Moving Right

What do I mean by “moving right?”
Well, most people think they have to carve out a big chunk of their day, buy special equipment or clothing, and drive to a gym to have an effective exercise routine–but that’s not true. The level and type of exercise you choose must work for your lifestyle. That’s moving right.

My moving right is hiking.
Not only am I outdoors enjoying nature, but I can choose a hike that is hard or easy–whatever fits my schedule and mood. Also, the cost is minimal because Mother Nature herself is providing the gym for me.

Let’s say you’re starting from scratch, (like I was when I started hiking), and don’t have any exercise in your life to speak of, then a simple walk around the block is a good way to begin. Going from doing nothing to spending two hours a day doing Pilates will turn you off exercising faster than bad news travels through a small town. If you start with excessive exercise, the resulting discomfort will likely cure you of the exercise habit in short order!

What’s critical here is to choose exercise that works for you.
Most likely, you’ll need to try a few before you settle on one that feels right. What feels right to me is hiking and walking, which is what I focus on, but if those aren’t appropriate for you, something will be. You just have to keep experimenting. If you are doing an exercise you don’t absolutely love, you just won’t stick with it, which is basically the problem with almost every exercise program out there. Good intentions are always there in the beginning but quickly fade as time goes by. Then you wake up one day realizing you dislike what you’re doing so you do the only thing that makes sense—you quit!

I hike because I love to hike. I’m actually addicted to hiking, such that I plan around my hikes. I wake up every morning checking the weather to see what kind of clothes I need to wear for the outside! Hiking works for me, but there are a lot of people out there who think I’m totally out of my mind!

So try yoga. Or go for a walk around the block. Nothing happens overnight. Just move! The only rule you need to follow here is to begin, and you will find your “moving right”.