Defining "exercise".

What constitutes exercise?  I had to ask myself this yesterday.  You see, I got up and it was on the agenda to clean our chicken coop out for the spring.  We use the "deep litter method" in our coop.  Which means that we layer the coop with pine shavings and rake it once and a while.  As it builds up with chicken poop you simply add more pine shavings.  As you might imagine, by spring, there is a deep layer of chicken crap and packed pine shavings. 

So, I began by breaking up and shoveling out the poop/pine shaving mixture.  It was hard work and I had to actually SHOVEL it like you would dirt.  It took 3 full wagon loads to remove it.  After that, my next task was to fill a bucket with hot water and bleach and scrub down the walls - especially next to where they roost.  Finally, I carried down from our garage the large packed bags of pine shavings that probably weigh at least 50 pounds to the coop, opened up the bags and raked the new shavings out.  Then all the items I had taken out, like the box of chicken food had to go back in.

The entire process took about 2 and 1/2 hours.  And even though it was hard work, I felt guilty later because it was my only form of exercise yesterday.

You know years ago before they had fancy gyms and stuff, people didn't "work out".  They were no DVD's from Beachbody, no elliptical machines, and no weight benches.  Yet people stayed trim and fit.  They didn't worry about what constituted "exercise" when they were out working the farm all day.  

Whenever I run past the group of Amish kids that live next to us, they stop what they are doing and just stare at me.  They are probably wondering what the hell I'm running from.  Because they are outside working all day, and the concept of needing to run for fitness is probably beyond their comprehension!

So here's what I'm saying.  I know that everyone is always saying to people trying to lose weight that any movement is good movement and to take the stairs or park at the back of parking lots.  Well, I suppose that's true, but if you want to get really fit and lose weight, climbing a flight of stairs ain't going to do it.

BUT, you can get more active in ways that you don't traditionally define as "working out".  Wash your car in your driveway instead of going through the automatic machine.  Is your garage a disaster area?  Spend a day cleaning it out.  Does you shed need painting?  Do it yourself instead of hiring someone!   Don't just watch your kids play soccer, get in there and kick the ball around with them - even if you suck!

Not only does that get you some really great exercise, but you get something accomplished as well!  My chicken coop looks fantastic and it is nice and clean for when we move the baby chicks in in a couple of weeks!  No diseases to worry about and the task is done!

My next project?  Start my garden!  That will be great exercise and will produce a ton of healthy food for us through the summer!