How to Bust your Routine with Abnormal but Healthy Uses of Time

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Dr. Stephen Petteruti shares creative ways to remain fit and healthy this summer.

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I remember when I was playing high school football, a couple of dads used to come and watch the high school team practice. We all thought that was kind of weird. Who would watch a high school practice? Didn’t they have anything better to do?

Fast forward to present times. When my sons were playing high school football, the practices were packed with earnest parents watching every move. I suppose it’s an extension of our vicarious lifestyle. For many of us, we have become like Chancey Gardner in the movie “Being There”; we like to watch.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly not above current trends. As I write this post, I am walking around the baseball field, watching my son’s game. I suppose that is the point of this post. How can we steal a little bit of our lives back, while functioning in life as it is constructed?

This is what I refer to as being “abnormal, but healthy.”

I suppose some of the parents sitting in the bleachers, drinking soda and eating fries, are wondering what that guy is doing walking around beyond the outfield fence.  Sometimes we have to choose between doing what is conventional, and doing what is best for us. For me, that means forgoing the social joy of being with other parents, for the personal development of writing and the enrichment of walking.

I encourage you all to look at your week, and look at your day a little differently. What are the routines that you currently have that you may be able to modify? Where can you squeeze in a 10 minute walk? These are the spaces that my wife, Shannon, fits in her “micro exercising”! For example, two hours watching your son play Little League can turn into a 30 minute workout, and you won’t miss a single at bat! Four loops around your average soccer field can turn into a one mile walk, and you’ll get the joy of watching the game from different angles. Even the basketball or hockey game can offer you interludes of stair walking while you enjoy the action.

The best part is, while I’m walking about it keeps me a safe distance from those burgers and fries that are starting to smell really good. (Good thing I brought a protein bar with me.)

Remember, you don’t have to go to a gym. The world is your gym. Don’t be afraid to separate from the crowd when it’s the right thing to do for your body, your health, your family and all those who love you. You don’t have to run marathons, climb mountains, or go to Zumba class in order to lead a more active life. Sometimes it’s as simple as shifting from being a passive observer, to an active observer.

So today, I orbited the baseball field while watching my son go one for three.

I invite you to join me as we move against the tide of idleness, ill health, poor eating, obesity, accelerated aging and shortened lifespans. Together we can reinforce one another as we live our abnormal, but healthier lives.

To your best health,
Dr. Stephen Petteruti

Photo: www.whatsbestforthenest.com