Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.

The quote above, from Edward Stanley, is rather blunt. But it's true. As a dietitian, I can preach all day about the benefits of healthy eating. However, that's just part of the equation. Without physical activity, even the most meticulous dieter is missing a huge piece of the "overall health and well-being" puzzle. But, without extending our days to 36 hours instead of 24, how do we fit in time for exercise in our already crazy-busy lives?

In college, it was easy to maintain a workout regimen. With random blocks of downtime throughout the day, plus a "free" (ie, already paid in your "miscellaneous student fee" section of the tuition bill) membership to the student rec center, there was no real excuse not to workout. I almost always worked out six to seven days a week. In the spring and fall, I would run outside, following the same worn path hundreds and hundreds of SLU students have followed from campus to Forest Park and back.

In the winter, I would hop on the elliptical or TreadClimber and power it out while catching up on my celebrity gossip in the most recent People magazine, or occasionally flipping through notes, half-heartedly attempting to study. On pretty afternoons, I would roam around campus with a friend. During my 90-minute break between nutrition classes, I would bolt over to Tower Grove Park and explore. One semester I enrolled in a yoga class. Sometimes, if the weather wasn't cooperating but I wasn't feeling the gym, I would pop in my Billy Blanks Tae-Bo tape (yes, tape... as in VHS... I'm that old, and it is too...) and jump around in my dorm room or apartment - hoping my downstairs neighbors weren't home to suffer through that!

Having a fulltime job has added a bit more of an obstacle to the workout routine. Luckily for me, however, I live in a small town and have no social life, so it hasn't been as big of a deal. ;) So far I've avoided breaking down and joining a gym. I spent the beginning of the summer waiting for dusk before heading outside, trying to beat the heat, to walk or ride my bike, or on more rare occasions jog a few miles. I almost always had my sister or mom join me - the buddy system is always a good idea for working out, as it keeps you more motivated and more entertained. Afterwards I would sometimes go on YouTube for toning exercises for the abs and derriere. (8-Minute Abs and 8-Minute Buns are suuuper corny, but also great! Free, quick, easy, and effective. Trust me, you'll feel it after the first time!)

As my mom and sister got busier with volleyball season, my buddy system stopped working out so well. And one can only walk/ride down the same boring country roads so many times before going insane. So in July, a friend finally convinced me to try out one of her spinning classes. All I'd ever heard about spinning was that it was a great workout, but super intense. I was terrified! I made my sister go along with me (again with the buddy system) and ended up loving it!

I also recently started Zumba classes, which really work up a sweat and are so fun! I mean, how can you not feel great when shimmying, shaking, and rolling your hips to Shakira?! Taking organized, scheduled fitness classes is not something I had ever really tried before, but it really holds you accountable, guides your workout, pushes you harder than you may push yourself alone, and is a lot more fun -- those hours fly by! I keep my workout routine interesting and well-balanced by alternating spinning, zumba, and either biking or running on my own. (I ran a lot in college, and really miss it, so I'm trying to get back into it. I'm hoping my beautiful brand new Asics will help keep me motivated!! But I'll save my running commentary for another post!)

The thing that has impressed me most about joining fitness classes is the diversity of my classmates. My spin and zumba classes are filled with all ages, shapes, and sizes. We have young women, mothers, a few token men, empty nesters, retirees.. thin, curvy, short, tall.. who have all found at least one hour out of their week to devote to themselves and their health. We don't spend the hour comparing ourselves to one another; instead, we all go at our own pace and take joy (and, admittedly, some pain) in moving our bodies. For that hour, we are doing something completely selfish - we are taking an entire hour just for us, showing our bodies how much we LOVE them by letting them move! Our bodies were made to move - how else do you explain the intricate system of joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles? It is in the movement, through the sweat, beyond the pain, that we begin to reenergize not just our body, but our mind and spirit too. We can begin to make peace with our bodies and love them for what they can do, for how they can move.

I challenge you, if you're not already an exerciser, to consider starting. The benefits of exercize nearly always outweight the risks and costs. Aside from the obvious physical benefits of burning calories and toning muscles, there are tons of mental/spiritual benefits as well. Henry David Thoreau said, "Methinks the moment my legs began to move, my thoughts began to flow." Exercising is a time to burn some stress, clear your mind, brainstorm, pray, mourn, rejoice... it is a time just for you - whatever you make of it.

Whether you walk, run, bike, rollerblade, swim, hike, row, watch exercise clips on YouTube or FitTV, check out workout DVDs from the library, join a sports team, join a gym, enroll in a fitness class... whether you work out once a week or every day... the bottom line is just to MOVE. Your mind and body will thank you.

The healthcare provider in me must make a disclaimer: This is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a physician before starting any new exercise program.  Also, these pictures are from Google Images and are not my own.