It is the New Year and we all know that everyone has the resolution of getting healthy. I have been on this mission over the last three years, but I must admit this was my hardest holiday season since eating healthier. I think I ate more cookies in the last month than I’ve eaten in the last three years. I also haven’t been working out as much as I would like since the children have had days off. Well, we all have our excuses.
I am lucky that I have property, which is basically a gym in my own backyard. All summer long, I walked and ran around our 140 acres with Max in tow. Yard work around here involves lots of strength training. You would think things would slow down in the winter, but that is not the case. During the summer we hook up a hose to an extra well with a pump in it to get water to the animals. Well, in the winter we don’t have this luxury so this means carrying buckets of water out to the animals from the house. Four buckets of water two to three times a day is some great strength and muscle training for my arms.
If you live in central New York, you know that the winter is long and the snow accumulates so snow shoveling and snow blowing are always ready to keep you moving.
This year I got my first pair of snowshoes for Christmas. I was very excited to try them out. They worked great even when we only had a couple of inches. This past week we probably got a foot of snow so I had to try them out in the deep snow. It happened to be a sunny day, which is rare in central New York this time of year. Since it was only 10 degrees out, I had to dress warm with everything covered except my eyes. I trekked out to our cabin, past the pond and back. This walk goes behind my neighbor’s house. Apparently she was watching me in horror, thinking I was going to freeze to death. When I got back, she called me worried sick that I was out walking in this weather.
Max loved it and I was sweating, no frostbite in sight. It was great, like walking on a stair climber. Thanks to Redfeather snowshoes, made in the USA, for a great workout.
After all my Christmas decorations are put away and my soap is made for my next craft show, I have a plan that involves those snowshoes. I hope to get out there with my clippers and start trimming all those blueberry bushes. Never a dull moment; might as well do them now, except I think I will wait for a day that is at least 30 degrees.
So on those days that are too frigid or windy, I stick with my exercise videos and eating healthy. To learn more about Conley Farm, visit my Facebook page.