Keeping Fit in Cold Weather

I like to walk and garden, both outdoor activities. So, when the weather is frigid, as it has been recently in Virginia, getting in my exercise is a challenge. With our current economic situation, joining a gym or a club is not an option. So, I have to be creative to get in a little exercise.


The last few days, I've done what one of my 80+ year old aunts does: I've "indoor walked". This aunt is a lifelong exerciser and she looks great and keeps herself in good shape. She loves to cook and eat, as do I, and balances that out with activity. She said she used to walk outside, but there were so many potholes, fast drivers and loose dogs, that she began getting in her exercise this way. As she explains it, put on a show you enjoy (she likes talk shows in the morning) on 2 different TV's in different parts of your home. I like it if one is upstairs and one is downstairs, but this is not the most necessary part. Begin marching in place in front of one, breathing deeply and raising your arms slowly, up and down. Continue until there is a commercial, and get moving, around the house, up and down the stairs. When the commercial is over, stop in front of one of your TV's, and continue marching, picking up the pace, raising your arms, doing a few leg lifts, adding a dance step or two. I use hand weights, but soup cans would work to up the intensity level a little bit. Keep this up for 30 minutes. At the end of the 30 minutes, I get on the floor and do a few crunches, some more leg lifts and some stretches, something I know she does also. And guess what? You've exercised. Don't like TV? Put on some fast paced music.


Now, I admit this can "feel" a little goofy, and yes, it looks a little goofy too, but in the grand scheme of things, who really cares?