Snow Day

    Last night, before we went to bed, they had already announced it.  Thursday, like Wednesday, was to be a snow day.  The marquee floated across the television screen.  Code Red.  No school.  Our son could sleep in.  Me?  I knew I wouldn't.  I told my husband I would get up and have that first cup of coffee with him (even though mine is always decaffeinated).  I put on my work out clothes and headed downstairs.  The morning routine is performed without even thinking.  Turn on the coffee maker, take my vitamins, feed the pets, check the news.  He heads out to shovel the snow from the driveway.  I watched from the warm house.  My first thought was...that's good exercise...though I did advise him to be careful.  One winter, I shoveled snow and ice from the porch.  I slipped and fell right into the rose bush...and to top it off, I threw my back out.  Ouch!  You probably guessed, but he does all the shoveling now.  I'm slower, less efficient, and well, a bit of a klutz.  

    When he came in for his second cup of coffee, I went down to the work out room.  Its coming together nicely.  I am so glad we decided to create this room.  This is the first winter I've been able to get consistent exercise and it feels wonderful.  I literally used to spend half the winter in bed because of my back.  The funny thing is I still have all the injuries.  I still have a herniated disc, disc bulges, etc.  I'm just healthier now.  When and if I do twist or turn the wrong way, I recover more quickly.  What used to take a week or two, now takes a day or two.  Its made it so I am able to enjoy life more and miss less.  

    So, if you want to stay in shape over the "snow days", and you either don't have a gym membership or don't want one for some reason, I thoroughly recommend you create your own home gym.  It doesn't take much really.  Ours is a conglomeration of all the exercise stuff we've accumulated over the years (I wonder what I did with my old "Thigh master").   : )

   We did buy one thing...one big item for cardiovascular exercise...a new treadmill.  Its our second.  The first, we had when I was pregnant.  That was a very long time ago, but we both remembered it as something that didn't gather dust.  You may wish to have your own treadmill, or an elliptical, a stair climber, or maybe a bicycle.  The choices are limitless.  Just make sure to do research first, read what other consumers are saying about the product.  When we bought our treadmill, we had a certain brand in mind, but ended up getting one from "Fitness Resource" because it was sturdy, and they built it around our needs and desires.  In your new room, you should have at the very minimum weights of varying sizes.  Newest to our collection are the kettle bells, but hey, I also have a "Shake Weight".  Okay, stop laughing.  It really works.  The bottom line is don't let yourself get into a rut over the cold winter days.  If you like winter sports, great.   But if you are slightly broken and seriously klutzy, like me, try a home gym.