might confuse the inertia that holds me back.

I decided to try the stairstep machine … it is quite an aerobic workout!!! And because it is different, it made it a little more fun for me. I also bought some new Beats bluetooth over the ear headphones and listened to a new book on Audible. This served to make the workout actually enjoyable.

I also signed up for a 5k run (maybe walk?) at our local zoo in February. This gave me a new goal and goals always energize me.

Remember, what I am trying to do here is beat January at its own game … I’m trying to actually move forward in exercise rather than just treading water.

Well, for me at least, this worked as I have been punching January in the nose all month. 🙂

You see, my diabetes benefits from this. My A1C numbers benefit from this. I am not just doing all of this to pass the time away. I have to exercise.

Try changing up your routine in January and see if it helps. If it doesn’t, drop me a line at terry.blankenship@outlook.com

#diabetes #diabetic #exercisehelps

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January is a TOUGH month in which to exercise!!!

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I have often thought that January is the SADDEST month … post-Christmas and holiday, it almost seems like 31 days of afterthought.

I hate to exercise … because I am a type 2 diabetic, I must exercise.

BUT January is brutal when it comes to getting off the couch and out the door! B.R.U.T.A.L! For many reasons that you already know!

(Author’s note: if you haven’t yet purchased my book, 42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise, please click HERE. Please also tell your friends and family about this! THANKS!)

But I have to exercise in January, every day, every day, every day. I am insulin resistant and exercise opens my cell doors to allow insulin inside … see the magic here?! Then my blood sugar is drawn down due to this.

Sooooo, here we are, all wrapped up in our inertia, sitting at home or in the office, as sedentary as our coffee table. What do we do?

Get up, walk to the door, exit the door, take a 1 minute walk, return to house, enter door, sit back down.

I’m not asking much here, folks! 1 minute! But it is January so I know I minute in January may feel like 1 hour but you’ve got this!

The theory behind this is that 1 minute might turn into 2 and 2 might turn into 5 and 5 might turn into 10, etc.

All in January! What a superstar you are!

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Give your diabetes a Christmas present!

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Loads of carbs you have to avoid … tons of desserts you must dodge … sugar canes you have to turn your back on … co-workers leaving brownies and sprinkled cookies on your desk, ok, ok, you get the picture.

If you are a diabetic, this is a tough time of year … potentially. If you are a diabetic, this is whitewater … potentially.

But I have a suggestion … I have a tip on how to turn the holidays into a healthy time of year for the diabetic.

Remember this blog is about overcoming inertia and getting out the front door to actually exercise? And remember that exercise is a key to managing our diabetes? (and remember that fantastic book I wrote regarding this?)

Well, we are going to defeat diabetes in the holiday season by … drum roll … taking at least two short walks a day, every day. If your fitness level has you way above this, then continue that but throw an extra session a day in. Double it.

You will be fighting depression … you will be managing your diabetes … your cells will absorb more of your blood glucose thereby leaving less in your bloodstream. And this is important for those with type 2 diabetes.

And let this doubling of exercise be your gift to yourself … and a gift to your diabetes!

Sound too tough? Cry to me at terry.blankenship@outlook.com 🙂

 

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Pick up that dumbbell and put down your diabetes!

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One of my happiest discoveries in my quest to help my type 2 diabetes has been the joy (that’s right, joy) of picking up some weights and training with them a couple of times a week.  It just feels really good to me and my muscles. Plus I can do this at home or at the gym!

Everydayhealth.com lists the benefits of weight training on type 2 diabetes as follows: Read more

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Biltmore helped me exercise, yep, that’s right

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Now, you may be wondering … how in the world could Biltmore House in Asheville, NC contribute to my exercise which contributes to my diabetes management?

A little background first … Biltmore House is the nation’s largest private home with over 230 rooms and measuring 175,000 square feet (whoa!). I live in Nashville, TN and have never been to Biltmore but it’s an easy trip there and back. It is decorated for Christmas so we went and had a fabulous time. Here’s how it helped my diabetes … Read more

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Boot camp, ridiculous or a game changer?

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Tom was a person who was a retired executive with type II diabetes. He has never been active, always allowing his career to crowd virtually everything else out including self-care. So if you were to look for the word sedentary in the dictionary, Tom’s picture would appear (right beside mine, of course … hey, yours might be in there too).

He heard about a boot camp at his local fitness center. At the urging of his spouse, he took a deep breath and called the center inquiring about the boot camp. The person on the other end must’ve been a great salesman because Tom found himself at day one of boot camp about a week later. Read more

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The completely impossible to exercise day

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Let me tell you about yesterday.

There are some days when it is virtually impossible psychologically for me to exercise.

For whatever reason, some days I cannot talk myself into getting out the front door and actually taking even the tiniest of strolls.

Yesterday, I had such a day.

Let me tell you what I do on a day like this.

I had one of two choices, I can give in and revert to my sedentary lifestyle on that day or I can get out the front door and take a one minute walk and come back in, claiming a victory at least symbolically.

As a matter of fact, that’s exactly what I did.

Since inertia is already stacked against us, it is far far better to strap some dynamite on that inertia and light the fuse. Even if it’s only a 60 second fuse. It doesn’t matter … symbolically, you will keep the momentum going.

Now these are special kinds of days I realize, the type of day that you may not face often. So this is the special kind of exercise that you will do on these very very rare days. It is not for everyday use, it is reserved for these impossible to exercise days.

Movement will build on your momentum. Inactivity will kill your momentum. So try to do at least something, even if it is the most minimum of efforts.

Your diabetes will be greatly helped by the fact that you are trying to build an active lifestyle, even on these really impossible days. The thing about impossible days is that even though they seem impossible, we can turn them into possible days. And we can do this by the quick trick above. Impossible to exercise days really do not exist except in our mind.

Off the couch today! (I love that slogan!)

 

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Yoga … wait, what?

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Okay, this may not be the most aerobic of exercises however yoga is a fantastic way to center yourself and open up peaceful avenues within your own spirit. It will also start your body being acclimated to movement and that in itself will confer a host of health benefits upon you. Read more

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That’s right, a walking tour

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Another amazing way to get off the couch and out the door is by taking a walking tour.

We were in Chicago recently for a convention and the weather was simply amazing. You know the type of days, I’m sure … temp in the low 70s, slight breeze, just perfection.

I’ve always been a huge Frank Lloyd Wright fan, loving his architecture, when I discovered there was a walking tour of some of his homes in Oak Park, Read more

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Yo … spin!

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Spinning is basically riding a stationary bicycle. A spin class however, takes a rather boring activity and throws fun and sparkle all over it.

Most YMCAs and other fitness centers, have spin classes. Typically these are 20 or more stationary bicycles in a large room, that are utilized for a group activity lasting from 45 minutes to an hour with an instructor leading it to the melodies of great music. Read more

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Get back on that bicycle!

You know, the one that’s parked in the garage that you haven’t been on in ages. Did you know that your bike could be possibly one of your greatest fitness tools? That bike could be a potent, I mean potent, tool against your diabetes.

The great thing about bicycling is that it is extremely low impact and also delivers very high aerobic benefit. Read more

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Remind thyself!

 

On those days when it is simply brutal to get out the door and actually exercise, I try to remind myself of what the benefits of exercise on my diabetes are.

This is exactly why I wrote my book, 42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise. (Click HERE to view at Amazon)

Picture a sailboat with its sails full of wind, being propelled along by that very wind. Similarly, reminding ourselves of exercise benefits can be the wind that pulls us out of our lethargy. Remind yourself and BOOM, it’s a little easier to move into some form of exercise. Read more

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The Battle

Yesterday was another brutal day in my battle against getting off the couch. Inertia was winning the day. The hatred of exercise was growing by the minute and I was determined to do nothing, absolutely nothing as far as walking or anything.

Have you ever been there before?

Has this scenario ever crept into your life? Of course it has! Otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this blog! Read more

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That first step … SO HARD!

Walking.

Seriously, this is the very easiest way to start your couch-reduced life. As a matter of fact, walking was what convinced me of the extreme value of exercise on my diabetes.

This is how easy it is to start… get out of your chair, walk to the front door,  open the front door, pass through your front door, find a sidewalk or street that is safe to walk on, start walking, finish walking, go back to your front door, open your front door, pass through your front door, close your front door, now resume your seated position. Read more

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My story

This post is taken from chapter 1 of my book 42 Ways to Motivate the Sedentary Diabetic to Actually Exercise. Here goes:

It was a normal day for me, much like many others. Except that I was to have my long-procrastinated physical from my physician.

No problem … I jumped in the car and quickly navigated the Nashville landscape in the beautiful October sunshine, arriving at her office in about 20 minutes.

Greeting me, we went through the all of the regular tests, exams, etc. She is a very personable doctor and I always enjoyed my visits.

Wrapping up, I thanked her and went on my way.

All was well with the world.

Until she called me a few days later and asked me to come back in for a glucose tolerance test. Read more