get into shape, but keep my curves

For the rest of this work week, I want to try scheduling a 5 minute stretch break every working hour.

I sit in my chair for hours on end, only getting up to refill water, use the loo, or have a cigarette. That’s not enough movement to keep the circulation flowing. I’d like to literally put “stretch” on my Outlook calendar, on a 90 minute rotation.

When the timer goes off – GET UP. Stretch thoroughly for five minutes.

While it may seem that I can’t afford the time, it might also be true that after stretching, I’m more effective and productive.

I will try it for four days – and then see what comes of it.

I had a great night’s sleep last night, and I think it’s because of all th walking I did yesterday. There was a festival in town, and I walked from the transit station to the park, then a full lap around the park and all the way back to the transit station. The exercise didn’t tire me out, but it did make me sleep very well.

Atlanta’s a driving city, by and large. I work from home. I hate exercising just for the sake of exercise. All these things line up for a very sedentary life.

If I find something interesting to look at – like a festival – then I don’t mind the walking and in fact, tend to have very good stamina for a slow, steady pace. However, I can’t just wait for some event to come up on the calendar in order to get more movement into my life.

I need to think of an interesting way to move around each day. I’ve done the gym thing (years ago), but I don’t have the budget of time or money to do it right now. I can take a dance class (I enjoyed the one I took in August) but that’s only once a week. Yes, I could go walking in my neighborhood – but I need to find a way to make it interesting. Maybe an audio book, if I can figure out how to put it on my Blackberry and listen to it there?

Being in “shape”, to me, means having the stamina & endurance to do all the things I want to do. It’s not about a dress size, and it’s definitely not about fitting in to someone else’s idea of shapely.

I love my highly feminine curves, and hope to never lose them.

I would, however, appreciate being physically stronger and to have more stamina.

Belly dancing – which I’ve just begun – should help with this goal; particularly if I practice between classes.