Exercise: everything counts

I walked five miles yesterday. It was not even hard. After two weeks of very little exercise, I went walking yesterday. I felt good. After that I did some leg exercises, arm exercises. I did not follow any strategy or routine. What I wanted to do was just exercise, to see how I felt. And the weird thing was that I did not wake up sore or tired. Actually, it was the first time in two weeks that I did not wake up with back pain. It was a glorious morning.
So what is the message I want you to get from this? Do whatever you can, whenever you can. Don't go to sleep without doing something. Even if all you do today is twenty sit-ups or twenty push-ups. It is more than what you did yesterday. Add a 1/2 mile walk tomorrow. Spend twenty minutes on the stationary bike. Do something and keep trying.

Take care of your mental health

One of the great effects of exercise is that it releases endorphins. They make you feel happy, even if for a short while. Sometimes, we can't exercise as often as we like, and for those of us who suffer from mild cases of depression, the effects can be devastating. Not only do you feel guilty because you can't exercise, but you feel sad and it does not go away. If you are not careful, those sad feelings remain, for a long time.
For people who need or believe in medication, this is not a sermon or a request for you not to follow your doctor's orders. This is just for people that can control their mild depression with some form of exercise, proper diet and plenty of rest.
Take care of yourself. I know that most of the time, the experts say that you should not stop exercising. But if you have a serious disease, or simply you feel exhausted, take a day or two off. Be kind to yourself first and foremost. And whatever you do, don't overdo it. Everything in excess is bad. Moderation is the key to enjoying your whole life. Keep trying.

Ramblings: surprises in your life

We all go through stages in life. Sometimes we are happy, sometimes we are depressed. Other times we just want to crawl under a rock and sleep through the bad stuff. Today was a bad day. I've been unable to work for a week. My stomack is giving me a hard time. And a blast from the past had a horrible effect on my day.
So what should I do? No matter what kind of day you are having, you should savor the good, ignore the bad and move on. Tomorrow will be a better day, a brand new day that you can do whatever you want with it. In the end, it is not what happens that shape your life. It is how you react to things that shapes your life. Don't let life get the best of you. Do your best and move on. And whatever you do, keep trying.