Productive Exercises

With my hubby gone for more than a year now, I get to do a lot more shoveling than usual. You may think that's a bad thing, but let's review: When done properly, with good form, shoveling is an excellent way to build muscle in the gluteal, thigh, arm, back, and shoulder areas. Shoveling snow also gets the heart rate going, so that if you do it for at least 15 minutes without stopping, it can be a superb way to burn a little extra winter fat. When your heart rate increases, so does your breathing; what better way to wake your body and soul than to be aware of your breath? You can't help but notice it coming out in puffs of fog all around your head as you scrape and lift, scrape and lift, don't forget to bend those knees...scrape and lift...If it's a particularly starry night or sunny morning (or starry early, early morning), when you're finished shoveling, (or in the middle of shoveling, depending on the size of the area you're shoveling and whether or not you care about the 15 minute thing) you could pause to gaze up at the sky and trees around you. You could be still with your face tilted skyward no matter what kind of day or night it is; maybe it looks all white with big, heavy flakes of snow falling. You could try catching one on your tongue. You could listen to the quiet tranquility that always comes after a snowfall. Or, you may have to listen to the other shovelers scraping away or the snow blowers blowing away. But you are aware of the insulated, more muffled sound they make. You could inhale deeply that crisp wintery air. Smile. Center. Relax. Feel good about the productive work you've done not only for your body, but for your mind and soul. Fifteen minutes just to yourself.

See? Shoveling's not so bad. And as a single-parent I get to do more of it and I am thankful.