Let me introduce you to Annette. She drew my attention at the gym because she was having so much fun dancing on the treadmill. Wearing headphones, she jives, twirls, and sometimes sings to the music—while effortlessly balancing on the treadmill. She is absolutely oblivious to me and all the other patrons as she glides and slides to her Latin music for two straight hours, three times a week.
I finally approached her and asked if I could interview her for this blog, and she graciously agreed. Annette is 60-ish, works full time, and for years has enjoyed working out almost every day. She especially loves moving to the music on the treadmill. She closes her eyes, sways to the music, and keeps the rhythm by moving her arms in all directions, sometimes holding 3-pound hand weights. Her facial expression makes it clear she is enjoying the music as she “zones out” during her routine, which she choreographs as she goes.
With the incline set from 1 to 5 and the speed from .9 to 1.7 mph, she keeps a steady pace, enough to raise her HR from 80 to 135. She doesn’t keep track of her miles or calories burned, and she has never once fallen down—maybe because, before she steps onto the treadmill, she asks God to keep her healthy and safe from falling.
I asked Annette if she felt embarrassed knowing that people sometimes watched her at the gym. She said it didn’t bother her because she was having so much fun that she really didn’t notice. I want to be more like her. Sometimes I am too self-conscious to do fun things that I really want to do, like being the first one to start dancing at a party.
Annette’s advice for all of us? Just have fun!
SUGGESTIONS:
1. Experiment to find the type of exercise that is fun for you. Do you most enjoy exercise that involves music, groups, competition, nature, or chatty walks with a friend? Find out by trying them all.
2. Be bold. Have fun. Enjoy yourself and zone out to any onlookers. If others are watching, they might be just like me as I watch Annette—very impressed and just trying to work up the courage to do it myself!
Let me know what new steps you take!
God bless all of you.
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Dr. Donna Chacko promotes health of body, mind, and spirit through her website (serenityandhealth.com), her blog, and programs at her church. She is the author of the award-winning book and Amazon best-seller Pilgrimage: A Doctor’s Healing Journey (Luminare Press, 2021). You can read her full bio here.
*Special thanks to Annette for agreeing to be interviewed and filmed and to the staff at LA Fitness (Hyattsville, MD) for their cooperation, especially Christina, the manager. You might be interested in my blog Muscles, about my personal experience of working with a trainer, Bryan, also at LA Fitness.
** This is not a sponsored post of any kind. I belong to LA Fitness but you can embrace fitness anywhere—at your community center, local trails and bike paths, or by finding a YouTube video to follow along with at home. Do whatever it takes to get you moving!
***If you are interested in calculating the calories you burn while on the treadmill (or doing other exercises), check out this useful calculator at https://fitnessvolt.com/treadmill-calorie-calculator/.
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