Look Who's Talking
Fitting
in Fitness: What are your favorite ways to stay in shape in the winter, and how
do you "fit" fitness into your busy schedule?
It can be difficult to stay in shape in the winter. I
try to run outdoors when I can and hop on a treadmill to run when the weather
is too harsh to run in. But the thing I enjoy the most during the winter months
is coaching youth basketball. I make sure I run the court with my team for at
least three to four full court drills per practice a few days per
week. Working to keep up with a bunch of sixth grade boys not only keeps
my speed and fitness up, but it also promotes a motivating environment for
them. They want to beat the coach every time!
Reg B. Wilcox III, PT, DPT, MS, OCS
Department of Rehabilitation Services
My favorite way to exercise in the winter is telemark skiing with
my family on the weekends. During the week, my husband and I do pushups, adding
one a day. Today (Feb. 26) we are at 57! Our goal is 365 by Dec. 31, 2013!
Rebecca Weintraub, MD
Division of Global Health Equity
My dog keeps me fit by taking me
on a two-mile run every weekday morning, rain or shine!
Graham McMahon, MD, MMSc
Endocrinology
Snowshoeing - I turn my regular morning walk with my Labrador
retriever Zeek into a snowshoe if there's enough snow - a fun way to get
exercise and get a "chore" done! On weekends, he and I hike or snowshoe, no
matter what the weather, in the Blue Hills.
Jacqueline Slavik, PhD
Biomedical Research Institute
I am not an
outdoors person in the winter, so I like to change up my routine in the gym to
try something new when the temperature drops. The most recent addition to
my workout has been boxing, which is great exercise and a great way to
alleviate stress! I fit fitness in by putting it on my calendar and
making a commitment to myself that I will get it done - no excuses - just do
it!
Erin McDonough, MBA
Communication & Public Affairs
New England is a great place to stay fit in winter. My family's
favorite winter activity is cross country skiing. There are so many exciting
places to explore around Boston, and it is a wonderful way to get to know the
region up close. We also often go sledding in the Arboretum or around Jamaica
Pond, and there are many opportunities for ice skating. We even built
a small ice skating rink in our backyard. And then, of course, this year
we also had plenty of opportunities to shovel snow.
Hubertus Kiefl, MD
Brookside Community Health Center
After
recently founding ClimbCorps at BWH to help employees become more active in the
workplace, I personally joined its organized stair climbing
program, ClimbClub. Held daily at the hospital, ClimbClub has helped me
incorporate exercise into the workday and is especially convenient in the
winter, when staying active can be a challenge. I participate in ClimbClub
most days, climbing the Shapiro stairwells for about 20 minutes each session. I
have also gotten into the habit of taking the stairs instead of the
elevator whenever possible - a great small change to accumulate more steps
throughout the day.
JoAnne Foody, MD, FACC, FAHA
BWH Cardiovascular Wellness Service
I'm addicted to skiing. I'm also a weather geek. I stalk the snow
forecasts from across New England and when there's a high probability of fresh
weekend powder, I get up before dawn on a Saturday or Sunday, throw the skis on
the roof of the car and head north. If I'm lucky, I can get to a slope in time
to make first tracks in fresh powder. Then I ski all day, until I can barely
stand-run after run, fast, slow, bumps, trees, all over the mountain. By the
last chair lift ride, I'm totally exhausted and can't wait for a hot shower and
a night of deep sleep.
Dylan Tierney MD
Division of Global Health Equity
I love to run outside during the winter because it feels like the
only way to be outside and not be cold. I also like to swim, and there is a
great community pool in my neighborhood that charges one dollar for a swim. More
recently and on days when I really don't feel like doing anything, I've been
inspired by Jen Center nurse practitioner Karen Paulette, who always walks
during her lunch break. When I'm tight on time or just feeling lazy, I've
started taking 10 minutes during lunch - which I typically eat at my computer--
to walk either outside or up and down the stairs in my office. I call my
brother or a stay-at-home-mom friend who doesn't have time to talk in the
evenings.
Marycatherine Arbour, MD
Division of Global Health Equity