My Exercise Dilemma – Solved!

Reminder: what works for them may not work for you.

I solved my exercise dilemma. I bought myself a walking pad last week. (If you’re unfamiliar with the product, think treadmill that folds up small enough to slide under the futon in my living room.) Random bit of info, except it exemplifies how finding the right fit for YOU is, well, the right fit. 

I have tried everything I could think of to solve my exercise dilemma – and then a few more things – to get some form of consistent exercise in the last few years. Nothing worked. And I mean nothing.

My exercise dilemma looked like this:

• I reinjured myself (multiple times) trying to do stretching and yoga. (Yay tendinitis.) But somehow I kept trying it, because so many people told me it worked wonderfully for them, and I “should.” 
• I couldn’t be consistent at going for walks. (We live in an area that can be fairly severe in winter, and Fire Season with smoke at hazardous levels is a yearly thing.)
• The kids were climbing all over me when I tried to use thera-bands.
• Jumping rope was great. In spring. And fall. But not summer. And not winter.
• Obtaining a bike rack that would work with our van would be a very costly undertaking, and would require allllll the stars to align to get my lively three minions out the door and the bikes all loaded. Ev.er.y. time.

I kept thinking I should just fork over the money and buy myself a walking pad, because it seemed to tick all the boxes I needed to solve my exercise dilemma. 

If I purchased a walking pad:

• It could fit easily in our small house, because it would slide under the futon in my living room. (Yes, I measured. 
• It was something I could do without having to take all the kids somewhere with me.
• I wouldn’t reinjure my wrist/arm while using it.
• I could still use it when there was ice and snow on the roads, or when the air quality was at 700-whatever. 

But I kept allowing my reluctance to spend the money (and my mom’s doubt that I would be consistent) to talk me out of it.

And I went right back to the same old issues. Inconsistent walks, reinjuring my arm, and getting frustrated at the kids being all up in my space.

I finally had enough, and went with my gut. I bought the walking pad. And guess what?? I’ve not missed a day yet. [insert all the mind blown emoticons here] Okay, okay, I haven’t owned it that long. But still. I’m loving it. It feels like an awesome fit – FOR ME. 

As an ironic side bonus, when I feel better physically, I feel better emotionally. (Who’da thought??) And when I feel better emotionally, it’s easier to get stupid things like housework done. [more mind blown emoticons here] EVEN when the kids are sick, like last week. Whaaaa…???

Sometimes you have to go with your gut. Even when other people think the idea may not work. Even when you’re reluctant to. Sometimes the thing that feels like the right fit IS the right fit. 

Exercise dilemma solved. At least for now.

Update at the 18-day mark: 

If I could design my own walking pad, the only two changes I would make would be

1) the display would be on the bar – not near my feet, and

2) it would have a resume function, so the time/distance walked wouldn’t reset if I have to temporarily get off to help the kids with something.

The things that have surprised me in a good way:

1) the width and length of the tread (more roomy than what I’d feared it might be, and

2) the ease of adjusting the tread from side-to-side. (I only had to adjust this once – right after it arrived. The tread has been riding steadily in the center ever since.)