6/30/11
Since I took the day off from the exercise regime yesterday to celebrate Koko's birthday, I knew I had to get some sort of physical activity in today or I would get off track. My knee is still kind of sore which made walking around the block or taking a bike ride pretty unappealing. I don't work until the afternoon on Thursdays, and the kids were driving me batty by 10:30 AM, so I decided to put the lap pool to a different purpose.
I had read an article about something call water walking. Pretty self-explanatory stuff, i.e., you walk around the perimeter of a pool in water from waist-deep to shoulder-deep. At one point, I was even thinking about taking a water walking class at the Y, but the times weren't convenient and I chose DWA instead. Well, now that I've tried it, you would be surprised how much energy/effort it takes to put in more than a couple of circuits! I told myself that I would do at least six circuits and, by the final go 'round, I was getting pretty slow. Apparently it's not as important that you maintain consistent speed as it is to be in perpetual motion, meaning no stopping!
The lifeguard at the lap pool seemed to be getting a kick out of the fact that I was walking around the pool. I noticed that she was smiling each time I walked by. When I was finished and toweling off, I asked her if I was the only one to use the lap pool as a track. She admitted that there are a few folks who use the lap pool for water walking. She had even read a couple of articles about it and was thinking about trying it herself. As she added that last fact, I took a good look at her young, lithe figure. Um, okay, I'll choose to believe that she is REALLY looking into water walking. But, maybe she's just a polite young girl being kind to a middle aged lady who needs encouragement. Either way...I'll take it!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
How I Curse the Lap Pool!
6/28/11
Why, why, why does the lap pool seem so daunting? I'm not so sure. Okay, I'll admit that I did not go with my family to the Community Pool tonight. Yeah, yeah -- my knee is hurting (again!), but swimming in the weightless environment that water provides is one of the RECOMMENDED exercises for those with aching joints. Blast! I hate the fact that I am too honest to even lie to myself. Grrrr....
So, maybe I'm licking my wounds a little bit. Yesterday was decidedly NOT fun and we were busy at work, etc., etc. Whine, whine, whine. I can hear you all collectively yelling at me to GET OVER IT! Okay, message received. Tomorrow we're celebrating our youngest daughter, Koko's, 6th birthday and then...nose back to grindstone.
Why, why, why does the lap pool seem so daunting? I'm not so sure. Okay, I'll admit that I did not go with my family to the Community Pool tonight. Yeah, yeah -- my knee is hurting (again!), but swimming in the weightless environment that water provides is one of the RECOMMENDED exercises for those with aching joints. Blast! I hate the fact that I am too honest to even lie to myself. Grrrr....
So, maybe I'm licking my wounds a little bit. Yesterday was decidedly NOT fun and we were busy at work, etc., etc. Whine, whine, whine. I can hear you all collectively yelling at me to GET OVER IT! Okay, message received. Tomorrow we're celebrating our youngest daughter, Koko's, 6th birthday and then...nose back to grindstone.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Wowee Zowee!
6/27/11 - DWA #3
I am pleased and proud to annouce that I was able to keep up with the routines (for the most part) tonight! Of course, I am speaking of the ones that we have done twice before. However, there were two new routines that brought out the laughing hyena in me. One of the Old Guard started laughing with me and told me that she gets a kick out of how much I'm enjoying myself. I'm not so sure if I'm enjoying myself, or just laughing at myself, but whatever it is...I'll take it.
With the uber-unejoyable first half of my day, DWA was exactly what I needed. I spent several hours dealing with a sticky personal issue that was festering and finally needed lancing. Yep, that's how painful it was. I'm surprised to admit that, by lunchtime, I started looking forward to DWA. Of course, picking the kids up from camp and spending time with them over dinner was good, too. But I am starting to understand the release that physical exercise can give after a tough day. Hmmmmmm....
Tomorrow night it's laps at the Community Pool. We're celebrating our youngest cub's birthday on Wednesday and going on vacation next week, so I will have to come up with exercise alternatives. Laps for the rest of this week and I'm lookig forward to hikes and bike rides in Niagara. I wonder how rusty I'm going to be when I can get back to DWA?
I am pleased and proud to annouce that I was able to keep up with the routines (for the most part) tonight! Of course, I am speaking of the ones that we have done twice before. However, there were two new routines that brought out the laughing hyena in me. One of the Old Guard started laughing with me and told me that she gets a kick out of how much I'm enjoying myself. I'm not so sure if I'm enjoying myself, or just laughing at myself, but whatever it is...I'll take it.
With the uber-unejoyable first half of my day, DWA was exactly what I needed. I spent several hours dealing with a sticky personal issue that was festering and finally needed lancing. Yep, that's how painful it was. I'm surprised to admit that, by lunchtime, I started looking forward to DWA. Of course, picking the kids up from camp and spending time with them over dinner was good, too. But I am starting to understand the release that physical exercise can give after a tough day. Hmmmmmm....
Tomorrow night it's laps at the Community Pool. We're celebrating our youngest cub's birthday on Wednesday and going on vacation next week, so I will have to come up with exercise alternatives. Laps for the rest of this week and I'm lookig forward to hikes and bike rides in Niagara. I wonder how rusty I'm going to be when I can get back to DWA?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Weekend of family fun...
6/25-26/2011
We spent a lot of time at the Community Pool, as expected. The lap pool that my daughter so adorably pointed out is, indeed, adults-only. Dang! I had absolutely no excuse NOT to dive in and do a few, right? All I can say is: oh my goodness, I was winded by four laps! Okay, so they told me it was a "competition sized" pool, whatever that means. Four laps doesn't seem like enough to turn me into a gasping wall-hanger. But, alas, it was. So, now laps are on the menu for this summer.
So, now the bad part. I have to admit that I slipped on the diet part of my quest for fitness. We went to a Phillies game on Saturday. Hey, what's a baseball game without a hotdog and a beer? I know I shouldn't have done it, but my hubby got the tix before I began this journey and...well, I'm weak. I was able to avoid the crabby fires with cheese sauce though, so there's that.
All in all, sunburn and guilt over the baseball goodies...so worth it! Tomorrow = Day 3 of DWA hillarity.
We spent a lot of time at the Community Pool, as expected. The lap pool that my daughter so adorably pointed out is, indeed, adults-only. Dang! I had absolutely no excuse NOT to dive in and do a few, right? All I can say is: oh my goodness, I was winded by four laps! Okay, so they told me it was a "competition sized" pool, whatever that means. Four laps doesn't seem like enough to turn me into a gasping wall-hanger. But, alas, it was. So, now laps are on the menu for this summer.
So, now the bad part. I have to admit that I slipped on the diet part of my quest for fitness. We went to a Phillies game on Saturday. Hey, what's a baseball game without a hotdog and a beer? I know I shouldn't have done it, but my hubby got the tix before I began this journey and...well, I'm weak. I was able to avoid the crabby fires with cheese sauce though, so there's that.
All in all, sunburn and guilt over the baseball goodies...so worth it! Tomorrow = Day 3 of DWA hillarity.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Braving the great outdoors
6/24/2011 We FINALLY try out the new and improved Community Pool.
It was a long, hot summer in 2010 when our local Community Pool was shut down for renovations! My kids are total water rats. We would go right after lunch, upon entering the pool area, they would all fan out, and I would have to drag their blue-lipped and pruned up bodies out of there to go home and fix dinner. So...the announcement that the Pool was going to be closed for renovations was upsetting -- it became more so while suffering through one of the hottest summers on record.
Well, the renovations are finished, better late than never, and we renewed our membership. I work during the week, but not on Fridays so, as you can imagine, the kids began the "Pool, pool, pool, pool" chant pretty much upon waking. I was able to put them off until we had lunch; after that, with these Creatures of Habit, all bets were off. So, despite the gathering dark clouds, we geared up and headed over.
Kid Nirvana! New water slides, a Splash Zone, diving board, and Snack Shack offering all those "gotta-have-it" poolside faves, like sno-cones, popcorn and soft pretzels. Remember: we go after eating lunch -- where do these kids put it? After clearing the gate, they each head in a different direction and I stake our claim to a corner of grass for our towels. I think one week of DWA embarassment has given me some confidence because it only took me 15 minutes to remove my cover up and another 10 to get in the pool.
As all parents know, getting in the pool stimulates some spider-sense in kids because they appeared around me almost instantly with squeels of "Watch this!", "Catch me!", and my son's personal favorite, "Cannonball!" It was all fun and games until the rain began to fall. As we ran for the towels and quickly headed for the gates my daugher Jojo tugged on my cover-up, pointed and said, "Hey, what's that one?"
Gasp! The adults-only lap pool...
It was a long, hot summer in 2010 when our local Community Pool was shut down for renovations! My kids are total water rats. We would go right after lunch, upon entering the pool area, they would all fan out, and I would have to drag their blue-lipped and pruned up bodies out of there to go home and fix dinner. So...the announcement that the Pool was going to be closed for renovations was upsetting -- it became more so while suffering through one of the hottest summers on record.
Well, the renovations are finished, better late than never, and we renewed our membership. I work during the week, but not on Fridays so, as you can imagine, the kids began the "Pool, pool, pool, pool" chant pretty much upon waking. I was able to put them off until we had lunch; after that, with these Creatures of Habit, all bets were off. So, despite the gathering dark clouds, we geared up and headed over.
Kid Nirvana! New water slides, a Splash Zone, diving board, and Snack Shack offering all those "gotta-have-it" poolside faves, like sno-cones, popcorn and soft pretzels. Remember: we go after eating lunch -- where do these kids put it? After clearing the gate, they each head in a different direction and I stake our claim to a corner of grass for our towels. I think one week of DWA embarassment has given me some confidence because it only took me 15 minutes to remove my cover up and another 10 to get in the pool.
As all parents know, getting in the pool stimulates some spider-sense in kids because they appeared around me almost instantly with squeels of "Watch this!", "Catch me!", and my son's personal favorite, "Cannonball!" It was all fun and games until the rain began to fall. As we ran for the towels and quickly headed for the gates my daugher Jojo tugged on my cover-up, pointed and said, "Hey, what's that one?"
Gasp! The adults-only lap pool...
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Other possible methods of torture?
There is something about getting out of the house for an hour a couple of nights a week! Chuck has been amazingly supportive this week -- even claiming to be proud of me for starting the DWA. So, thought I'm not really ready to join the Mall Walkers (sorry DWA Old Guard!), I have been scanning the other exercise classes that are being offered at the Y. Although I'm quite obviously not Esther Williams, I am fairly coordinated on dry land, so yoga may be something I can handle.
Truth be told, I took a yoga class about a year ago. About 4 lessons in, I found out that it was a form of yoga that was meant to be done in a very hot room (for whatever reason) called Bikram. I found this out after lesson four, or what I call Melt Down Day. In short, 3/4 of the way through class, I staggered out of the class to the locker room where I literally threw myself under a cool shower, clothes and all, panting like a dog and in desperate need of an IV of Ringers lactate. Is it any wonder that this put me off yoga?
However, I once worked with a young girl who became a yoga fanatic. The whole time I we worked together, Cupcake was always an attractive girl with a nice figure. Then she took up running and yoga and, what was once nice, went through the roof! Now, let's be honest -- getting hooked on running is NOT going to happen at this stage in the game -- but yoga done in a temperate climate may deserve another look...
Truth be told, I took a yoga class about a year ago. About 4 lessons in, I found out that it was a form of yoga that was meant to be done in a very hot room (for whatever reason) called Bikram. I found this out after lesson four, or what I call Melt Down Day. In short, 3/4 of the way through class, I staggered out of the class to the locker room where I literally threw myself under a cool shower, clothes and all, panting like a dog and in desperate need of an IV of Ringers lactate. Is it any wonder that this put me off yoga?
However, I once worked with a young girl who became a yoga fanatic. The whole time I we worked together, Cupcake was always an attractive girl with a nice figure. Then she took up running and yoga and, what was once nice, went through the roof! Now, let's be honest -- getting hooked on running is NOT going to happen at this stage in the game -- but yoga done in a temperate climate may deserve another look...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
With all the grace of Frankenstein...
6/22/2011
Day 2 of Deep Water Aerobics was a disaster! I don't know how I became so uncoordinated yesterday, but I had more trouble keeping up tonight than I did on Day 1. How is that possible? I used to move and groove with the best of them: from the bump to the hustle, the bus stop to the freak, the running man to the cabbage patch. Tonight I nearly drowned trying to pull off a can-can kick routine in 4 feet of water. Hysterical! Frankly, I was getting a real kick out of myself...much to the distress of my classmates who thought I had completely lost my mind by the end of class.
The Wednesday night class was much less crowded than the Monday night. The other newbie did not come, but I hope she will be back on Monday. One of the Old Guard asked me if I was going to Mall Walkers this weekend. Uh, isn't Mall Walkers for the Silver Sneakers Club? As in Senior Citizens? I'm sure she was trying to be nice...or legally blind.... Whatever, it can't be that she thinks I'm a member of The Club.
Then another of the ladies squeeled "That's a great idea!" Down girl! But I am wondering if I should supplement the DWA with something over the weekend (I say now, while the endorphins are still flowing). Mall Walkers, huh? Is shopping involved?
Day 2 of Deep Water Aerobics was a disaster! I don't know how I became so uncoordinated yesterday, but I had more trouble keeping up tonight than I did on Day 1. How is that possible? I used to move and groove with the best of them: from the bump to the hustle, the bus stop to the freak, the running man to the cabbage patch. Tonight I nearly drowned trying to pull off a can-can kick routine in 4 feet of water. Hysterical! Frankly, I was getting a real kick out of myself...much to the distress of my classmates who thought I had completely lost my mind by the end of class.
The Wednesday night class was much less crowded than the Monday night. The other newbie did not come, but I hope she will be back on Monday. One of the Old Guard asked me if I was going to Mall Walkers this weekend. Uh, isn't Mall Walkers for the Silver Sneakers Club? As in Senior Citizens? I'm sure she was trying to be nice...or legally blind.... Whatever, it can't be that she thinks I'm a member of The Club.
Then another of the ladies squeeled "That's a great idea!" Down girl! But I am wondering if I should supplement the DWA with something over the weekend (I say now, while the endorphins are still flowing). Mall Walkers, huh? Is shopping involved?
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
How does one become sore after splashing around in a pool?
Who ever invented this "deep water aerobics" concept, anyway? Sadist! You took a fun activity like playing in the pool, and turned it into work. I was expecting to be tired when I got home lastnight -- and I was -- but soreness the next day? Completely unacceptable.
I must admit, however, that I'm proud of myself for starting this. I even posted on Facebook about the project and, to keep myself honest, started this blog. As any of my friends will tell you, I'm a chick who takes obligation seriously. So folks, this has become my way to force myself to stick with it. The class runs from lastnight to the end of August, two nights per week. Hopefully, by August, I'll be able to update my profile picture to a more trim version of me which will be incentive to stick with it in the fall. I know Rome wasn't built in a day (frankly, nor was my current body shape), but it's a start.
Now I'm dragging my sore, sorry butt up to a warm Epsom salts bath and bed. Tomorrow = Class 2.
I must admit, however, that I'm proud of myself for starting this. I even posted on Facebook about the project and, to keep myself honest, started this blog. As any of my friends will tell you, I'm a chick who takes obligation seriously. So folks, this has become my way to force myself to stick with it. The class runs from lastnight to the end of August, two nights per week. Hopefully, by August, I'll be able to update my profile picture to a more trim version of me which will be incentive to stick with it in the fall. I know Rome wasn't built in a day (frankly, nor was my current body shape), but it's a start.
Now I'm dragging my sore, sorry butt up to a warm Epsom salts bath and bed. Tomorrow = Class 2.
Can I really do this?
6/20/2011
I'm scared to death that I'm going to make a total fool of myself at this deep water aerobics class. True to form, I have spent hours researching deep water aerobics. Just HOW aerobic is the exercise? Am I going to flouder around in the pool until I sink to the bottom and drown? I'm a strong singer, but horrendously out of shape. Do I really have the nerve to join this class?
I forced myself to the Y Women's Locker Room and changed into my swim suit. I did this in a bathroom stall because I was too embarrassed to change in full view of the other ladies in the locker room. Or perhaps I'm too kind to expose them to the horror of seeing me naked? *wink* Thinking of no excuse that would give me an "out," I reluctantly pull myself from the locker room into the pool area. Great! Just as I feared, the class seems to be made of older women who all know each other. Okay, at least they don't know me so I can slip in unnoticed.
Horror! The instructor looks around and notices that I'm one of two faces that are unfamiliar. She calls the "newbies" to the front row so we can watch her demo each move and hear her commands. Ugh! Attention is NOT what I want and being front and center when I'm afraid of making a spectacle of myself is WAY counterproductive. But, I'm a good girl and I follow directions. I must be in the front row, as Bob Uecker used to say.
Okay, I'll admit that I was WAY READY for the class to be over by the time we hit the "cool down" routine. Some of the footwork was complicated -- for me -- and putting it together with the arm motions while trying to keep my back straight, shouders back, tight tummy.... Let's just say, I'm really glad nobody was taping this lesson! But, I made it through. I even felt good enough about myself that I walked from the pool back to the locker room with my towel draped over my shouders, and not wrapped around me like a cocoon.
I wonder how I'm gonna feel tomorrow?
I'm scared to death that I'm going to make a total fool of myself at this deep water aerobics class. True to form, I have spent hours researching deep water aerobics. Just HOW aerobic is the exercise? Am I going to flouder around in the pool until I sink to the bottom and drown? I'm a strong singer, but horrendously out of shape. Do I really have the nerve to join this class?
I forced myself to the Y Women's Locker Room and changed into my swim suit. I did this in a bathroom stall because I was too embarrassed to change in full view of the other ladies in the locker room. Or perhaps I'm too kind to expose them to the horror of seeing me naked? *wink* Thinking of no excuse that would give me an "out," I reluctantly pull myself from the locker room into the pool area. Great! Just as I feared, the class seems to be made of older women who all know each other. Okay, at least they don't know me so I can slip in unnoticed.
Horror! The instructor looks around and notices that I'm one of two faces that are unfamiliar. She calls the "newbies" to the front row so we can watch her demo each move and hear her commands. Ugh! Attention is NOT what I want and being front and center when I'm afraid of making a spectacle of myself is WAY counterproductive. But, I'm a good girl and I follow directions. I must be in the front row, as Bob Uecker used to say.
Okay, I'll admit that I was WAY READY for the class to be over by the time we hit the "cool down" routine. Some of the footwork was complicated -- for me -- and putting it together with the arm motions while trying to keep my back straight, shouders back, tight tummy.... Let's just say, I'm really glad nobody was taping this lesson! But, I made it through. I even felt good enough about myself that I walked from the pool back to the locker room with my towel draped over my shouders, and not wrapped around me like a cocoon.
I wonder how I'm gonna feel tomorrow?
Day One: What the Hell Happened?
6/19/2011
So...that little bit of chest pain and shortness of breath is not such a trivial thing afterall. Holy crap! With my family history of heart disease, how did I ever let myself get this out of shape? When did I get SO OLD?!
I'm an almost-46 year old married mom living a "normal" suburban life. My husband and I have the usual marital ups and downs -- my kids are active in sports and school activities -- I work part-time at a community college. Normal. Unexciting. I was once a young, fit, vibrant woman who enjoyed playing sports, instead of just watching them, and enjoyed a day on the beach, at the pool or hiking the trails. Ugh! Where did she go?
Did you ever remember your past and feel like you were recalling the chapters of a book that you once read, or a movie you saw long ago? It's really weird, disconcerting and a little bit scary. I was looking through old photographs -- trying to get organized -- and it hit me. I must get back in shape. This is ridiculous!
I'm not yet old enough to be able to slough off the fact that walking from the parking lot to my office makes me a little out of breath. So, with Chuck's help (my husband) and my kids' cooperation, I vowed to start immediately. I signed up for a deep water aerobics class that starts tomorrow at the local YMCA.
So...that little bit of chest pain and shortness of breath is not such a trivial thing afterall. Holy crap! With my family history of heart disease, how did I ever let myself get this out of shape? When did I get SO OLD?!
I'm an almost-46 year old married mom living a "normal" suburban life. My husband and I have the usual marital ups and downs -- my kids are active in sports and school activities -- I work part-time at a community college. Normal. Unexciting. I was once a young, fit, vibrant woman who enjoyed playing sports, instead of just watching them, and enjoyed a day on the beach, at the pool or hiking the trails. Ugh! Where did she go?
Did you ever remember your past and feel like you were recalling the chapters of a book that you once read, or a movie you saw long ago? It's really weird, disconcerting and a little bit scary. I was looking through old photographs -- trying to get organized -- and it hit me. I must get back in shape. This is ridiculous!
I'm not yet old enough to be able to slough off the fact that walking from the parking lot to my office makes me a little out of breath. So, with Chuck's help (my husband) and my kids' cooperation, I vowed to start immediately. I signed up for a deep water aerobics class that starts tomorrow at the local YMCA.
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