The lazy naturopaths...

    Jonah and I used to be very active people.  

    We used to commute to our clinic by bike everyday (60 minutes of cycling a day).  If we weren't on     

    our bikes, we walked everywhere.  Weekends would consist of long walks from our west-end home       

    in High Park to downtown and back. Yoga was a regular part of our lives, whether it was Bikram's, 

    Moksha, Hatha or Ashtanga.  A 30-day yoga challenge took some effort but was always do-able 

    once we decided to do it.  We played volleyball weekly in the winter.  Jonah played basketball 

    weekly in the summer.  I ran half-marathons and loved trying out new activities, such as dragon 

    boating and aerial silks.  

    All in all, we were active people.

    Cycling through High Park.

    Dragon boating for Team Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.

    Aerial silks with instructor, Sabrina Pringle.

    Now, one car, two kids and a home practice later, we have become lazy naturopaths.

  

    As much as we love the move to our home practice, there are times when I don't leave the house for 

    days (especially in the deep freeze).  Our commute is now 16 steps.  With two kids in tow, we drive   

    everywhere.  Most of the time I pick up groceries by car.  Sadly, I have not gotten on my bike in over 

    two years.  

    Every year our goal is to get more active and this year is no different.  As we suggest to patients,   

    when setting goals, keep them simple, attainable and measurable.  So this year, we have a game plan.   

    And here it is...

    1.  Jonah is going to play basketball weekly on Sundays.  

    2.  I will start something weekly on Saturdays, whether it is suspension yoga, pilates or swimming.  

    3.  I will start running once a week when the weather is better.  

    4.  We commit to one car-free day a week.  

    5.  We actually get on our bikes this summer.  

    All reasonable goals and all things we enjoy doing.

    If you are planning to get more active this year, sit down and write out a wish list.  Now, go back to
    that list and really think about what is doable.  Now, pare it down to only what is doable.  Perhaps its
    a 10 minute stretch in the morning, a15 minute walk at lunch time, or a new aerobics class once a
    week - whatever it is, put it in your calendar, set a reminder and treat each event as though it was an
    important meeting.  Better yet, set this up with a friend or a co-worker so that you have someone to
    enjoy it with and be accountable with.  You can do this.

    Good luck and let us know how it goes!  We'll keep you posted too.