Unconventional Fitness Acitivity 5: How Freelancing Can Keep You Stay Fit

Image via cartoonstock.com

Well, this one is tricky because the peace of your mind pretty much depends on how much money you are making (and how much you are enjoying yourself), whether your hands and arms are healthy (well carrying around your office around like a turtle and typing like crazy can hurt you at times) and well, physical health and a good internet connection also help.

Now, when I was first planning this post in my head, all was fine in the world. I was healthy, productive and was taking my own advice. Remember the unconventional tips about developing a crush, dancing and hanging with your attractive friends? Yeah, well- I worked a lot, danced about 3-4 times a week  (each session lasting for at least 2 hours), hung out with my best friend who is really attractive (and currently attracting a lot of guys, even the ones she doesn’t want to attract) and I am on the lookout for cute guys who might be worth my time. 

Then, on a couple of Tuesdays ago, I hurt my leg during dancing. Now, I am supposed to rest, which is a really difficult thing for a hyperactive person to do. I couldn’t dance at the Friday parties. Then my modem broke and my home internet connection went to hell, which is a bummer since I am supposed to stay a lot more at home to do that resting and even though I haven’t been typing all that much lately, my arm is now hurting too. 

Oh, yes. Mind you, I didn’t put on any weight since I combined my freelancing routine with dancing. Trust me, I’m not dieting. Or cutting back. At all. So I am pretty OK with keeping the weight constant. But if you watch what you eat a little, being a freelancer might help you shed some pounds too. Here’s how:

*Stop picturing freelancers and writers as people who don’t leave home. I barely stay at home because all the sofas, mess and housework can get in the way. And even walking to your bus stop is some action, especially if you live in a big city.

* Well carrying all that stuff around means you can work anywhere, so you don’t really need to cancel any 

spontaneous opportunities that come your way.

* How heavy is your bag? I think it should count as a minor (or major, depending on the size of your laptop) heavy-lifting activity.

* You can exercise at home. You don’t go to an office where you spend majority of your waking hours. So who’s to stop you from dancing to your favorite songs?

* You can go to the gym in the middle of the week, during other people’s office hours.

Let me know if you can think of more…

Hanging Out with Your Attractive Friends: Unconventional Fitness Activity 4

     You know what highly success people advise? That you surround yourself with more successful people so that with the help of the group’s dynamics, you will also succeed. It makes perfect sense – when no one around you is aiming low, nothing- even you- can hold you back.

So what does that have to be with beauty and fitness? Well, a lot actually. The idea is that you will hang out more often with friends who pay attention to how they look. I am not suggesting you surround yourself with superficial people, fashion victims or diet freaks. Rather, I am merely suggesting that among all the friends you can hang out with, choose to spend time with the ones who are more active, health-conscious and overall well-groomed.

Because you will feel bad if you are the only one who’s not taking care of yourself, peer pressure and motivation will make you want to put on that little touch of make-up, give up on the coffee cream and pick your more flattering outfits to wear.

image via: danspalatset.se

Yes, this is a Lindy Hop move. Hopefully one day, it'll be possible for me too. But there is no way I am going to get to it if I just sit around with my friends who only like to sit around. I have a lot of those!

Recently, I have been spending more time at the dance studio (where I am taking lindy hop lessons). The more I watch the good dancers, the more I want to attend the practice times and well, the more I want to dance. And the more I dance, the better I feel . And the more moves I can master, the more I will enjoy it and the more I will want to dance. Oh, yes :it is one fantastic and beneficial cycle.

The point is whatever you’d like to accomplish and/or maintain, find a way to hang out with people who are better at it than you do, or at least just as enthusiastic as you are.  I had a great year in Norway, when I was an exchange student. I had great friends, who were just as addicted to fun and partying as I was. The result? One fantastic year. And I am thinking, why not apply it to our looks?

Developing A Crush - Unconventional Fitness Activity 3

Yep, that is actually what I am advising. Get out there and find yourself at least one crush. I am saying at least one, because you might get too emotionally invested if you really start liking someone. 

It occured to me that I tend to spend more time in front of the mirror when I have a crush. Those extra minutes spent trying to look a little sexier, taking a little longer to decide what to wear…It is just that inevitably I move more.

I especially remember this one crush - more of an insanely sexual attraction, really. He was just so hot. Tall, dark blonde, great built, sexy face, great voice, perfect style... He even had the best taste in music.I think he knew how perfect he looked so he wasn't easy to approach. He just wasn't the type of guy that made you fantasize about romantic dinners. You wouldn't have the time to think what he would be like your boyfriend, because well, all you wanted was to get him in a room, alone.

Sure, it feels great when we are only looking more attractive for our own eyes alone. It is also fun when strangers admire you too. But I always found it much more stimulating when someone you find hot/attractive/cute thinks the same way about you.

But the downside of having a crush on someone, you can get too involved. So it is much better if you surround yourself with little crushes (objects of your like) rather than just one. Because that one crush might not like you back or he might and things may not work out. So you just might end up falling for your comfort food when things go sour.

You already have a crush? Great. Make the most of it.

Dating a Hot Guy: Unconventional Fitness Activity 1

Nope, not just any dating. Dating or trying to date really, really hot guys. Yes, a good personality is a plus but since a lot of guys are superficial (regardless of how good or bad they look), it doesn’t hurt us to go after some eye candy. If we are lucky, we can land a really hot guy (or hot guys-sky is the limit).  

*Note: If you are happily coupled up, feel free to ignore this advice.

Here is why I am emphasizing a guy should have a hot body:

For one, I am sick of ugly, balding, and fat middle-aged men cheating on their lovely wives (I know girls and other types of men cheat too, but that’s off topic right now). And many men seem to have double standards when it comes to how their girlfriends should look. They want them to be fit and well-groomed, while they rarely hit the gym. Even if they do go, they do tend to fall for the younger gym bunnies.

But of course this double standard isn’t just about older, married or fatter men. A couple of years ago I used to date this really skinny guy. I actually don’t even like skinny guys. I like guys tall, well-built and strong .  I’d rather have a guy who built those muscles naturally through his work or favorite sports (and preferably not by living in the gym).

How about James Denton from Desperate Housewives or the new addition to that show, Brian Austin Green? I don’t know if their bodies are gym-based, but they look amazing.



Brian Austin Green in Desperate Housewives. Image via  movieline-com





Teri Hatcher and James Denton in Desperate Housewives. Image via insidesocal.com



Anyway, we all have an ideal image when it comes to looks but feelings and hormones get the in the way. And boys know it really well. Back to the skinny guy: He was barely an inch taller than me. And he wasn’t strong. But personality matter more than looks, right?

 He fooled me into thinking he was a nice, fun guy with a high E.Q (emotional I.Q).  His face was OK but if he hadn’t been around that day, hanging with a friend of mine, I wouldn’t have even noticed him.

Oh, you can take a look at a picture of me on the about page. I am definitely not skinny. But I am 1.75 m tall (5’9”) and 69 kilos (about 135 pounds? You get the idea). And apart from the belly I’d like to hide I have a pretty decent body, with long legs and all that.

So this skinny guy who is not eye-catching or good-looking, who doesn’t even walk with a nice posture, starts criticizing my sense of getting dressed and makes hints that I should lose weight. Seriously.

To the outside eye, I’m the eye-catching, prettier one . It was my friends who thought he was not good enough for me.

You see, if he looked like Keanu Reeves or Gerard Butler, I’d not have been mad at his hints. In fact, I’d use him to lose the extra pounds. But if an average looking guy with borderline personality issues asks, I am not even going to move my arm. What would be the motivation? To give him the satisfaction dating even a prettier girl? No, thanks.

Yes, we didn’t last long. And since I was attracted to the niceness in the first place.

My point is, it is OK to be superficial as many of the people around you are too. So why not take advantage of the back? It is all very well looking for your soul mate with that amazing personality. But until he comes along, even for just fitness purposes, let’s hunt down the gorgeous boys. We will be motivated to be as fit as they are. And we can stay in shape by engaging in fitness on our own and with them (dancing, PG-13 stuff and of course the essential R-Rated action).

Do share your stories.