Wildly Sedentary
That’s the writing life. And yes, this is at least the third time I’ve stolen the phrase, “wildly sedentary,” from Mark Terry. It’s such a perfect phrase and a perfect description. (Sorry!)
I am tired of sitting on my butt.
It’s not like I don’t do yoga nearly every day. Only about 20 minutes, though. And I do water aerobics for at least four hours a week. And then I hike for about six hours a week.
That sounds like a lot, but it’s not. In my old life, I did a lot of standing and pacing. Moving from place to place, walking from the car to the parking lot, etc. Here? I get up and write. Sometimes I write before I get up! My camper has a fifteen foot “hallway” to walk, and that’s it. Okay, it’s a good thirty yards to the bathroom, but still.
I am crawling out of my skin.
An hour of working out is NOTHING to fourteen hours of sitting.
I desperately want a treadmill desk, but that won’t happen until we upgrade.
So what’s a girl to do? I’m not sure. Maybe I need to start taking two-hour walks every day, like Thomas Jefferson or something. I don’t know.
Watching this guy just makes my body twitch to MOVE.
So how do you deal with the sedentary nature of writing? Do you find yourself crawling out of your skin, too?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats. She is currently enjoying the lizards and desert heat in Arizona.
Yep, I need to move around. I actually run upstairs to use the bathroom, just to get the blood flowing. And I try to take frequent breaks and do stuff. I ought to work harder on getting housework done, I suppose…
That’s fabulous, Susan! I gotta take more breaks–preferably exercise breaks!
As I’ve probably mentioned too many times already, I used to do a lot of running, but now my back won’t allow it, and I really dislike exercise aside from running, so I just put up with being sedentary. If it begins affecting my health in some measurable way I’ll probably have to rethink that approach. Sitting and writing or reading doesn’t actually bother me, although I realize it isn’t healthy.
Eric, I totally feel your pain! I loved TKD, and I would do yucky exercise as conditioning for TKD gladly. But without it? Eh. I do it because I get unhealthy if I don’t. But I have to force myself.
Although I do love hiking.
I sit so much that my butt hurts. It’s pathetic. I love to go for walks, but it’s so hot and muggy out, I’m not doing much of that. Plus, the mosquitoes are out there, waiting to attack.
That guy in the video is awesome! And crazy! A couple times I was scared.
I hear you, Edie! I keep wanting to go for a walk, but man, it’s hot! And darn these mosquitoes! I hate them!
I just was told my cholesteraol and triglycerides were way too high and to get more exercize. I’m trying but it’s not easy.
It’s not, Charles! I’m trying, too.
I sit in a chair all day at work, so I hear you. Early morning walks can really charge you up; try one of those Thomas Jefferson ones.
Yeah. I should. It’s the “morning” bit that’s holding me up. And the “early” bit is especially terrifying!
That was awesome!
I love watching parkour vids, but that’s the first one I’ve seen that showed gym work as well as the actual urban movement. Great stuff.
When I get the itch, I walk, usually back and forth at home. If I really feel energetic I go to the gym, which is like a two-minute walk away. Unless my joints are protesting, which they have been quite a lot lately. :/ I really need to find a doctor up here and figure out what’s going on with my right ankle/heel. [sigh] But yes, definitely sedentary, although I think I’d be a lot better off if it bothered me more. [wry smile]
Angie
Is that what it’s called? Awesome!
I really miss going to the gym. They have a little workout room, but it’s not like Bally’s!
It started in France, I think, and they call it parkour. It’s also known as free running. Search on “parkour” on Google; there are some really wonderful vids there.
If you saw the chase scene at the beginning of Casino Royale (the new one), the guy Bond was chasing was one of the top parkour guys in the world. I was watching him in that scene, not Bond.
Angie
I started walking a mile every morning this summer, but recent surgery side-lined my attempt at fitness. Boy, do I feel the spread!
Oh wow, Kath! I’m impressed! Are you healing well?
Nah. I’m just lazy. LOL
LOL, Kate!
You could walk in the morning and evening so it’s spread out and you’ll feel better throughout the day.
I just realized today that I pretty much sat for 12 hours. I barely took a lunch and our printer isn’t working, so I didn’t even walk to the printer. I can feel it!
I gotta do something, Melanie! Isn’t it funny how easily that sitting for twelve hours can happen?! I’m not sure “funny” is the right word.
I’m like a dog. I can be extremely active at the gym, running or bike riding, and then plop down completely boneless. You need to be more dog-like. You’re exercising plenty. Embrace your inner slug! Be boneless, and then exercise. Don’t fight it. Sink into it.
HAH! That’s hilarious, Robin! ROFL! I can just see that.
I have tried this, but it got boring quickly. However, if you want to try it, here’s how it worked for me: First, I made a laptop shelf to go on the treadmill. Use 1″ elastic, staple it in loops that will give a snug fit on the treadmill arms using a heavy duty 3/8″ staple. Two loops per arm should do it. For the board I bought a pine stair tread, which was the perfect size and length. You might also want some sort of anchor for the laptop.
The only thing about doing this is that, if you are tall, it may cause the screen to be at an uncomfortable angle, you’ll have to crick your neck down. And if you try to type while walking faster than about 1.5 mph you will have trouble. It’s harder to type and move than you would think! But, if you go slow enough, you can do just fine and you will still be moving and burning calories.
That’s cool, Writtenwyrdd! I have to upgrade the camper first so I can fit a treadmill somewhere!
Oh, Natasha…I totally feel for you, though I’m not a writer. It seems that everything I love to do involves sitting on my ass: playing piano, playing horn, playing computer games, email, blogging, drawing, reading…I really feel for you!
My cousin-in-law is a wellness researcher at UWM, and she works with people to improve their lifestyles and help them become more active. What she recommended was to wear a step-counting (not distance) pedometer. I LOVE wearing mine! It is like a game – “oh, look! If I take these stairs I can log more steps!” I went from 2,000 a day (pathetic) to around 5-6K on a regular basis. It’s still not considered “active” but it helped. Just an idea!
Isn’t that the truth, Darcy! Me too!
Oh man, but see… you’re already way ahead. Even if I walk to the bathroom 30 yards away three times a day, I’m still only at about 200 steps. Maybe 500 max. It really is a great idea! I need to start taking walks. I can’t wait until it’s cooler!
I don’t write, of course, but I do have to say that the recent, drastic downturn in my balance disorder FORCES me to have a fairly sedentary life. If I could go back, I would do so much more, but such is life. You live, you learn/regret.
That sucks, Lana! And isn’t that the truth? So often we don’t value something until we lose it.