In recent months, I realized one of the main changes in my life is the amount of exercise I do as a natural part of my life. I’m not talking about artificial means of getting exercise, like setting aside time to go to a gym. I mean exercise that is a secondary benefit to something I already do because I enjoy it.

When I was a kid, I had a lot of secondary-benefit exercise built into my day. I was the drum major of the marching band. I was a cheerleader. I had ballet, tap and jazz lessons. I didn’t do these things because they were great exercise. I did these things because I liked to do them. The fact that by doing them, I was exercising, was something I didn’t even consider.

As I grew older, I became more sedentary. This past year, especially, I have spent a lot of time sitting with a computer on my lap. I had things to do. And while I enjoy writing and working on my computer, exercise is not a secondary benefit.

So I’ve been looking for opportunities to work exercise back into my life as a secondary-benefit. One thing I enjoy doing is spending time with my husband, and we both really enjoy starting our day by taking some time for just the two of us and going for a walk. Except hubby broke his butt, and the kids are still in school, so we haven’ t been doing a lot of walking.

But last night, after Steve had retired to the couch, he asked me to help Autumn stop the riding lawn mower. And I did, but after I shut it off, I tried to push it into the garage. As I was turning the wheel, I turned it too far and ended up breaking the steering arm that guides the wheels. This, Steve said, is why he is the only one who mows are lawn.

Today, I reminded Steve that I like mowing the lawn. We still have a push mower, and it would be a great way to mow our lawn, do something I enjoy, and get that secondary-benefit.

And so, this afternoon, I changed to jeans, tennis shoes and a tank top. I went into the garage, retrieved the mower and started it up. I mowed around the flower beds in the front yard because you can get closer to them with a push mower than you can a riding mower. When that was done, I went to the far side of the house and began pushing the mower back and forth. There was a big difference from what it felt like when I was pushing the mower in the shady areas of our lawn, and when I was pushing our mower in the sunny areas.

Zeus, our chocolate lab, watched me while relaxing in the shady areas.

I had just stepped under the trees in the back of our yard, and I was seriously considering mowing just under the trees for a while, when I saw something move in the corner of my eye.

Earlier, I had inadvertently pushed a stick with the mower, and when I saw the stick move, I thought “snake.” But it was just a stick. This time, I was thinking “stick,” and it was a snake. I do not like snakes. I really do not like snakes. Especially when they are crawling into my bed (which is what actually happened a long time ago, and no I don’t mean a guy who is sleezy and acts like a snake. I mean a real snake, the gardner variety, and after I put on my winter coat and gloves, I grabbed the snake by the tail and threw it outside. Unsatisfied, I followed it outside and grabbed a shovel, and let’s just say that there are many reasons I don’t like snakes, and I shared those many reasons with that particular snake.)

And that’s when I decided I enjoyed mowing in the sunny areas of the yard too.

I mowed for an hour. I am sweaty and hot and a blister formed and popped on the palm of my left hand. And the yard is still not completely mowed. (Did I mention we own approximately an acre of land?)

I have not given up. I came inside to get a much needed drink. And to relax just a bit, and then I will go back out and finish mowing. Or at least do some more mowing.

I already have proof my idea is going to do wonders for my ultimate goal — losing weight. I am already more attractive (wait for it) to horseflies. I have the bites to prove it.

So what are some other ideas for natural exercise? Things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking further away from where you want to go instead of circling for a “good” parking spot. Any other ideas?