10 Ideas for a Simple, Healthy Summer

(This appeared in the Huffington Post on 6/19/14)

Don't you just love the beginning of summer? There's something so exciting about the time of year that marks the end of the school year, longer days, and an opportunity to delight in the simple things. It's the season for picnics by the lake, the smell of sunscreen, and fresh tomatoes from the garden.

What if we decided to make the summer of 2014 a simple, healthy one? Do you long to turn off the gadgets and make some great memories? Wouldn't it be nice to feel better by making some simple healthy choices?

I invite you to share your ideas with me, and if you're a Twitter type, use the hash tag #simplehealthysummer. Here are ten ideas to get you started:

1. Plant something. Everything else in life is so instant these days, but some things are worth the wait. Gardening takes patience, but the payoff is delicious and healthy. My husband is the one with the green thumb, and helped my daughter start a garden. She absolutely loves tending to her garden, and there is something so simple yet so important about a child planting something and watching it grow.
2. Tennis, anyone? You don't need a country club membership to get in on the fun. Most communities have free public courts, and it's not expensive if you buy some basic racquets and tennis balls -- nothing fancy. My daughter and I have started playing several times a week and we're improving every time. If you're an adult and you're terrible like me, play with a kid and you can build your skills together.
3. Check out some free, live music. Live music is good for the soul, and even better when it's heard outside. Check your local entertainment calendars for free, outdoor shows. Invite some friends and pack a healthy picnic with fresh fruits and veggies to share.
4. Give back. I grew up Methodist, and a common phrase growing up was about giving "your prayers, your presence, your gifts, and your service." What do you have to give this summer? Could you take one vacation day and devote it to volunteer work? Could you spend a few less bucks on coffee and give to a charity of your choice?
5. Ditch the sugary drinks and liven up your water. I'm not a huge fan of plain Jane water, but I love making "spa water" at home. Buy a nice glass pitcher and cut up some fresh fruit, add water and ice and stick it in the fridge. It's delicious, inexpensive, and much better than sodas. My favorite is cucumber and rosemary water.
6. Challenge your limits. I am a little nervous about stating this publicly, because then I'll feel the pressure to actually do it, but I have never done a cartwheel, and I want to learn how this summer. What can you do this summer you've always wanted to do but never learned?
7. Just dance! The city where I live has an excellent ballet, and they offer up classes for all levels. Personally, I fall under the "can't dance unless I've had several cocktails" category, and even that is a little debatable. A few drop-in classes might change that. Our ballet even offers classes where you can learn the dances to major music videos. How fun is that?
8. Leave your car at home. Even if it's just for a day here and there, explore your city without your car. Take public transportation and walk to your destination, or pick a weekend and ditch your car keys. Explore your neighborhood on foot. Not only is it a healthy choice, you save on gas and your perspective changes for the better.
9. Revisit your public library. With so many electronics at our fingertips, we tend to forget about our public libraries. When my husband and I first started dating, we would check out classic movies at the library. One summer we tried an Italian theme, renting classic Italian films and cooking at home together. If you have kids, let them check out as many book as they can carry.
10. Try making a new kind of food. A few weekends ago, my friend went to a local Asian grocery and bought all kinds of delicious ingredients, then invited us over to make spring rolls together. She whipped up a delicious peanut sauce, and we all sat around the table, making our own spring rolls. Venture out to a local international food market and try something new!

Enjoy your #healthyhappysummer!

Why Walk for Transportation?

A year ago, I sold my car and committed to walking to work.  Most weekdays, I walked a little under three miles to my office in downtown Austin. I hope to encourage others who live within a reasonable walking distance from their offices to give it a try.

I've never been a huge fan of exercise. I figured if I did something extreme, like selling my car, I could reduce my carbon footprint while getting healthy and saving money. In 2013, I channeled my inner Forrest Gump and logged over 500 miles. Here are 10 reasons I’m hooked.

A three mile walk once a day is not a big deal. Before I began walking to work, I casually dated a treadmill and had a few minor flings with the machines at the gym. I was miserable there. I hated waiting for a treadmill, I’m weird about smells (and the gym is full of them), and I always felt like a hamster, plugging along without a purpose. But walking? It’s really not a big deal. If you are pokey like me, it will take you between 45 minutes to an hour to knock out three miles a day. Not long at all.

Walking makes you feel fantastic. Every single day I walked -- regardless of the weather or my mood before I left the house -- I arrived at work feeling great. This is the first time in my entire life that I have felt that addicted to exercise. Exercise-addicted people used to drive me nuts, but I finally get it now. If I skip a day, I feel crummy, and by mid-morning I’m pumping myself up with coffee to stay awake.

If you’re walking to lose weight, good luck with that. I know, I know, it’s a bummer, but evidently walking a few miles a day isn't a weight loss guarantee. One of my biggest motivations for walking to work was that I figured I would lose weight. The first few months, I definitely lost weight, but I was also eating a pretty strict vegan diet at the time. When my love affair with cheese beat my desire to go Vegan, I quit losing weight. Walking alone doesn't cut the mustard when it comes to weight loss. You have to actually cut the mustard, or in my case, the chips and queso, but you have to cut calories. Period.

If you sell your car and walk, you will save crazy money. I’m married with kids, so selling both cars isn't an option for us. However, just ditching one car made a big difference. I don’t miss the car payment, the additional car insurance, the downtown parking fees, and the gas and maintenance. I also don’t miss the road rage. 

Have a Plan B.  Likely, you will need some flexibility for parent-teacher conferences and daytime errands. Austin offers Car2Go, a car share program where you simply check out a cute little smart car to use when you need it. I also rely on our city bus system and my wildly supportive husband, who picks me up from work many afternoons. Of course, not everyone has these options. If that’s the case, try and schedule in time to walk before work or after work when you can bring the kids along with you.

Walking reduces anxiety. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, just five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate anti-anxiety effects.  I’m walking proof that it’s true. I’m a pretty high-strung gal, and when I walk, it makes a huge difference in how I handle stress.

Walking forces you away from screen time. It’s really refreshing to take a break from screens. While giving your neck and eyes a break, how about checking out the world around you? I actually see sunrises now. I also pass other walkers and feel an immediate sense of kinship. Some days, I get what I call “God’s bonus,” and a pack of shirtless guys half my age jog by, and I feel momentarily what grown men feel like when they ogle cheerleaders.

Worried you’ll get bored? Pod-casts are the way to go. When I started walking regularly, my coworker suggested I subscribe to some pod casts, and recommended NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour. Now, I geek out to several pod casts several days a week. Here’s the iTunes Top 10 to get you going.

Be prepared.  On Sunday nights, put your workout clothes and shoes somewhere visible so Monday morning you are ready to roll. This will keep you from making lazy Monday morning excuses.

Don’t stop. Make your walks a priority.  Aside from one nasty fall I took a few months ago that knocked me out for a few days, I've been like a postman when it comes to my walks. I've walked when it’s 102 degrees, and this week, I left the house when it was below freezing. It’s that important. I never thought I would say that!

If I can do this, so can you! Follow me on Twitter @auarndt and let me know how it goes!