Maruchy Lachance is president of Running Ninja!, a lifestyle brand for runners by runners. Running Ninja! offers a wide variety of apparel and gifts for runners to keep you happy and inspired while you’re on the run.
My husband worked at a fast food chain while in high school. To this day he quotes one of the things his manager used to say to the staff during down time: “If you have time to lean, you have time to clean.”
This quote has taken on a life of it’s own in our home but it is not about cleaning as much as it is about being physically active.
Many of us work long days, then get home and our second shift begins with helping with homework, showers, and making dinner. By the time we’re done we’re so exhausted that all we want to do is unplug in front of the television and eventually roll into bed in preparation to begin the routine again the next day.
This was our life too until my husband put his foot down and changed it up. In order to restore sanity to our lives we tried a new routine that worked for us and our schedule. But instead of ending the evening after dinner with several hours of television viewing, he insisted we go for a walk, or a bike ride, or a swim at the community pool. “If we had time to lean…”
It was not easy at first. We tried a few different patterns before we hit upon the one that worked best for us and it stuck. As our son grew up, we went from one of us staying with him while he played ball outside or rode his bike around the neighborhood to later my husband and I taking our nightly walks together.
The point here was really simple. It was to make the decision that instead of wasting precious time sitting around and doing something that is not productive, do something that is good for your body and mind that also happens to be relaxing. Over the years we have changed our routine to include yoga after dinner or a bike ride or a swim. We have friends that take lessons every other night. There are endless ways for you to remain physically active while still interacting with your family and friends. Your body, mind and soul will thank you!
For more inspiration from Maruchy Lachance check out:
Key to Fitness Success is Sustainability
Social Media as Personal Trainer
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