Cross Country Skiing and how it Heals ME

I grew up in New York City and dancing and walking were my only means of physical activity. I did fine in Gym Class but never excelled at any sport. I hadn't tried downhill skiing until I was over 21 and a friend took me. Okay, so it was my boyfriend at the time who had been on skis since he could walk. He proceeded to laugh at me as I got off the ski lift and went uncontrollably straight down the hill terrified.... Learning sports as an adult had always seemed intimidating to me. But when my husband and I decided we were moving to upstate NY I told him I HAD to start a winter sport like cross country skiing to keep my sanity during the long winters.

I borrowed a pair of skis and I had a friend who had just gotten a pair from a garage sale. We went to the local park (being an old airport it is NICE and LEVEL), strapped the skis on and went. Luckily my friend Gina had gone once or twice years before so she knew the basic movements. This is now my 4th winter cross country skiing. I had no prior knowledge of it other than it was great exercise and it would get me outside even on the coldest of days. Taking up a sport with no prior knowledge gave me self-confidence and brought me SUCH happiness. I received cross country skis for Valentine's Day from my husband that year. (2004)

We have LONGGG winters in upstate, NY. Really from November until late March or even April it is COLD and there is usually a blanket of snow. Every Saturday morning is MY TIME to go out with my girlfriends and go skiing. Pictures above are (me, Gina, Ange) and (Gina, Jacki, Ange). Even when I was ill, it didn't matter if I didn't feel good, it didn't matter if it was below zero -- if there was snow on the ground I knew I was putting on my 4 layers of clothing and we were going. The winter can be a time of sadness and illness. The change in the weather, being stuck inside without opening windows, the holidays -- affording them and the obligations we tend to feel, the shortened days, not being out of the house with the kids for extended periods of time..... the list goes on.

Cross country skiing is EASY to pick up and inexpensive. Believe me - if I can do it -- anyone can. Skis, boots and poles can be bought for as little as $125 new or cheaper if you get them used. XCSKIWORLD has great information on cross country skiing and how it is GREAT exercise and not at all JUST for the physically fit. You can also go to your local sports store to find out what size skis and boots you should get.

This past weekend was my first time of the season out. I ended a hectic week and what I kept looking forward to was being out on Saturday. My husband took the kids and their friends sledding at the same park at the same time and my friend Jacki brought her 2 dogs that LOVE playing in the snow. No, the conditions weren't the best. The snow was more like mud or sludge and it felt like we were REALLY working out and trudging through rather than gliding much. But how healing it was! To be outside, wind and sun on my face, talking and laughing with friends and to leave any stresses I felt during the week of being cooped up inside behind.

We need fresh air ALL the time NOT just in the warm months to keep our bodies healthy. If you tend to get down in the winter or just need a way to get moving during the cold months I cannot recommend cross country skiing enough. You can borrow or rent skis and try it out. If you go to a local park there will be no repeated charges (many local parks even have trails they clear). Ask a friend or two to start it up with you. It's NOT even winter yet and there are a few months ahead of cold and snow... make sure you do something to keep your mood positive and to keep you moving! If you do try it, feel free to email me and tell me about your experience with it -- I'd LOVE to hear!

Walks are not only GREAT for Exercise but also for Healing

Walking is by far my favorite exercise as well as my favorite way to clear my mind. I grew up in New York City so I was used to walking EVERYWHERE. Being outside and feeling the sun on your face somehow makes things seem OK. Walking alone, with a friend or music and headphones can change your mood entirely.

I live in upstate NY now and am fortunate enough to see mountains out my window and have this park pictured 3 blocks away from my home. I am at this park 2-3 times a week no matter what the weather is. I take my kids in the summer time to the playgrounds and in the winter they can sled there. I have taken walks and cross country skied there no matter WHAT the weather. My husband and I have had our "date night" there sitting by the dock and talking. No matter how I make it to this park, what the weather is or if I am with someone or alone -- I always come back refreshed.

If I am walking alone I do my gratitude first for being able to get out and walk outside and for the beauty around me and then let whatever it is come to my mind. If it is a problem I try and figure out possible solutions to the problem. If it is something good I acknowledge the good and feel grateful for it. I let my mind wander but do take notice of the flowers, mountains, animals, and pure beauty that only nature can hold. I've seen the moon rise over the mountains, I have seen deer, rabbits, groundhogs and tons of birds and every time I am thankful.
If I walk with a friend, friends or my husband at the park I am so happy to be out and talk and listen non-stop. The interaction along with the nature feels healing every time. My friend Angela is the person I walk with the most and we always stop and say JUST how beautiful it is. We always have a hug and a "thank you" because we know just how lucky we are to walk in such a beautiful place and to have each other's friendship. If one of us is having a bad day or just needs to talk we'll shoot each other a quick email saying "walk later?" or give a call and we know we will return later healed. In the winter I feel it is MOST important to get out and walk. You can always put on layers and make it a quick one. The air and the sun (or the moon) make you feel alive and can be a very quick cure for the "winter blues". Yes, it can be a pain and take a while to put on the layers of clothes and bundle but the effort is more than worth the result of how you'll feel when you come back.

Walking with music can also be very therapeutic. With MP3 players you can walk around with your whole music collection. You can pick certain songs to cause emotions or just set it to random and surprise yourself with what comes up. Walking with music playing has a meditative effect on me. Feeling the music and being in nature is so calming and beautiful. I usually make sure to play upbeat music for the more strenuous parts of the walk and I don't even realize I am exercising.

When I was ill I still went for walks. No, not as far but just getting out always made me feel more alive then sitting in and not moving. It doesn't have to be an hour and a half walk to make you feel better. Even 5 minutes can do the trick. Fresh air and a change of scenery are healthy and vital to healing.

Walks in nature are so beautiful but I did grow up walking in New York City and walks had the same effect there. The people and store watching, the parks, the energy of the city -- all of it made the action of walking seem non-existent. It doesn't matter where you are -- there are always places to walk and find beauty.

If you are looking to walk for weight loss, About.com offers a great article on how to know how many calories you are burning while walking. Walking improves your health and is about the easiest exercise program you can start since all you need is a good pair or shoes or sneakers. You can take your time, start off with small walks and make them longer as your endurance grows. Call a friend and try to set up a weekly meeting for a walk that way it is on the calendar and it will make you less likely to "skip it". There are tons of ways to take walks and lots of places to explore. Getting out and doing it is key and you will feel renewed, refreshed and healed not only physically but emotionally as well.

"Exercise is Essential in Healing Pain"

I know, "me, exercise?" to heal pain -- I don't know if I can do that -- I'm in so much pain already. These were words I often said when my chronic pain was so bad I was barely moving much less exercising. But there are many different levels and different kinds of exercise. My favorites are walking, dancing, yoga and cross country skiing personally but even these can be done on VERY different levels.

Even when I was feeling my worst pain I would try and drag myself to my yoga/dance class (45 minutes of each) once a week. Yes, I did sometimes feel worse the next day because of it but my body and spirit felt wonderful while I was there. Then I was told by my rheumatologist that because I had Benign Hypermobility Syndrome I was actually making my body worse by hyper-extending my joints while doing yoga and that pilates would be much better for me and walking was really the best exercise of all. Although I can see the benefits of pilates the breathing always felt a bit unnatural to me compared to yoga. I tried some short pilates workouts but it didn't resonate within me the way yoga and dance did. I needed something else.

I had always been a walker. Growing up in NYC will make you one! But since becoming ill I became filled with the negative self-talk that a walk would "wear me out". It wasn't until I met my friend Angela and we discovered what a great walk -- walking to the dock in the nearby park was that I literally DRAGGED myself to go along with her even if my body was crying in pain. The talks on that walk helped my spirit tremendously and I was starting to lose some of the weight I had put on taking the pain killers and not going to yoga dance anymore. I realized how much my weight affected my self-confidence and energy level. When I put on 20 lb. I really felt the effort of moving my body around. When I lost it I felt lighter and more full of energy.

I know when the pain is bad it is an effort to get out of bed. I know starting an exercise program can seem "impossible" but your spirit and self-confidence will benefit tremendously from it. If you haven't exercised in a while baby-steps are needed and you might even have to consult a doctor before starting. A walk around the block might be where you start or a walk down your driveway and back.... baby steps are better than no steps. The fresh air alone can work wonders. For me, while I can enjoy walks by myself I find it easier to go if I have a friend who would go as well -- not as easy to back out of it. Again, once a week is better than no times a week. 3 times a week is better than 1 time a week. The most important thing is putting no pressure on yourself and listening to your body.

Have you gained too much weight to want to walk around in public or take a public class? I know my self-confidence was low when I saw all the tiny women walking around my neighborhood and I felt I looked "fat" in my workout clothes (the ones I could still fit in!)... I know I was over-exaggerating how I looked (always my hardest critic) but I knew also that I needed to be totally comfortable to stick to ANY kind of exercise. An option for not wanting to be out exercising is to buy a treadmill and consult with your doctor about a program good for you. They come as inexpensive as $400 now or you can get one with a ton of features for under $1500. This is a good option because it allows you to walk all year even if you are in an area that has severe seasons as upstate NY definitely has! You could even put it in front of a TV or right by a stereo so you are a bit distracted and aren't focusing JUST on the fact that you are exercising.

Any way you decide to do it ANY exercise is better than no exercise. It helps to strengthen the body, lose weight, build self-confidence and the result is less pain.

To find out more about the other methods I used to heal my pain and illnesses you can read about my ebook , or you can visit my blog or my site.