Strong Writing Regimen. Strong Body.

~ By Liza Keogh

My writing regimen is getting stronger. Fifteen months ago, I formally ended one career and began to write fiction. I had a yearlong arc of transition ahead of me, and the planets seemed well-aligned to support a multitude of big changes in my life.

My body is suffering. My hip joints are achy, the herniated disc in my lower back is very testy, and my core strength is a thing of the past. Photographs attesting to what once was survive, otherwise, I might have a hard time proving how strong and limber I used to be.

Any of that sound familiar? I knew, going in, that many daily hours in the seated position was deleterious to one’s health. Heck, I’d been working with people for over ten years to improve their posture and muscle tone, even to set up at-home yoga and meditation practices to keep them tuned up between classes or private sessions.

And here I was, ignoring my own advice. Perhaps I was thinking I would be immune to the effects of having my butt in a chair for up to eight hours a day. Perhaps I thought the sugary treats my brain was suddenly craving were part and parcel of ‘becoming a writer’.

Now what?

Here’s what I know: We humans are meant to move (not just be moved). We benefit even more from moving our bodies in different directions. Getting out into Nature regularly is good for our brains, our bodies, and likely our well of inspiration. Adequate water intake is essential, as are good eating habits.

If writing is our thing, and we have word counts and deadlines to meet, along with every other obligation in our lives, how do we keep the vehicle transporting us through this lifetime in good working condition?

Start somewhere. Now. Today, I put on exercise clothes as soon as I woke up, tied on my sneakers, and made myself a cup of rooibos chai tea with hazelnut milk. I am going to walk on my treadmill for 30 minutes before I start writing, and I am recommitting to an anti-inflammatory eating plan. That plan seems to work well for me: it helps ease the aches in my joints, melts off excess pounds, and sharpens my brain. To experience those benefits, however, I have to be rigorous and patient and remember that day three will be horrible.

Vary your vectors. That’s a phrase that reminds us to vary our exercise routine. Our fascial system runs throughout our body on up and down, side to side, diagonal, spiral and intersecting pathways. It needs water to stay healthy, ‘juicy’, and it needs movements to keep from getting sticky. Before I walk on my treadmill I’ll do a 10-15 minute functional movement warm-up (see below for a link to my favorite). I’ve tried running, even once hired a coach to teach me the mechanics of running, and I failed miserably. So, I stick with what I know instead of setting unattainable goals.

Make a plan. After I write, and before I get on my exercise mat later in the day, I’ll record a fifteen- to twenty-minute Pilates routine. I have notes and pencil figure drawings from a series of private sessions I signed up for last summer. That was months ago, I know, but I had this idea for a story and… you know how it goes.

Little ideas:

• Used exercise equipment is out there. My well-loved treadmill cost $100.
• Get thee to a class. Go with a friend. Pay attention to the instructor, and pay attention to what your body is telling you as you move, and afterward. Get to know your body as well as you know your favorite characters.
• Get thee to an on-line class. Youtube is a great, free resource. Start with Ed Paget’s F.A.S.T. class, and explore the rest of the offerings at Intrinsi, Osteopathic Clinic and Natural Movement Center (Please note: I have no connection with them whatsoever, other than admiring their approach to human movement, and the clarity of instruction. I did a lot of research over the years for clients, and the Intrinsi site is consistently good. Check out the videos on the pelvic floor, too.)
• Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, become more aware of your posture.

I’d love to know how others keep themselves healthy, or what got them back into caring for their health.

Liza Keogh has extensive experience leading yoga retreats, often in conjunction with writing coaches and therapists. She founded and ran a successful yoga center in Massachusetts and for over ten years brought yoga to venues that included public parks, corporations and low-income health centres.

Most days, she can be found in her writing cabin, working towards her next Life Goal: becoming a published author. You can find her blogging at https://lizakeoghblog.wordpress.com, and on twitter @lazy_liza_k.