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

 

 

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

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

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!)

 

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)

Mo-mo-mo-momentum!

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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!

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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

Making sad ole winter your best exercise season

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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

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!

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 🙂