The Rain on My Parade

First, let me say that swing dancing class with my hubby last night was AWESOME. I had a great time with my husband and my sister and brother-in-law. Even if you think you are the most uncoordinated person in the world (well, the second-most-uncoordinated person in the world, I am the most uncoordinated, believe me) - Anyway, even if you think you are uncoordinated and have no rhythm, this is a ton of fun and it is a huge stress reliever. Loved it. Highly recommend it. It is a fun, fantastic way to get exercise.

Today, though, I'm a bit stressed because of the rain. Well, the rain, my cozy bed, and the Holidays. This unfortunate confluence of timing, weather, and exhaustion led me to sleep way too long this morning and miss my "only opportunity" to work out today. It is raining, hard, today and I got to bed late last night, so I did not go to the gym to do my cycling class, and I did not drag my behind out of bed on time to do a DVD / Tae Boe work-out this morning either. The pouring rain coupled with the fact that I am organizing a Holiday party tonight means no lunch walk. I am attending said Holiday festivities tonight, and will likely not get home until after 9pm. WHEN do I get some exercise? I'm a little stressed.

All that said, I have come up with a plan that I think will work. My plan is to do dance practice with my husband after we get home tonight. We can practice the swing dancing moves we learned last night for about 1/2 an hour. It's not going to be a huge exercise day, but at least it is something.

This brings me to an issue I think many people run into, is a tiny bit of exercise even worth it? Yes. Yes it is. Many people feel like there is not enough time in the day to exercise. I think this is because often, exercise is viewed as an activity that must be done to the point where one is a breathless, sweaty mess before it will be effective.  I have a different opinion here. A couple 15 minute walks every day, for example, will certainly not lead to sudden and dramatic weight loss but the benefits certainly make it worthwhile, even if it's not the vigorous workout many people envision when they think about exercise. For me, a short walk in the middle of the day will clear my head, help me to feel more alert and awake, and lift my mood. The same is true for half an hour of dance practice with my husband - it will help to relieve stress at the end of the day, I will sleep better, and hey- I burned a couple of calories. So there is always time in the day to get exercise, just move a little more, even if it is only taking one extra lap up and down the three flights of steps at work or taking a 15 minute walk.