The Seventh Inning STRETCH!

In Baseball, there is a tradition known as the 7^th Inning Stretch. In the middle of the seventh inning, there is a break. Fans in the stands can stand up, stretch their legs, answer the call of nature or head to the snack bar, without missing any of the action. Most ballparks have their own ‘Take Me Out To The Ballgame’ sing-a-long to celebrate the stretch.

The actual beginnings of the Seventh Inning Stretch are unknown but there are stories out there to explain it. One is that President Taft was too big for his small seat and had to get up in the middle of the seventh inning to stretch his legs. If you want to read more about the history of the 7^th Inning Stretch and its Urban legends there is a great article about it HERE.

Just like the stretch in baseball, a health and fitness program should include a rest period. It doesn’t mean you have to sit on your tush and watch Army Wives re-runs (or Speed channel if you are a guy). However, you should change up your routine from time to time. Give yourself permission to have some fun. It is good for your body and for your mind.

A Seventh Inning Stretch could be cross-training with weights for a runner, taking a yoga class, riding bikes or playing Frisbee with your kids on Saturdays. If your trying to lose weight, it might mean that you plan ahead and bank some calories for a night out and that juicy steak you have been missing. It might mean taking a class to learn something new, doing challenging puzzles to work your mind or trying Geo-Caching. You might even want to take a real rest day and hit the spa or pamper yourself at home. There are endless possibilities.

Don’t forget that we are human. We need our rest and we crave variety. Think about what you might like to do to change up your routine BEFORE you get bored. Try some new recipes BEFORE you get sick of grilled chicken and salad. Reward yourself for sticking to your program. Plan your 7^th Inning Stretch. It will give you something to look forward to.

And we’ll root, root, root for our home Team!

At the old ballgame,