Exercising with Mom--Better Than A Cheese Danish

Although we went for "walks" every day, they couldn't really be counted as exercise for me in the traditional sense...we walked so slowly for me that my heart rate certainly didn't rise and I could very, very easily talk.

"Better than a cheese danish" is a phrase we use at home when we are making a choice that may not be the absolute healthiest...that is how I look at these walks with my mom.

Better than sitting around watching the television! We were out moving, getting fresh air and visiting. All these are good things.

Sometimes it is easy to get into the "all or nothing" mentality...we either exercise to the max or not at all...we eat 100% healthy or we binge on junk food.

What was reinforced for me during this visit is the importance of taking little steps towards your goal every day.

My mom is almost 80...she'd like to put some weight on (a problem I have never shared with her)...so by increasing her activity we can build up her muscles, but having her eat just a couple bites more we can give her more calories...by having her snack on good raw nuts during the day we give her more energy, more fats, more protein...all of these little steps help move her towards her goal.

She isn't physically able to eat a lot more at any one sitting, any more than I would want to starve myself at a meal. But by taking one or two bites more (or less) we can affect our body. Pretty amazing.

We went to the pool a couple of times and met friends there. I showed them a couple simple isometric exercises--things that anyone in any physical condition can do. Sometimes they seem like they aren't doing anything, but it was interesting to hear these women comment on how they could feel it.

Mom isn't able to run a mile...she can't walk for an hour...but she can take 3 small walks during the day.

Similarly when I started I couldn't walk very far or fast either. At 300 pounds it hurt too much.

By doing what we can--starting wherever we are--we can and will increase our endurance and become stronger and more fit. Before you know it, you are doing things that a few months ago you only dreamt of doing. That's what these little strolls and trips to the pool with my mom reminded me about!

Thanks Mom! For everything!