Wednesday Workout: The Little Engine in the Gym

Remember the wonderful “Little Engine That Could”? He got to that mountain and huffed and puffed all the way to the top saying, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” Loved that book, and the positive attitude of the Little Engine is perfect for juicing up our workouts in the gym. A positive attitude before, during, and after exercise adds to the genuine results we see long term. The exercise itself is a great way to create feel-good brain chemicals like dopamine and endorphins, and physical activity actually helps create brain-derived neurotrophic factor that contributes to the growth of new brain cells. New cells, new energy, new attitude.  Perfect!

“I’m So Excited” is just the half of it when you prime your workout with positive affirmations. But honestly, going into the gym some days is worse than the thought of having a tooth pulled without a large Novocain cocktail. Ick. So try some of these tips for staying positive about your regular exercise routine.

1.Variety-mix things up every week. Walking, swimming, weight lifting, jogging, yoga, kickboxing, and on and on. There are so many options to choose from when creating an exercise regimen that overload is a potential hazard. Don’t forget to throw in a dvd workout from time to time, and check out some of the online fitness routines that are free. Lots of them are really quite good for the short term. Of course, find a particular workout you enjoy like a weekly yoga class and work everything else around that.

2.Map out your success-put a smiley face on the calendar for everyday you get out and exercise. Just try it one month and watch your challenge grow into a good habit.

3.Tough spots first-get the more difficult parts of a workout over with at the start of the session. Warm-up then attack problem areas like arms and abs first then finish with less strenuous activities. When walking, for instance, do the walk-sprint-walk-sprint session early on then gradually wind down with a slower pace or some stretching.

 How do you keep your little engine roaring in the gym?

There are five primary areas of practice to the Writer Wellness plan. Every other week I will post an idea for relaxation (Monday Meditation,) creative play (Tuesday Tickle,) fitness and exercise (Wednesday Workout,) journaling and misc. (Thursday Thought,) and nutrition (Friday Feast.)

Meanwhile, remember to look for a digital or print copy of Writer Wellness, A Writer’s Path to Health and Creativity at Who Dares Wins Publishing, http://whodareswinspublishing.com. 

And check out these great blogs for ideas to keep your writing and publishing healthy and prosperous.

http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/ Bob Mayer

http://jenniholbrooktalty.wordpress.com/ Jenni Holbrook 

http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/ Kristen Lamb 

http://inspiration4writers.blogspot.com/ Inspiration for Writers, Inc.

http://pentopublish.blogspot.com/ Natalie Markey

http://amyshojai.com Amy Shojai

Check out my new website Joy E. Held

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Be well, write well