I started an account on Sparkpeople.com, because I didn't want my kids, someday when I'm gone, to come back to this blog and think, "LORDY, Mom had some food and exercise issues, didn't she?" Frankly, I get sick of talking about it, myself, but I know most women DO think about it, and worry over it, and have to COOK and GROCERY SHOP all the time, and don't have any time LEFT for exercise... so yeah, kids, it's a bit of an issue.
So I got started on Sparkpeople in February, and had a great 2.5 months of logging exercise up to 4x a week. That's a lot for me. I was bringing my shoes to the office and walking near work. There are at least 3 different good trails/sidewalks near here, plus a treadmill (in a gym) in the basement of the office.
And then May and June happened and I don't know - I slacked off. It got hot. Although, one of the major thoughts I've been having about Diet & Exercise lately is this: I have been fairly active most of my life (if sporadically).
- When I was a kid, it was swimming, gymnastics and tennis.
- In middle school, I was a cheerleader and "played" basketball, and took dance lessons.
- In high school, more cheerleading. 3 days a week in the hot sun practicing. I distinctly remember running laps.
- In college, I went to the gym and walked all over campus.
- After college, I gained a good bit of weight (beer and eating out will do that to a person), but I did still walk in a park near my apartment. And I did a shit-ton of Dance Step Reebok with Petra Kolber in my living room.
- First married? Walked around our new apartment neighborhood. Tried Dance Dance Revolution a couple of times.
etc. I could go on, and I mean, I'm no athlete, but I take comfort in the fact that I've always TRIED. I've kept trying.
Other random tidbits that have crossed my mind:
-- Salmon, no matter how nicely prepared, is just not as satisfying as creamy-sauce-covered jerk chicken pasta. The salmon will never win my heart, though I force it to win my decision most times.
-- The gym, is not really that scary. Not even when the only other person there is a GUY. All you have to do is say, "Are you using the treadmill?" And he might say no. And that's it, you get on the treadmill. He's not really watching you (me)... he's watching his own MUSCLES. (Or wishing for them.) And it's funny when you catch him straining a little to lift that last rep.
-- It is not hard to cut up 1 lemon and take it to work in a baggie, to squeeze into 32-ounce bottles of water. NOT HARD. And lasts a full week, if not more.
-- Eating a cookie (or 3) does not make anyone a bad person. It is OKAY. It is okay to eat cookies and ice cream -- you are still nice, and sweet (probably sweeter), and people won't dislike you for it. You won't get in TROUBLE for messing up. Just keep eating veggies too.
-- You can tread water in the 3-foot shallow. Just act like you're swimming, but use your arms to stop yourself going forward. It IS movement/a workout.
-- My worst temptation is chips and salsa, or crackers and dips. I go insane on those. INSANE.
6 comments:
I USED TO DO DANCE STEP REEBOK WITH PETRA KOLBER. I did! Woo boy. I haven't thought of that in YEARS. I was a big step aerobics rat, back in the day.
And tortilla chips are BY FAR my biggest trigger/problem/whatever food. No CONTEST.
I have parts of it memorized. Not the workout, the narrative. "This is YOUR time." And "Take it as time for yourself." British accent and all. It really was a good video. Remember, the hot guy who was her backup?? (I JUST NOW remembered him!)
Chips and salsa is not the worst snack in the world. Just saying.
The fact that you keep trying means you will continue to make good choices and overall are healthier than if you did not keep trying, regardless of long breaks.
I took about 10 days off in June on accident and now this week only hiked once while on vacation, but I'll pick it back up next week. Each day is a chance to do better, cheesy as it sounds.
I will never stop eating cookies.
Yeah, okay, I need to start going to the gym again this week. I feel so much BETTER when I go but for some reason it's so easy to slack off and just... not go.
I love that you say that you're not a bad person for eating a cookie; I'd like to add that cookies/cake/whatever aren't inherently bad. It's a peeve of mine to hear women at work berating themselves for "being bad" or "eating this TERRIBLE TERRIBLE thing." It just gives food so much power.
(I guess I went on a tangent about my philosophy there, whoops.)
I think being active is a great thing for your kids to see and eventually model in their own lives.
Rather than Diet, Eating Healthy food and Exercising will be more helpful.
Ha. Ha. That last comment just makes me laugh. Yeah, an issue. But it's modern life, too -- especially figuring out the exercise part. I am just getting to where I can't carry M around the neighborhood for a walk (I KNOW), so I will have to try other exercise methods. I've gained a few pounds. But I'll come up with something, or fall into something else.
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