The ONLY thing I don’t enjoy about being a passionate writer is that it requires SITTING…sometimes for many hours at a time. For us fashion and weight conscience types who don’t want hip-spread, it can be a challenge.

After completing my latest book; realizing I had opted for a life in sweatpants for several months; I tried to slip into a pair of jeans and OMG! THEY DIDN’T FIT!!! I couldn’t get both sides of the zipper in the same time zone! AGHHHHHHH! Horrified as I was, I made myself stop eating while working and took on a very strict regime of “No Food Until You Finish Your Work!” I became my own gestapo of the food pantry and fridge.

Good health goes along with good writing. If your body is sluggish then your mind will be also. Stay fit as a writer! MAKE TIME to work out. Whether that’s taking your dog for a walk…or just yourself or lifting weights or biking to the store instead of taking the car… do something to get the blood circulating!!!

Studies have shown that students who exercise BEFORE taking an exam do much better than those who don’t exercise prior to the test. I learned that first hand when applying to the police academy years ago. There were two groups that were scheduled to go through the exam process. One exam was physical and the other was academic. The morning of the exams was foggy and almost cold. I would have preferred to have been in the nice warm class room for the written portion and then completed the physical portion after the sun had warmed things up. No such luck! I ran, jumped, pushed and pulled and dragged the 180 lb dummy until my body warmed up on its own. The mid-day break came and the two groups changed places after lunch. Guess what??? My group practically ace’d the written part while the first group scored significantly lower.

If you’re going to take writing seriously, take care of your body seriously as well! By the way…I’m back into my jeans.