Raise your hand if you’re ready for spring!!! Oh my word have we had a year or what? I am so ready for spring and the chance to play tennis and watch baseball and grow some flowers and walk the babies in their strollers and wear cotton and a bathing suits—–whoa—wait—-let’s not go overboard—a bathing suit??? Is anyone really ready for swimming when swimming season arrives? I mean we’re ready for the sun and the warm water, but are we ready to wear less clothes, especially after being quarantined in our houses forever!! With too much to eat and no place to burn it off!

So, it’s only March, we have time. When I realized it was March and summer was right around the corner, I quickly joined a gym. I chose one that allows me to pay a certain amount of money for a limited number of visits. This is perfect for me because I know me. I know I will not keep it up once summer arrives because I direct a summer camp, so there is no time for gym visits once camp starts. 

You might not want to join a gym for similar reasons. Perhaps you’ve done it before and realized you wouldn’t keep it up so you vowed to never to it again. But, wait, take another look at the possibilities in your area. Most of the gyms today have flexible payment options that work with anyone’s schedule. Like I said, mine allows me to pay for a certain numbers of visits and I can use those visits anytime I want to. They never run out. So, I bought ten visits. Ten visits allows me two days a week for five weeks. My plan is to go to the gym two days and week and work out at home the other days, either walking or other exercises. If after those five weeks, I am able to keep going, I’ll buy ten more. This also keeps my husband happy to not think I’m throwing away money to a gym I don’t use. 

Also, after several years of “too busy” I joined a tennis league that plays on Tuesday nights.  Tennis adds to my exercise plan, plus it allows me to meet new people in our community and connect with friends from the past. 

We’re all busy, but please remember to put your name on your “to do” list. I am so bad at forgetting to add my name to the list of things I take care of. You are probably the same way. But, spring is the perfect time to think about paying attention to you and your health. 

When we were younger, working out might seemed like a luxury, but now, in our older years, it’s a very important part of caring for ourselves, so others won’t have to later. The more we exercise, eat healthy, keep our weight down, work on our balance, keep our muscles active, and work on flexibility, the more likely we are to care for ourselves well  into our older years. 

So, I’m here to encourage you to join a gym, walk, ride a bike, swim, or do anything that requires you to get up and get moving. It might make shopping for a bathing suit more pleasant, it will more you healthier and happier.