Bike, shoes, lawnmower
(With apologies to JG whose dedication to working out impresses me.)
I struggle with gym memberships. I don't like the idea of paying money each month so that I can drive somewhere to burn up all my energy and return home worn out. There is a lot of work to be done around me, and I definitely have a finite amount of energy.
So I work at finding productive ways to burn that energy while not doing further damage to the world around us.
I love time spent riding a bike. My spin class lets me see the world around me and how it changes each day. I love it even more when I can use the bike to replace a car trip. I feel stress behind the wheel. I feel exhilaration behind the handlebar. And I feel rather smug when I ride past a gas station. I feel downright patriotic when I lessen our nation's dependence on foreign oil.
The same can be said for walking. When I can run a short errand by walking, I feel better, my budget feels better, and the neighborhood is often a little cleaner. For me, walking the dogs is better therapy than trudging along on a treadmill, and we all sleep better at night.
The little reel mower in the photo has been with me a while, and I like it for the same reasons. Burn more calories and fat while burning less gasoline. And it contributes less to all of the suburban noise. Admittedly, it leaves an uncut blade of grass here and there, but perfection has never been a personal trademark for me. (It is funny how often my neighbors feel sorry for me when they see my gas-less mower and offer to loan me their machines.)
I look forward to a day when my family can avoid consuming fossil fuels altogether and when the health monitor at work will quit telling me that I am obese. We are getting closer to both, but not as quickly as I'd like.
How about you? Is there any activity you choose to improve your health, our environment, and your finances?
May you be blessed with health, wealth, and air that is easy to breathe.
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