Investing in Ourselves

Terri Reed here, do you ever have those days where nothing fits? The shorts that I bought a few months ago now won't button. The dress I planned to wear in a few weeks is too tight. Being a writer requires copious hours sitting in front of a computer, which doesn't lend itself to physical activity--unless you invest in a treadmill desk. I'm seriously considering this but they are sooo expensive and I don't know if it will work for me or not. I have issues with motion sickness so I usually stay away from treadmills and such. Though I've heard you walk at such a slow pace that motion sickness shouldn't be a problem. I have also considered acquiring a height adjustment desk that slides up and down so I could work standing up for periods of time.

But the main thing for me is I need to get out of the house and exercise. I was doing pretty well for a long time--I went to the gym everyday for Pilates or Zumba. But then I had some minor injuries and health issues that prevented me from going. And now that I'm doing better its so hard to get going again. I'm determined to get back in shape. Or at least lose the inches I've gained. 

I love to dance so I'm off to Zumba now. Its an hour long. 

I tell myself I can invest an hour in my health.  

Its important that we invest in ourselves so that we have the energy, emotional and physical well-being to invest in others. 

What do you do to invest in yourself?

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Let's Get Moving

Hi All! Charlotte Carter here.

Non-writers have no idea how physically demanding being a full-time writer can be.

What? Do I hear you laughing? Not so fast.

Give some thought to what happens to a body when it spends eight or ten or more hours per day in a sitting position. (Granted, I have writer friends who sit curled up in a big easy chair with a laptop all day, but that can’t be too swift on a body either.)

Wrist and elbow problems, and carpal tunnel, are as frequent as typos for writers.

The spine — all those discs and vertebra — can turn on their owner, resulting in serious orthopaedic problems.

Knees and hips are joints that are meant to move, not remain immobile for hours on end. (I assume you’ve heard of the condition called ‘piano player’s spread.’ Same problem for writers.)

And then there’s the foggy brain syndrome which is a result of hours of being sedentary and no blood reaching the brain.

Writers have to get up and MOVE! Deadline or not. MOVE!

Some folks have home gym equipment like a treadmill. (Please note: Treadmills are only effective if used regularly, not left sitting in a corner.)

Some writers take walks. That’s a great way to let your brain toy with your latest plot idea or characters.

I’m a member of Curves, the 30-minute women’s exercise program. I haven’t lost a lot of weight, and I’m a long way from being buff, but it does give me a chance to talk to ‘real’ people, in contrast to those talkative characters who inhabit my brain.

So, writers, let’s get moving!

Readers, we authors want you to stay in shape, too. We want you to enjoy our books for a very long time?

What do you do to keep physically active?

To read an interview with Daniel O’Brien, hero and reformed bad boy of Big Sky Reunion visit my blog: www.CharlotteCarter.com

Books that leave you smiling from Love Inspired: Big Sky Reunion, 4/2011; Big Sky Family, 11/2011

Exercise and reading

Camy here. I know, you’re looking at the post title and thinking, “Waaaaaaaaaah?”

But I confess, I read while I’m on the exercise bike all the time. Or I’ll go for a walk with an audiobook on my iPod.

There are some people who say that if you can read while on the exercise bike, you’re not working hard enough. They say that you shouldn’t be able to read while doing exercise.

But I say, phooey on them! Sometimes, the only way I can motivate myself to get on the exercise bike is with the promise of reading a good book!

And let’s face it—a moderate speed on the exercise bike is better than nuthin’! And reading while on the bike makes me feel like I both exercised and pampered myself with some reading time. Win-win, right?

So for all those who say you have to be heaving and sweating on the bike, I turn a deaf ear. And dig back into the latest Love Inspired Suspense novel. LOL

Sweat would stain my pages. Can’t have that.

Do you “trick” yourself into exercising? Or are there ways you can “trick” yourself into getting moving?

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. Her novel Single Sashimi is out now, and her Love Inspired Suspense novel, Deadly Intent, releases in July this year. She runs the Story Sensei critique service. In her spare time, she is a staff worker for her church youth group, and she leads one of the worship teams for Sunday service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every Monday and Thursday, and she ponders frivolous things. Sign up for her newsletter YahooGroup for monthly giveways!