by Dan | Apr 7, 2013 | Exercise, Goals, Wellness/Health
The snow is getting less and less all of the time (we won’t talk about the upcoming forecast though!). Soon, we will be able to have full access to all of the bike trails here in town. For the Watertown Initiative, H20-20, (also symbolic for the consecutive exercise day for me today!) I am chairman of the Watertown Bike Trail Systems committee. I would take any input anybody would have as to ideas of how to improve the trails.
The city gets so much funding each year, and is able to set aside only so much each year, for upkeep, re-paving, and development of future trails in the city. Their is a plan in place to continue adding onto the existing trail over the next 5 years. In the meantime, we would like to know what else could be done. Signs, such as distance markers, bench seats, bike racks, port a potties, drinking fountains, bike rental stations, or anything you can think that would be of benefit out on the trail. This goes for everybody…walkers, runners, and bikers.
How can we help maintain the bike trails? Can we have sections where individual, or group volunteers, are in charge of keeping the trail clean: picking up garbage, sweeping the trail to keep glass and garbage off, and to help keep it safe for everyone to use. This also could include more drop points of having garbage cans around to dispose of the garbage. Get your thinking caps on. This trail system benefits us all in Watertown. We have a great trail system, and want to continue to maintain the current system, plus continue to develop more trails, particularly around the lake. Any suggestions would be of benefit.
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2020
by kelsey | Apr 3, 2013 | Exercise
Today is National Walking Day and it’s a beautiful one to celebrate! Walking is a great activity all of us can do and it’s important to continually work towards getting at least 10,000 steps a day which is 5 miles (2000 steps in 1 mile)!. The first thing you need is a good pair of tennis shoes. This picture is of my trusty shoes that I love to work out in. Finding a good pair that fits your foot and arch is very important as a poor fitting shoe will most likely result in you not being as active and not enjoying it as much! If you have can’t find a good fit, I recommend you check out a shoe specialist such as a place like Scheels to fit you with a good shoe for working out. Next up it time management and this is a biggie! We all have excuses for working out and many just really don’t enjoy it, but the fact of the matter is we all know we have to do it and it makes us feel much better in the long run! Schedule your workouts in just like a meeting or your job and plan for them! We recommend at least 30-60 minutes/day or at least 150 minutes of moderate activity/week. If you can’t get that, strive to get at least 3 days/week in. If you engage in vigorous activity such as jogging or running, then the recommendation is at least 90 minutes/week…higher intensity, less time. No matter what you do, something is better than nothing so don’t be afraid to give it a try and start with 10 minutes and gradually increase your time from there! Thirdly, pick an activity that you enjoy. We discuss this alot in our STRIVE 2 Survive lectures and sometimes it’s a challenge finding an activity you enjoy…if this is you, broaden your horizons and give a variety of activities a try…you never know when you’ll find the right fit! If you find activity is boring, turn on some tunes, watch your favorite show on tv while you’re on the treadmill, or find an exercise buddy. Making activity fun will make it more enjoyable and you will stick to it long term. So today, in celebration of National Walking Day, I encourage you to challenge yourself to increase your activity and work towards getting at least 30 minutes of activity/day! You can do it…now get moving!
-Kelsey
by Dan | Mar 31, 2013 | Exercise, Family, Holidays, Motivation
Happy Easter everyone! Spend time with your family, and appreciate all that it is about. It is holidays like this that make spending time with your family even better. I am thankful to be able to be as active as I am, and be able to spend time with my kids, and just be there for them.
My twin daughters are growing up fast, and will be graduating in a few months, then off to college. Time for their new adventure to begin.
And, of course, Nick, who always loves it when I come around with the camera. He won’t admit it yet, but he will miss the girls when they go off to school.
Sarah and I will still be running, biking, walking. As I have stated numerous times on this blog, I plan on being around a long time…to be there for them. Hopefully, I am the Dad they want me to be. We have a lot of fun together, and times like this when we, as a family, can be together, makes things even better yet. Take care of yourselves…if not for you, but for your family. They want you around longer too! Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2013
by Dan | Mar 24, 2013 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Wellness/Health
Click below to hear Dr. Dan’s “surprise” on KXLG’s morning show.
Day/2K KXLG Radio Show
Wednesday this week I went to the radio station, KXLG, to do what I thought was going to be a talk on our wellness program, Strive 2 Survive. Instead, it turned out to be a “set-up celebration” to recognize the 2000 days of consecutive exercise I have done. This was originally to be on monday, which was the actual 2000th day, but with the snow storm we had, I rescheduled because I could not get there. I did not know this was planned.
Sarah was there, after leaving earlier than me that morning, telling me she had to go to the hospital to do rounds first. Very nice surprise! It was great having her there. Afterall, if it was not for her, I would not have been able to stay on task to do the exercise. Thank you Sarah!
Here is the rest of the group…co-workers, friends, training partners, and radio station employees. A special thanks goes to Carol Zillgitt at KXLG radio station, who planned all of this, made the Tshirt, and worked with Barb at the clinic to get all of the set up. Very nice surprise! Thanks to all of you, especially to you Carol!
Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 2006
by Dan | Mar 17, 2013 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
The hardest part about getting going with an exercise program is just that: Getting going! We can come up with all kinds of excuses to put it off: I will do it later when the weather is better; I will start when I am not so busy; Once I get this project done, I will have more time to start exercising more. There is never a better time to start than now! Forget all of the excuses. Get out of bed, get out the door, and get moving!
We would sit and watch the pelicans on the beach while we were recently in Mexico. They would take off, fly around, and coast back in, and then just keep repeating the process. Well, it really is no different for us. First, we have to get going, so push off…
…once we get going, we need to “spread our wings”, and work a little…
…then, we can really take off! We can “spread our wings”, move around, enjoy the scenery, take all of our surroundings in, and in the end, feel better!
It truly is amazing how much more you can enjoy life if you take off and explore. See what is all out there. It is easy to take for granted those things that are around us all day, until we no longer have it. I forget how nice it is to look at something green, and not all the white of snow this season. I am ready for Spring, and can’t wait to really enjoy being outside again when it is nice. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1999
by Dan | Mar 10, 2013 | Exercise, Goals, Motivation, Weather, Wellness/Health
After another weekend of really rotten weather, I can safely say I am ready for Spring! It is getting really tough to stay motivated to exercise, as the treadmill is getting extremely boring. This is where you have to get creative. Music, TV, something to help keep your attention so you are not continuously looking at the monitor to see how far you have not gone!
I keep bringing myself back to Mexico, where it was warm, and I could be running or walking outside, and looking at all of the scenery. It even helps to have pictures of this coming across the TV as well, to help remind me of being back outside, where it makes running/walking almost effortless because it keeps your mind busy. Here are some of the pictures.
The colors are so cool to look at, it never gets dull. I will have some other scenery images coming to help get through this last part of Winter. Keep you chin up. Remember why it is important to keep doing this. We are on the home stretch of this phase of the season. Keep moving everybody!
Dr. Dan
Consecutive Exercise Day #: 1992
