This past week, I reaped the benefits of exercise while I was vacationing in Florida.
Please don’t misunderstand… I didn’t exercise while I was ON vacation!
However, I DID walk longer distances without difficulty and handled my suitcase without any help, too.
There is no doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t have been able to do everything I did this week if I hadn’t been consistent with exercise and focused on proper body alignment and functional movement.
Dancing, Walking, and Cardio
Dancing, walking, or any kind of cardio exercise makes it possible to move longer without huffing and puffing when on vacation!
I was able to take long walks with friends on the beaches, shopped at an open-air market, and browsed numerous local boutiques and seaside shops.
It was only manageable because of regular exercise.
Bending Properly
I love combing the beach for seashells, picking them up, rinsing them off in the water, and deciding which ones should go home with me.
I was happy and grateful that I’m a grandma that CAN do this!
Bending from the hip rather than the curve of the back allowed me to crouch down for long periods of time to examine my finds without an aching back.
As children, we naturally move with proper alignment. While young, we hinge from the hips instead of bending from the upper back, but as adults, we need to be mindful of reaching, bending, moving, or twisting.
Getting Down and Back Up Again
I know there are MANY people my age who aren’t comfortable getting down to the floor but as I laid on a beach towel to sun myself for a few minutes, I was CONFIDENT that I would be able to get back up again.
Reaping Benefits of Exercise on Vacation
My point here is that it’s easy to skip exercising and I can make excuses, too.
The people who I saw enjoying their vacations this week were obviously taking care of themselves and I want YOU to do the same!
Please join me at one of my Strength & Balance classes OR yoga classes! My teaching schedule is available HERE. And if you can’t make it to one of my classes, perhaps you can find something local or even online like this quick Silver Sneakers video.
Please share your thoughts in the comment box below…
Are you able to fully enjoy the benefits of exercise while on vacation?
Do YOU do all that you can to live a long healthy life without regrets?
We are in fact in Fort Myers Beach Florida. You are right about getting and staying fit to better enjoy the vacation. We have done a lot of walking since we do not have our car here. We depend on the Trolleys and Open Air Trams. Sometimes they don’t stop where you are and we have to walk to their pickup spot. We have walked the beach a couple of times but plan to do a daily walk once we are done entertaining friends. I regret that I didn’t do more walking at home but I thought that 1 hour a day at a rec center was sufficient. It was not. I am plugging away and I will persist until it gets easier and easier. All for now Helen