DEAR HARRIETTE: I don't even remember how long we have been stuck in the house now, but my body is none the better for it. I was already supposed to be losing weight on my doctor's orders, but I know that I have gained. Plus, I have hardly done any exercise. I'm just not motivated. But I can hear my doctor screaming at me now. How can I get my head right so that I can do something at home for my health? -- Get Fit
DEAR GET FIT: You've probably heard the adage from Sir Isaac Newton that he called the First Law of Motion, the law of inertia: A body at rest tends to remain at rest, and a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Do you see yourself in that?
Most of us have barely been in motion for weeks now. That's why it's hard to begin moving. Start by acknowledging that your lack of energy or desire to move is normal -- and unhealthy. Start a schedule for yourself that will jumpstart you out of this behavior. At the same appointed hour every day, get up and start moving. Start small. Stretch for five minutes. Do five minutes of jumping jacks. Put on a mask and take a walk for 10 minutes. If you build slowly, you will awaken your body to movement. Add time in gradually so that you don't shock your system. You have to convince yourself that you can do it. You can!
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)