Weekly Meeting Topic: Summertime Fun

Tonight we talked about Summertime Fun. The leader asked us to think about how we used to have fun when we were young – going back to grade school when we had summers off. I can honestly say I wasted every summer off I ever had - I had no friends and hated being outdoors. Other than the occasional trip to the pool or amusement park that my parents organized, my summers were spent alone, indoors, watching reruns on TV and eating. What a sad excuse for a childhood, no?

The good thing is it’s obviously not too late to have fun and create new summer adventures and memories. I am living proof of that. My mid to *cough* late thirties have been an opportunity to make up for that childhood of laziness, loneliness, isolation and lethargy. I actually enjoy summers for the first time in my life. Every aspect of them - the warmth, the sun, the longer days, being outdoors and being active.

Now, it should come as no surprise to hear that my favorite summer outdoor activity is riding my bike. I love my bike so much, I can’t imagine a life without it now. Here I am last weekend at Canarsie Pier in Brooklyn:

I look forward to riding it as often as possible. And although it may have started off as a way to get some exercise, it has nothing to do with exercise anymore – It’s become part of my life. It's my method of getting around Brooklyn to get errands done (I even strapped Littleton to the back last weekend to take him to the vet. He cried the whole way, but it was better than having him cry on the bus or paying for a taxi), I also take it to Manhattan for errands – including going to Whole Foods and carrying back a canvas bag of groceries on my shoulder. I use it to meet up with friends when I go out at night. I use it to explore new places and neighborhoods I might otherwise not have a reason to visit. I sometimes even use it to ride aimlessly – just to look for stuff to photograph.

Aside from the many functional aspects, it serves a great mental purpose – riding my bike has become my escape, my mood lifter, my pick me up, my drug.

I recently told someone that when I ride my bike, I like to imagine everything that is bothering me in its own little bubble - One bubble might be a person or situation at work. Another bubble might be the person that pissed me off on the escalator stairs in Grand Central, causing me to miss the 7 Train, another bubble might be a disturbing story from the day's news, etc – they range from minor annoyances to serious things that are bothering me that day. Then I imagine those bubbles are attached to me. But the thing is, as I ride my bike, increasing speed, the bubbles have no choice but to float away, far behind me. I think of the bothersome things/bubbles, then visualize the bubble, and then visualize the bubble coming off as I ride my bike. It’s free and instant therapy.

Of course riding a bike might not be your idea of fun, but you should consider other ways to enjoy the summer days outside. Here are some other ideas:

• The beach- there’s the water, the sand, the boardwalk. Take your pick.
• The park- tracks (run, jog, walk), fields (baseball, softball, kickball), grass (volleyball, badminton, cricket, bacci ball, Frisbee)
• The woods- hiking, camping
• The street- hopscotch, hula hoop, jump rope
• Your backyard- some of the above can be done there. You can also garden and do your own yardwork.
  

I’m sure you can think of plenty of other things you can do outside. Assuming you were not lazy like me, think about what activities you enjoyed as a kid. Chances are that you will still enjoy them now.

I think one of the biggest hurdles to overcome is just *doing* them - do not be too self conscious. It's ok to have fun - at any age. If you have kids, play with them. Let them make up games and go along with them or suggest new games to them - something you used to play. If you do not have kids, see if your friends want to get together and do something physical. Or find a local group activity. But allow yourself to have fun. I think you’ll enjoy it more than you even expect. And you might just make it a habit. A healthy habit that lasts a lifetime. Like my bike riding has become.

Just try to shift your thinking - it's not about "exercise". Don't turn this into a chore. Because it's not about burning x number of calories. It's about being active and having fun. You just happen to burn some calories in the process, which is making you healthier and assisting in your weight loss efforts. That's a pretty fantastic package deal if you ask me...

As for my additional summer fun activities: I am going to make sure I go on the swings at some of the local Greenpoint parks a few times this year and I plan to buy a weighted hula hoop and try to master that.

I hope you are all enjoying your summers so far. And if you haven't started to enjoy it yet, get out there before it's gone!