I have just joined a gym today, finally after 20 or so years since last time.  Oh and before you get the wrong idea – I have still been keeping fit during that time.  You see we had been living on a farm in the country with the closest gym an hours’ drive away, so I had a treadmill at home in my art studio and could watch telly there whilst I walked.   I used to often do aerobics whilst watching the Good morning programs and go for a run outside (you had to keep the pace up as there were lots of flies in the Australian countryside) and then there were body pump and various fitness classes held in a hall in the local country town as well.  My son Kai and daughter Hillivi would often join in too and we also used to light candles and do yoga in the TV room in front of a roaring fireplace in winter.

ACRYLIC PAINTING

Whilst I was pregnant I had several videos that I used to follow as although we hadn’t moved to the farm yet we had bought a renovated church in the countryside to live in.  I did travel to the city and attended a couple of the keep fit classes for the expectant mum as this acrylic on canvas board painting shows.  That is me in the middle of the artwork in black and green gym gear and baby boy Kai with the balloon!

However this big Gym set up seems like a real luxury to me and lots of fun.  Strange really how things go as I had absolutely no thought about joining a gym again.  Years ago when I lived in Melbourne and Sydney and traveled the world whilst modelling I attended Gyms in every place I traveled to.

THE ART OF DOING WEIGHTS

These days hubby and I are great walkers and do 40 minutes minimum a day often joined by the kids and always joined by our two dogs Cheech and Vegas.  Although I have to admit people that see us often ask me ‘who is walking who’ when it comes to my Chihuahua – you see she refuses to walk for the first 10 or so minutes so I carry her to start.  Lol I figure that is a bit of weight training for me and she has such a cute little face and big brown eyes that I just cannot resist.

THE ART OF A BARGAIN

Anyway my daughter and I found this Deal on the internet where they offered 10 fitness classes for 10 dollars, what a steal we thought and promptly went and checked it out, with the intention of just doing the 10 classes and that would be that.  Well I guess these marketing guys know what they are doing because 2 lessons later and they have got us signed up for the foreseeable future.

THE ART OF THE HOT BOD

Well what can I say; the deal was too good to refuse and the classes so good and the body felt amazing after being pushed that little bit further than you generally do yourself no matter how motivated you are.  It also felt good to be in a structured environment with lots of people keeping fit and all sorts of exercise machines there to use and some hot bods to spur you on too!

THE ART OF PILATES AND LAUGHTER

Yesterday time slipped away from us when we remembered the class was on and hopped in the car to get to the Pilates class.  It is held in with the lights dimmed in a big room with soft atmospheric music and as we were beginners to this class we did a couple of wrong moves which made us giggle between ourselves.  Then all of a sudden my daughter is in absolute hysterics, really trying to contain her laughter in between trying to quietly tell me something.  Well I cannot for the life understand what she is trying to say but now she got me giggling too – both of us like two naughty school girls up the back of the class.  As it turns out she was laughing at me – of course – in my hurry to get ready for the class I had put my yoga top inside out with the tag hanging out at the back!  So much for looking Cool in front of all the buff and fit people, I guess you can take the girl out of the country but not the country out of the girl!   I have to look on the bright side least there are always more inspiration for new paintings.

Here is a quote I think fits well here by Rita Rudner;

“The word aerobics came about when the gym instructors got together and said; If we’re going to charge $10 an hour, we can’t call it jumping up and down”.                                                                                                                                                  

Till next time, happy painting and sculpting to you all, oh and maybe exercising!

Love Marie xxx

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.

If you enjoyed this health and art blog you may also be amused at my attempts at meditation; 97 Meditation are you serious & Art

Ever since my late teens I have done some form of exercise every day.  Usually an hour’s worth come hail, rain or shine; the only exception would by New Years Day when my head hurts too much!  Although I am one of these people that need to sit around and sip coffee, have a piece of toast and just veg out first thing in the morning with the Good Morning Television shows, before I get cracking as the artwork below shows.

Always admire the people like my husband who can get straight up and get stuck into chores whilst I sit zombie like for at least an hour.  I think if I didn’t have the exercise routine going I would still be sitting on the couch still at 3 o’clock in the afternoon!

THE ART OF AEROBICS

Anyway for most of my life it’s been aerobics that’s been my thing, in front of the telly, hopping skipping, side stepping and the like, clunking on the floorboards and driving everyone crazy as I won’t stop whilst anyone talks to me or when one of the kids shoes goes missing and we have to search or if the school excursion paper needs signing etc.

Goes without saying then that I have painted a lot of aerobic and sport paintings over the years and here is a acrylic on board one called “I must, I must improve my bust”.

These days of course the kids sort themselves out but now the 2 dogs want all the attention instead.  The minute I go down on the floor for a spot of stomach crunches they are right there ready for a cuddle and pat, climbing all over me, just like the kids did when they were little.

THE ART OF MIXING IT UP

I used to also attend aerobic lessons as well as kickboxing for a while, water aerobic, step classes, yoga and go to the gym but always seem to find it easier to just do it myself first thing in the morning and then have the rest of the day in the studio.

At the farm I would also try to do some running, although I could never get to the runners euphoric state they all talk about – getting past the pain barrier and just going for it.  It just always seemed boring and a hard slog to me, it was better to get on my treadmill and run in front of the TV without having to fight the elements which included hundreds of flies on the farm, lol.  Not a good look when they hang on for dear life and try to climb into your nose, ears and eyes at the same time.  Probably less of a good look if you actually spotted me with an old onion bag on my head!!  A real model look that one!  Here we buy onions in bulk; in a big red bag made of netting and ingenious moi, decided that was just the trick to keep the flies off.  Hubby thought it also worked very well also as a “passion killer”, lol!

THE ART OF WALKING

These days I walk everyday and my husband has joined in this endeavor (if injury allows) as we live in a very hilly area it is actually much harder than it sounds.  We have about 5 different routes that we alternate depending on weather and how we feel.  Very lucky to live by the sea so the choices are a plenty – beach walks, cliff walks, boardwalks, local parks some complete with dams and bird life and also along the streets looking at gardens and houses.

So you get the drift – I am quite fit, apart from a sore arm and neck.    The local Doctor thought I should go and see the physio, well I have been complaining about my neck and right arm for years, my painting arm!

Anyway trotted off to see the physio and was totally gobsmacked in the end – as she said I had absolutely no muscles whatsoever in my back, really my whole upper body strength was really weak!

How can someone exercise all their life, every day and be a total weakling at the end of it!

I may as well have been sitting on the couch eating chips for the last decade.

Here is a quote I think fits well here by Marsha Doble,

“I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I’m doing”.

Till next time happy painting and sculpting and exercising  to you all,

Love Marie xxx

If you enjoyed this health and art blog you may also be amused at my attempts at meditation; 97 Meditation are you serious & Art

Why not come and have a look at Marie Jonsson-Harrison’s PAINTINGS FOR SALE, GICLEE PRINTS FOR SALE and SCULPTURES for sale or WALLBASED SCULPTURES.  Enjoy an original artwork on your walls or perhaps one on your bed ARTnBED.