National Exercise Day

 Today is National Exercise Day. This day resonates with me, and I celebrated it by spending an hour at the gym first thing this morning. For those of you that follow me on Facebook, I used to post quite frequently about what kind of exercise I was doing. It could have been running (more of a turtle-paced jog), mountain biking, cross-country skiing, Zumba, or lap swimming. 

 

These days I'm focused on strength training. The more I read about it, the more vital I feel it is. What I’ve come to understand is, more muscle on my body helps prevent osteoporosis and improve mobility. I’ve also focused on building my core because it's one of the biggest factors in stability and balance.

 I started this journey two years ago at, and since starting I’ve gone from 90 pound leg press to last week hitting 488 pounds. I’ve also built some biceps and triceps, increased my back strength, and my core.

 It hasn't always been an easy journey. I’ve had issues with range of motion in one shoulder which meant physical therapy and lots of exercises. It took three solid months of doing the exercises before I resolved the issue.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I don't do New Year's resolutions, I set goals. In January I asked myself what my goal was for this year. I really hadn't given it any thought other than I wanted to keep building muscle, but I realized I wanted to do pull ups. All my life I've wanted to do a pull-up, but I’ve never come close. 

To that end, I’m working hard to build the muscles to do pull-ups, and I’d always assumed it would be shoulder muscles, which it is, but it’s also core, arms, and back. Who knew, right? 

 Have you tried strength training? If you haven’t, I highly encourage it.

 Today is also National Animal Cracker Day, and I'm going to celebrate with a box of animal

crackers. I love animal crackers, unfrosted only. They are my favorite cookies, so I picked up a box, and I’m loving them, so don’t forget to pick some up today.

 A side note, I’m currently working on book 3 of the Vermont Christmas Romance series, no title yet, but this book will be about Mickey Davidson, Jack’s uncle from Santa Comes to Snowside, and Annie’s friend and neighbor, Sarah Barker from the same book.

Here’s the blurb from book 1.

Santa Comes to Snowside
What music do Santa’s elves like the best? Wrap music!

Annie Murphy, a transit bus driver in Snowside, Vermont, loves scavenger hunts and the corny jokes her riders share. She has a heart as big as the city and gave up college to raise her orphaned nephew without a second thought. But so far true love has eluded her.

A downturn in the economy five years ago sent Jack Davidson down a path to enlightenment. Giving up a lucrative career in finance and his swanky high-rise apartment, he invested all his savings to start Job Hunters 4 You, a nonprofit that helps the unemployed find work. The only thing missing is that special someone in his life.

Jody and Nick Claws arrive on Jack’s doorstep in matching red and green plaid flannel shirts, the spitting image of Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus. The pair are on a mission to work their Christmas magic on two lonely hearts—Annie and Jack.

Grab your copy today because nothing kicks off the holidays like a match made in heaven.

 

         Thank you so much for stopping by today, and you can follow me @

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