Fitness on the Frugal, Sinister Gym Teachers, and more

Our latest endeavor towards fitness involves very little money and a minimum of time.
And for those of you who home school, P.E. is a requirement for high school, so why not do it as a family?
It will make you feel better!

The kids and I have been walking- and running- and doing some burst type training.

(I know a lady who started brisk walking after she was 50. It completely changed her personality! She lost weight, she felt better, she said her thinking was clearer, her emotions were more stable, and she was weaning herself off hormones and other medications in her new-found therapy. It also took about 10 years from her appearance. She looked great!)

Running?- you ask. Yes. It's very therapeutic.

You see, while running, nothing hurts. -No pain- those endorphins do a marvelous work!

...Now I will say that often, as soon as I stop, my body will say; "Do you know how old you are?" 

Now I know what you're thinking. I too, was one who scolded my junior high gym teacher. After every lap I would tell him; "You've killed me for the rest of my life!"
That was always met with what appeared to be a sinister smile... a seemingly common trait methinks among gym teachers.....just sayin'. 

I just knew I could be having much more fun doing other things like sitting in a school desk passing notes with my best friend or listening to the cute boy across the aisle beg me to help him with direct and indirect objects. Snicker.
Oh the fun I had watching him grovel!
Sigh.

Therapy was spelled quite differently for me back then.

But walking and running can be done completely on the frugal.

Some of you probably have a good pair of sneakers in your closets collecting dust!
(How does dust... get in a closet....on a shoe... that never goes anywhere?!?!)

If not, this is the time of year to buy, as they run half-off at local stores and even sometimes online.

 

Or perhaps you could just slip a good insert into your old ones.

 

Good foot care is important to those of us who are...well.... not 20 anymore. 

As a friend of mine says; "The old grey mare, she ain't what she used to be."

And speaking of that- I stumbled across an interesting book title:Running and Walking for Women Over 40
But -I figured this would really hinder my denial of being over 40 if I bought it, so I decided against it.
However, if you come across a title that reads something like; "How to Run, Feel, and Look 20 Again"...you let me know!

But until then, I must share the biggest kick that I've gotten from this new therapy so far!
It was that moment when my 11 year saw me run for the first time in years and with wide eyes he said; "Wow mom! You can run a lot faster than I thought you could!"
But alas, my gloating was very short-lived as my old foot began to send signals to my old knee, threatening my youthful mind with certain mutiny.
Oh to be young again!

If running sparks your interest but you've been a couch potato for a little while, perhaps flipping through a little book like this to get some pointers on how to start running safely and without injury would be helpful:

 

 But walking can be done by just about anyone!

 If you're living rough on the frugal, the Lord is your first help in time of trouble! Second is the Balm of Gilead= chocolate (well, isn't it?!?!). And third- exercise can certainly help your body cope with stress in a healthy manner.

Psa 46:1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
1 Tim 4:8  For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.