Sports, Why Yes, Of Course!

A young girl, eager to break records on her bicycle, was more likely to break eardrums with the amount she honked her bell and flew past other bike riders, up the twisting hills, along Golden Pond, in scenic New Hampshire. The year was 1995, and yes, that girl was me. Since childhood, the culmination of action and sports, paired with the thrill of speed and the thrill of ‘pushing it a bit too far’ were much more appealing to me than sitting still and watching movies or playing make-believe. From competitive swim teams to bike riding, and even track and field, cardio-based activities were as much essences of my being as were my blue eyes or skinny fingers.

Fast forward a bit to 1997, it was overnight camp, and the camp bully, who thought everyone was as stupid as she eventually turned out to be, actively pushed me flat on my stomach during a game of basketball (she said “I tripped”, and, as a side note, I was just about to clinch the big win for my team), causing me to land directly on my wrist and fracture it in several places. Not ironically, several months earlier, I randomly asked my mother, “how will I know if I ever break or fracture a bone”- her answer, “OHHH, you’ll KNOW”. On the way to the hospital in rural Pennsylvania, in pain and agony, I let the reality marinate that I was to have a full-arm cast, and would most likely be not playing hands-on or competitive sports for the rest of the summer. And, as 99% of the girls at the camp were mean and cruel and made my cry daily, sports were my free and something I needed to pass the time, just what the doctor ordered for a type-a, hyperactive and sports-addicted kid.

Girls Pool! Had this pic in the archives at my parents’ house

Where “it all went down”- the indoor basketball court

The cast came off only after 8 weeks, and the time passed like a SNAIL! But, when one door closes, another opens; life is funny that way- I broke the rules of “not swimming with the cast” and spent most of my free time in the girls’ pool, doing laps for hours, fine-tuning my swim craft, and eventually going on to join the Varsity Swim Team by the 9^th grade.

Today, more than halfway into my pregnancy, and quite honestly, a bit frustrated that I can’t run my normal 5 miles, or even do deep squats or weighted lunges, I have decided to compile a list of my normal workouts and their benefits (of course, ones that work with my personality and body type) and pair them alongside my current workouts, highlighting the benefits of each, allowing all personality types and those with differing preferences or body types to see the many options listed, and perhaps to find, or even create, what workout works for them…

Normal Workout	Benefit	Current Workout	Benefit
Running, 3-4x week (For me, this should total around 3-5 miles each run)	·       Great for active, type-A ·       Useful for those who notice the most weight loss results from cardio ·       Outdoor running is a great option for those easily bored, or distracted, those who need stimulation in order to focus	Power Walking outdoors or indoors, around 1-2 miles	·       Burn fat ·       Keep heart rate elevated ·       Great option for those who find running boring but want abridged cardio, or just to be outside ·       Optimal choice for pregnant women, tired mothers, and even those who “just can’t do it” after work
Interval Training: walk 2 minutes, sprint 2 minutes, jog 10 minutes (For me, this should total 40-50 minutes)	·       Helps raise and lower heart rate all-in-one ·       Has same effects as a “cheat meal” –kicks the body into “ready to work!” mode ·       Great option for those who love cardio and a challenge, but who easily tire ·       Still allow you to vary what	Manageable Interval Training: power walk 2.5 minutes, slowly walk 5 minutes	·       Helps spice up a normal walking or powerwalking routine ·       Good for pregnant women as a means of elevating heart rate and burning fat in a healthy dosage ·       Great for those who want to be outdoors and stimulated, even if injured, tired, pregnant, and those who dislike cardio
Full Upper Body Workout 1-2x week	·       4x sets of each activity per body part: chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps ·       Ideal for those who bore from weight training more than 1-2x per week ·       Great for toning the entire body in one go	Simpler Full Upper Body Workout 1-2x week	·       2-3x sets of each body part activity ·       Great for those who bore from weight training or are injured, pregnant or just beginning their weighted journey
Leg Day	·       3 sets of 4-5 reps per part of leg/butt: 2x activities for inner thigh, 3x outer thigh and 2-3x butt ·       Great for toning the lower half in one go ·       Helps push the limits by using weights or resistance per set	Lighter Leg Day	·       Squats, lunges and inner/outer thigh activities, lighter ·       2 sets of 3 reps per part of leg/butt ·       Great for accomplishing results more slowly ·       Great for those starting out, or recovering from injuries, or pregnant ·       Good for those who want to slowly build up resistance

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