Working out with The Wiggles

by Mama Mabel

Tax season stress eating and inactivity took its toll this year.  I'm almost out of pants that fit and I didn't shrink back as expected once I started eating normally again.  I blame my age.   

As a counteractive measure, I'm cutting out (almost) all superfluous sugar and being a little more limited with the carbs I eat.  This isn't that big of a deal since I spent 10 years as a hypoglycemic on a fairly strict diet so I can adapt.  What is a big deal is the exercise element of weight loss.  You know how they say that diet and exercise are key?  Diet used to be enough for me.  But no more.  I should never have left my 20s.

I've been struggling to find fun ways to work activity into my schedule around working full time, cooking dinner and getting a toddler to bed.  Drawing from Granny Girl and Honey's insights, I've taken inspiration from the Proverbs 31 verse about how the virtuous woman "strengthens her arms."  But inspiration is one thing and action is another.  I've waffled about how to work in a work out.  After several stutter-stops, I've come to the conclusion that it needs to include Ladybug.  Not only will I not have the energy after she goes to bed, but I don't want to take away from my limited time with her each evening to exercise (and there's no way I'm waking up earlier to do it).

So far we've walked up and down the driveway with Coondog, kicked a ball around, and chased each other through the yard.  I want to teach her tag soon but I'm not sure she's quite old enough for it.  I guess we'll see.  A week ago, Coondog tried to teach me how to throw a baseball which was entertaining if not effective.  Last weekend, the same thing happened with a basketball.  All more movement that I would have done without conscious effort.

One recent endeavor was to make it all the way through the Wiggles video, "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing!"  The Wiggles are a group that put out fun and educational videos for small kids.  This is an older dvd with most of the original members and a couple are delightfully gawky.  It's so much easier for me to dance like the person on the screen if he's as awkward as me.  During a waltz, Ladybug tried to have me put my hands on her shoulders and stand up at the same time but I couldn't quite swing it with our height differences.  During the conga, I stood behind her holding her shoulders while we each kept the rhythm in our own non-rhythmic way.  For the most part though, she literally ran circles around me.  Once we did all the dances, we calmed down for a few minutes then she went to sleep very quickly.  So did I.  I was sore the next day, so I guess it was an effective workout.

If you have any ideas for cardo with a toddler, please let me know in the comments.  I could use some more.