Healthy Competition

My friend, Angie, has started this awesome little contest. It offers motivation to stick to your healthy goals for 2012.  I have decided to join in the fun, and I think you should too!  This contest is for everyone, regardless of location or fitness level.  Your goals are personal - healthy eating, regular exercise, weight loss, good habits - it's up to you.

2012 Commit to it Competition

Angie has really designed this program well.  It is based on a simple points system. Points are earned for sticking to your goals, and making healthy choices.  She has created a simple spreadsheet for tracking your daily progress, and started a FaceBook group to provide conversation and motivation among the group.  So far there are 30 people on board!  There are CASH prizes for extra motivation if you choose to pay a small entry fee ($10).  

Come on over, and join the fun!

Yoga

For years I have been curious about yoga, and admittedly, a little afraid of it.  From the casual observer's point of view it looks so serious, strenuous, and a little bit sadistic.  I tried a yoga video once in a group setting.  I just laid there and giggled.  I just couldn't take the on screen instructor, a tiny little guy with a super long, thin, braid of hair down the middle of his back, seriously.  The poses seemed silly, and embarrassing.  I had a nice time that night - giggling is fun, but it didn't do much to boost my desire to become a yoga devotee.

Over the last few years I have enthusiastically studied the concept of energy medicine.  I have read dozens of books, and taken days of classroom instruction.  Every modality, every author, every method, without fail, has an element of mediation.  They require a quieting of the mind, usually by controlling or focusing on the breath.

For reasons too complex, and personal, that has been extremely hard for me.  Especially the breathing part.  When I would try to focus, and pay attention to my breath I would nearly pass out from either holding my breath or hyperventilating.  What a freak!  I can't breath right??  For a while I was trying to run, or jog, or whatever, on a regular basis.  My legs could go and go, but it was the breathing that messed me up.  I would go for about half a block and then realize I was holding my breath and then frantically, like a drowning man, gasp for air.  I read books, articles, and talked with avid runners.  I tried all the different suggestions, with limited success.  Eventually I just gave up on the running thing.  I listen to audio books while I walk my dogs.  I don't think about my breathing, and it works out ok.

When I would come to the meditation exercises in the books I read, I might try it, or I might just skip that chapter.  Usually I would read it, but not actually do it.  If it wasn't the breathing, or lack there of, that frustrated me it was the constant noise in my brain.  As soon as I think the words, "quiet your mind", my mind starts racing with all the crazy thoughts imaginable.  At moments like that I think I understand what it feels like to be a 5th grader with ADHD trying to take a math test.  So, again, I would read through the chapter, try and fail at the exercises, and move on.  Give me something to DO towards reaching a goal, or learning a skill please!  How about something to memorize?  I can handle that.  But just sit there, consciously breathing, in and out, through my nose in a steady pattern thinking, "My Mind Is Quiet"?  Nope - not gonna work.  At least not for longer than about 15 seconds at a shot.

So, a few weeks ago Quincie and I decided to join the YMCA.  It is close to our house, and extremely affordable.  She wanted to get ready for track season, and I wanted to find a way to move my body in more interesting ways than just walking the dogs.  They have a great weight room with all the machines, an excellent outdoor pool, and group exercise classes - all included in the low, monthly fee.  So, we took a tour one Saturday, and signed up.

My first week I took a Tai Chi class.  I have a Tai Chi video that I have done and really liked it, but doing the same routine got boring for me, and I felt silly doing all those "magic karate" moves by  myself in the middle of my living room.  Ok, so I go to this Tai Chi class on a Thursday morning at the Y.  I am given a name tag to wear, and introduce myself to the instructor.  As I am standing there, rotating my ankles, I begin to feel the strangest sensation.  I feel so TALL, so long and lean, and YOUNG!  At 5 foot 4 inches, I am decidedly average in height, and 42 is only young if you are a sea turtle or a giant redwood.  So, what was the deal?  I was surrounded on all sides, by tiny, elderly, Asian women, most of them with hunched backs, and bowed knees.  Turns out that the full title of the class was Tai Chi for Arthritis - co sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation.  In that group I was TALL, and lean, and Young!  Besides that odd little ego boast, I really enjoyed the class.  The most amazing thing happened only a few minutes in - my mind was quiet!  I was actually focusing on my breathing, and I was still breathing, and my mind went quiet.  It was amazing and wonderful.  I have never felt peace on such a deep, and whole body level before.

I thought if Tai Chi, even Tai Chi for Arthritis, can be that good, maybe yoga deserves a chance.  I absolutely LOVE yoga!!  I haven't sweat so much, or pushed my body like that in decades.  It makes me feel like I did when I was taking several dance classes a day back in high school.  It's hard, but I can do it.  Well, most of it anyway.  Some of my muscles are super flexible, and others are not so much.  Just like in tai chi, my mind actually goes quiet in yoga.  I can find my breath, and just be there, in the moment.  Moving my body in challenging ways helps my mind to calm down.  It's quite interesting to me.  I am sure I should have learned this a long time ago from all the books I've read, and classes I have taken, but I didn't.  Who would have thought that learning to breath, and quiet my mind would be one of  the most challenging lessons of my life?

The yoga instructor is great.  She never does the same routine, each class is unique.  It is not boring, and it is not embarrassing.  Today she had us doing a lot of moves to open up our heart.  I was a few minutes late, so I missed that explanation.  All I know is that I was having a hard time with would should be very simple moves.  It was like my neck couldn't hold  up the weight of my enormous head.  I felt like my neck was going to snap and my bowling ball head would just roll down my back and across the floor.  Towards the end of class I took a minute to stop and focus and say to myself, "Whatever this is that I can't hold up on my own, please, just take it.  Take all my anger, all my fear, all my negative thoughts of any kind.  Take them and leave my mind and my heart quiet."    In that moment I felt a huge weight lifted, and tears sprang to me eyes.  Tears of joy and gratitude.  My mind was quiet and my heart was full of joy and gratitude as class ended.

21 Days to Create a Habit

As you know from my previous posts, I was attempting to run on my own with my dogs. I had a mixed bag of success and difficulties. My knees hurt, my breathing was whack, I bought new shoes, worked out the breathing, and bought a new leash that helped the dogs not get so tangled when I took 2 at once. My usual route covered 4 miles (2 out, 2 back), and I would run about half of it. Typically I would go around 6pm, and be home just before it started to get dark. I wasn't going everyday, too much of life is still happening at 6pm, and it is just not a good idea to be out on foot in my neighborhood after dark. There are no sidewalks, and cars go too fast for the narrow streets.

Three weeks ago my friend Cathy and I started walking in the mornings. I drop Quincie off at Seminary at 5:55am, go grab the dogs, and head out. I run from my house to our meeting point, and then we walk for a couple of miles and back to her house. After a brief, or sometimes not so brief, rest on her front porch, the dogs and I run home. The whole affair usually takes about an hour to an hour and a half, depending mostly on the length of the rest.

We walk every weekday, taking Saturday and Sunday off. This past friday was the end of our third week. The kids have been off school for Fall break, but we still walked at our regular time.

This routine is working well for me. I have not re-injured my knees. We walk fast, and for the first few days I had sore muscles where I wasn't sure I even had muscles. The combination of running and walking is good. I get my heart rate up and keep it up for the better part of an hour. The intensity of the workout varies over the course of that hour, and that is supposed to be positive for the heart as well.

Normally at that time of day I would either have come home and gone back to sleep, or would be sitting at my computer attempting to get a jump start on the day. I never have a conflict on my calendar at that hour. It is the coolest time of day to be outside. It is much warmer at 6pm than at 6am. Lately, it has been dark when I leave my house. I think it is pretty cool to watch the sunrise every morning.

Exercise, sunshine, and good conversation is an excellent way to start the day. It gives me energy, and enthusiasm that an extra hour of sleep just wouldn't. Trying to squeeze an extra early hour of work in just makes me tired an hour earlier. Getting outside, and on my feet with the dogs and my good friend, has been great! I actually go to bed at night looking forward to waking up and going on our walk.

I haven't lost any weight, but that was not my intention. My endurance has increased. The new dog, Shuggie, (I have agreed to call her this name in exchange for a car. I personally think I am coming out the winner in this one.) likes to bolt. If there is a crack in the door, out she goes. She is off like a bullet down the street. The other day I chased her at full sprint, for about 2 miles. I didn't get out of breath, my knees didn't give out, and I eventually caught the dumb little thing and carried her home. A couple of months ago, I am not sure I could have done that.

Consistent, daily exercise has calmed Charlie down significantly. Chester could run for miles and miles. He is up before my alarm and ready to go every morning. Neither of them understand that I take weekends off. They were up at 5:30am today crying. I was awake, but not crying. Experts say it take 21 days to create a habit. I think in this case, it just might be true. I am looking forward to walking again tomorrow.

Frustration

My dogs have drug me into running with them. I really enjoy going for a good walk in the evening and watching the sunset. Chester and Charlie would rather run than walk, so I have started running with them. I like the adrenalin burn, and the idea of getting more of a work out. What I don't enjoy is the burning in my chest as a gasp for breath and the searing pain in my knees.

I was walking the dogs in my slippers - not the best idea. No wonder my knees hurt. After a trip to Sports Authority, where I spent more on a pair of running shoes than I have ever spent on any single pair of shoes, of any sort, I was set. The shoes make a huge difference. I would not have believed it, but it is true. If they looked better I would wear them all the time. They really are comfortable. They did not, however, make any difference what so ever in my lungs.

After Googling "breathing" I was totally confused. I couldn't even take a good breath while sitting in my chair. The more I thought about it, the more I couldn't do it. I really couldn't do it when I was trying to run. It seems stupid to say that I couldn't breathe. How could I not breathe? I have been breathing since the day I was born haven't i? I talked to a friend that is an avid runner, and they helped me with a very simple method. So, now my lungs don't hurt and I can actually breathe effectively.

About 10 days ago I was out in my new shoes, with the dogs, and feeling full of confidence in my new breathing ability. What skill! Anyway, I decided to really sprint with the dogs - let them set the pace for the last several blocks toward home. I can not run as fast as my dogs. Even if Godzilla were chasing me, I could not run as fast as these 2 dogs. I did my best, but I screwed up my knees. They hurt like crazy by the next morning and were so stiff I had a hard time unfolding them to stand up. I felt like a broken barbie doll - snapped at the knees.

About this same time I started fighting a virus of some sort. I have been tired, but with sheer determination, I have conquered the day, and not been sick. In an effort to let my old bones heal, and conserve my energy for fighting off the virus, I have not been out running, or walking, with the dogs. I also started taking some Glucosamine Condroitn stuff for joints. I figure it can't hurt, and these old knees need all the help they can get. I am not sure how much cartiledge is even left in there.

Anyway, I have been a slug, sitting around the house and not getting any exercise or sun. Today I just couldn't take it anymore. I was so frustrated with this crazy spreadsheet I was fighting with that I wanted to scream. Instead of screaming, I went out with the dogs. It felt good, but it was hard. I can't believe that one week of sitting on my butt could get me that out of shape. Maybe I was more sick than I thought I was? I don't know, but it wore me out, big time. I ran some, but not too much, I stopped as soon as my knees started to hurt. I don't want to re-injure them. I don't want to give up. I really need the exercise and sun on a regular basis. It is so frustrating that my body doesn't do what I want it to.