Getting the Body Back in Motion

Newton's First Law of Motion: A body at rest stays at rest, and a body in motion stays in motion unless it is acted on by an external force.

Absolutely amazing how that applies to the habit of exercising, eh?



Hello, CN Tower. I see you watching me during my lunchtime walk.
Looking forward to our date in April?
Somehow, you don't look as tall to me as you used to :-)



I have been getting daily exercise for months. Some days came with less exertion than others, but it's still been daily, aside from the odd day off here and there. Happily, it's become the way I live my life.



With the kids being sick and my husband away last week, I missed a couple of workouts and got very little exercise. The first day wasn't so bad. On the second day, I was craving a workout. By the third day, I was going a bit squirrely.

But then - I got used to being inactive. Got used to housework as being my only exercise and you know what? I wasn't missing the gym, wasn't missing walking, wasn't missing pushups - wasn't missing ANYTHING at all.

By the time my husband came back and I was finally able to get out for a workout, I had to have a full argument with myself about getting back to the gym.

"I don't want to go."

"Go - you'll be glad you did."

"But it's nice and cosy in the house - we could lie around and read a book!"

"Go - you'll have fun. You can read that book later today. "

"How about if we relax for a few more days? Maybe go next week sometime?"

"GET UP, GET DRESSED AND GET GOING. NOW!"

As soon as I stepped outside with my keys and gym bag in hand, I was fine. It was totally natural to head to the car and go to the gym. And once I'd been to the gym, it was totally natural to take my daughter up on her offer to go power walking after dinner. But wow - did I ever need to use force to get myself back in motion.  Unbelievable how much of a battle that was!

Hope everyone else is staying in motion this week. If you're slipping - get yourself moving again!!



Doing a pre-pushup plank in my (toy-filled) family room.
Not sure if Sally is keeping me company or if she's worried about me.



Here's this week's recap:

Saturday - My husband got home from his trip! Powerwalked my daughter down to gynmastics and back (1.1K); miscellaneous errands and out to dinner in the evening. 

Sunday - Got my lazy self to the gym and had a great workout. Stopped and smiled when I noticed that I have developed indentations between my shins and leg muscles! It's been, oh, forever since I've been able to see these! Did 30 pushups after my workout, and went for a brisk 1.9K walk with my daughter after dinner - she wants to start training for our 5K this fall!

Monday - A holiday - no work, no school!

Tuesday - Stairs to 7 in AM; gym after work, including 30 pushups.

Wednesday - Stairs to 7 in AM, 20 min lunchtime stroll. Zumba Curves after dinner, 32 pushups.

Thursday - Stairs to 7 in AM, 2.5K lunchtime powerwalk. 13 + 33 pushups.

Friday - 1.8K lunchtime powerwalk. 3 + 34 pushups.

 

Aaaad on to the pushups.
OK, this cat thing is a bit distracting.



What I'm reading this week - Unbearable Lightness, Portia de Rossi's memoir of her years as an anorexic. Brutally honest. Was relieved to read the final chapters about her recovery and finding happiness.

February Funk

Just like clockwork, I was hit hard by the February Funk this week. Looks like I'm not alone; I'm seeing similar sentiments coming from other bloggers. What it is about February? Is the dreary weather getting to us? Is there something magical about being 6 weeks into the new year, or 6 weeks after Christmas?

I don't know. I do know that the cure for this is to eat well and stay active - but my motivation to eat well and stay active is slipping this week. Seriously slipping.


Winter Carnival and curling on the lake - February 2011

We had fun at both ends of the week, but even so this funk has got me firmly in its grips. Doesn't help that both kids have been sick back-to-back, my husband is away on a (rare) business trip and it's been close to impossible to get out to exercise. Can't leave sick kid to go to the gym in the evenings, and working from home while minding that same kid means I'm not able to power walk and do stairs during the workday. Sure, there's ways to exercise at home, but home is where I feel sluggish.

I think Pa says it best -take a minute and give this a read: 

http://padoeslife.tumblr.com/post/3223948908/winter-reflections-continued

I have been diligent about logging everything I eat on http://www.myfitnesspal.com/ every single day, so at least I can see how far off track I get every day. Surprisingly, it's usually not as bad as I feared, and usually within the range to maintain my weight. I am spending a lot of time fighting off the urge to completely overindulge though.


The good news? The St. Pat's 5K is coming up fast and I've challenged my son to do a 100 Days to 100 Pushups Challenge with me. Makes us giggly, which is a good thing.

Here's to moving through February and getting our heads on straight!



Hahaha - Ice Jail! February 2011



Here's a recap from this week:

Saturday - Curves in the AM including my daily pushups (11 + 26), then out of town to my mom's for the weekend. Took the kids to the Winter Carnival - playing in the ice castle, sliding around on the frozen lake, general playing in the snow.

Sunday - Still at my mom's. Back to the Winter Carnival for the petting zoo, kid skidooing and general playing in the snow. Pushups when we got home in the evening (12 + 28) and practiced Zumba in the family room.

Monday - Didn't sleep well last night. Skipped the stairs, no lunchtime walk. Did manage the daily pushups though (13 + 30).


Tuesday - Home with a sick kid. Pushups: 14 + 32 (OUCH)

Wednesday - Home with a sick kid. Pushups: 0. Crawled into bed with the kids and a DVD at 7pm.

Thursday - Home with a sick kid. I love him and everything, but this is really losing its charm. Pushups: 0

Friday - Kids and I are off on a PA day, and it's my daughter's birthday! My son is still sick but is finally feeling well enough for a change of scenery. Went to Riverdale Farm for some fresh air and to visit the animals. A few of the ewes had lambed recently, and we had a good laugh watching the lambs bounding around their pen and come running every time their mother called for them. Went to my sister-in-law's for dinner afterwards. My daughter and her cousin put on a disco dance party for us, and my SIL + MIL and I took the dog for a 2K walk afterwards. Nice way to end a difficult week.

What I'm reading this week: Not a single thing. Couldn't even keep up with the newspaper.


Bouncy and happy - new lambs! February 2011

Big Scary Goals (aka The Things I Do for a T-Shirt)

Got any Big Scary Goals? What are they?

I've been trying to break out of my comfort zone. Getting any exercise at all was the first step. Overhauling my eating habits was another. Now it's on to trying new things that I didn't do back before I started moving.  I'm a cautious person by nature, which means that my courage comes slowly when trying New Things, Bigger Things, and summoning the resolve to try Scary Things that I never would have been capable of Before. But it's coming! I believe this is also called Doing Life ;-)


I've been setting modest fitness goals for myself - continue to lose weight, shave some seconds off my 5K times, that sort of thing. I have also tried to start setting big, scary goals for myself, to try things that I think are a real stretch...but still achievable. It's a safe approach to big scary goals - but it's the way I do things!

2009's was to try my first 5K walk. Goal: Show up on the day of the event without chickening out. Check!

2010's was to do the CN Tower Climb. Goal: Get to the top without dying. Check!

2011's is to do the 25K option in the Becel Ride for the Heart in June. Goal: Get to the finish line without dying.


Do or do not - there is no 'try'


All of a sudden, I have a second one for 2011 - the Warrior Dash in July. Goal: Get to the finish line without dying.


I happened to see this one mentioned on Jed's blog, looked it up, and it looks sooooo fun. Dirty, hard and fun. As long is it doesn't conflict with the DoLife Unofficial 5K....?


This one comes with a t-shirt, finisher's medal AND a fuzzy helmet! BRING IT ON!

Mentioned it to my sister as a possible for 2012 - she's in!

Mentioned it to my running girls and was immediately told that we're doing it in 2011. Which terrifies me! My sister, too. But when one of your buddies is pushin' 60 years old, is raring to sign up for this, and implies that you're a wimp for wanting 18 months to train for this...well...um...OK then. 2011 it is!

But I guess that's the point of big, scary goals. They're scary!

Good lord - what is 2012 going to send my way?

Here's this week's recap:

Saturday - Curves workout in the AM, then powerwalked my daughter to gymnastics class and back. Side trip to the bakery. Total = 1.7K. Started doing pushups in honour of training for the Dash. Managed 4 guy ones + 16 girl ones.

Sunday - Family lunch for my daughter and brother-in-law's birthdays. Cake, white buns, quiche, homefries, cheese. The good news? Lots of raw veggies and NO CHIPS! Shoveled snow for a few minutes when we got home. Pushups: 5 guy + 17 girl.



Mmmmm - cake!



Monday - 1K powerwalk at lunch; Curves workout after dinner. Have a bit of a cold - gave myself the present of skipping the stairs. Pushups: 6 guy + 18 girl.

Tuesday - 1K powerwalk at lunch.

Wednesday - 2.1K powerwalk at lunch. Feeling fussy today - mid-winter blahs? Dreaming of burgers and chips and salt and grease. Drank water and did pushups instead: 7 guy and 20 girl.

Thursday - Zumba Curves after dinner; 8 guy + 22 girl pushups.

Friday - Home with a sick daughter. Challenged my son to a pushup competition. He smoked me! 10 + 30 compared to my 9 + 24.

What I'm reading this week - Open House by Elizabeth Berg, On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan, All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot. Wow - three books in one week!

Winter Fun

OK - this was seriously fun. The Kortright Centre put on a dogsledding & winter fun weekend and you'd better believe that we got ourselves over there. Spent the better part of a day there, watching dog sled races, petting a ton of Huskies, showshowing, having hot chocolate, roasting marshmallows over a bonfire, going for rides on a dogsled and sledding down the hills. Fun, fun, fun - and the kids got to knocks a few things off their lists!



MUSH! January 2011

It was amazing to watch the Huskies before their races. Every single dog was practically vibrating with energy, eager to get out on the course. Lots and lots and lots and LOTS of barking. One of the handlers told me that his family has about 14 dogs on 100 acres, and carves a 15-mile track in the snow every winter for them to run and race. Says that they are happiest when the temperature falls below -20, that he can see them actually grinning when they're out in the weather that they were bred for.  

One of the things that I love about living in this climate is having such a variety of seasonal activities. Can't go dog sledding in California! (or can you?)

Saturday - Curves in the AM; walked the kids down to the community centre & back (1.1K) and went swimming for 90 minutes. 

Sunday - Dogsledding, snowshoeing. So fun.

Jen Goes Snowshoeing - January 2011. Haven't done this since, oh, Grade 7?

Monday - Quick walk and stairs to 7 at lunch. Curves after dinner. Came home to find out that Ben, Jed and Pa are going to Do Life in Toronto this summer!!!!! All 4 of us are planning on doing their 5K, just waiting for them to set the date. My kids are just as excited as I am. Hope I don't swooooon when I meet the Davis boys. My husband is completely prepared for me to make a fool of myself.

Tuesday - Stairs to 7 in AM, power walk at lunch (about 1.5K) with Lynda.

Wednesday - Snow day! Kids had the day off school and had a ton of fun while my husband and I tried to work from home.

Thursday - Power walk at lunch (about 1K) + stairs to 7 at lunch, Zumba Curves after dinner. Snuck my daughter in...she's been begging to come...!

Friday - Stairs to 7 in AM; 1.4 power walk outside at lunch. Chilly day!

What I'm reading this week - Never Change by Elizabeth Berg, and Dead Until Dark - the first 'Sookie Stackhouse' book by Charlaine Harris.