Daily LiteraryDish News

by Author Heather Covington
from new book book GOD’S 24 HOUR MAKEOVER
www.disilgold.com

It doesn’t take a rocket exercise to know what exercises to do to keep in shape, maintain and make better what you already have, avoid unsightly fat, sluggishness and what I call “Writer’s Body” when writers work out on their computers all day instead of at the gym.

The signs of “Writer’s Body” are evident when men and women lose muscle tone, gain weight and most of all can’t fit into the same clothes from the year before. To be a focused writer and stay in the game of penning books with passion, one has to feel their absolute best mentally, physically and emotionally. Exercise proves to be a great motivational tool for writers and helps keep one looking and feeling their best. In fact, people have said, you are what you write.

I write sexy, urban erotica thrillers and so there you have it. Exercise is a part of my daily motivation as a writer and it should be a part of your regimen, too as a writer. Here are some fail safe solutions to get writers in tip top shape with minimal effort every day and that work.

1. After writing excursions, step away from one’s computer and do 50 squats with 30 second breaks. Think 20, 15, 10 and than 5 for each set. Use hand weights for a more challenging squat.

2. After reading your emails, pick up a set of hand barbells and lift away for 3 songs non-stop. This exercise contours the muscles of your arms with definition.

3. While waiting for your computer to load, why not drop on the floor and do 20 slow push ups. Your upper body will always stay in shape.

4. If you work on your computer for 20 minutes or more a day, use that time to swivel back and forth in a swivel chair. This spot exercise shrinks your waistline 2- 3 inches in less than a month providing you maintain a sensible diet.

5. While talking on the phone, do arm stretches by clutching your fists over your head and pulling from side to side behind your back with a brief stretch hold of 5 seconds per side. Do as many as you can handle. This avoids saddle bags under the arms.

6. Turn away from your computer and use bands to stretch your legs. Just place a pair under your feet and stretch and hold with resistance for 5 seconds per retraction. Use two bands for resistance.

7. Hold on to your chair and apply what I call an isometric crunch and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 3 times. Isometrics uses your bodies own weight to apply resistance, but careful, these exercises can cause crampingof muscles. Repeat up to 3 times only.

8. Place your hands and elbows between your thighs in a cris cross position and squeeze against the resistance of your own weight. This exercise keeps your thighs tones and shoulders. Warning, the collar blades on your chest will pop out if you keep doing this and you’ll way too sexy to walk in the street.

9. If you happen to visit a site that has on great music, stand and do what I call SHOCK JACKS or jumping jacks with a bit of a flair. If you do a few normal jumping jacks and then suddenly jump real high in the air and than start doing “tire run” jogs in place, your body will say what is going on and start building muscle every where to protect itself from you! Fat will shed also, because your body needs energy to repair itself from your short bursts of abuse on your body. The result is a lovely body. Your body wins! It thinks it outsmarted you, but you really outsmarted it. In other words, don’t let your body predict your exercise, SHOCK IT! Seek medical advice before exerting yourself with any exercise.

10. To get up and stretch, Ppace your leg on your sofa or chair and do alternate lunges with each leg and dip your body as low as you can. Be steady and thorough. Your knee ligaments are very delicate.

Finally, nothing is better than sprint running late at night for 10- 20 minutes and drinking a nice warm cup of tea if you are trying to lose weight or a healthy milk shake if you are trying to gain muscle mass. Just give yourself at least 1 hour or so before hitting the sack because you’ll have a lot of restless energy.

Exercise doesn’t have to be painful and you don’t have to hit the gym every day, but you do have to exercise every day so you’re body will respond and maintain its form. It’s like writing a novel. Each page is like an exercise rep and the end of each chapter, a full set of an exercise. Add up every chapter, and that’s a workout with results that are everlasting.

Write well, exercise well and live well WRITER!

Heather Covington is the Editor-in-Chief of Disilgold SOUL Literary Review. Visit her magazine at www.Disilgold.com.