Tag Archives: Exercise

Happy Summer!

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Before I go any further, I want to say:

Happy Birthday, Amanda!  I’m so glad that you’re joining our family.  I hope this next year will be filled with happiness and delights!

Summer may just be my favorite season.  As far as weather goes, it’s hard to beat warm weather for its flip-flop-wearing and jacket-neglecting properties.  Sure it can be sweaty too, but I don’t mind it that much, because cool showers in the summer are enjoyable, too.

The good thing about being a student? (Okay, there’s several good things.)  I can decide when summer begins.

Every year, summer beings the moment I walk out of the test or turn in the last paper or project.  Since I have no classes, papers, or projects (or at least none of the educational kind), I decide when summer begins.  Of course, I can’t make the weather cooperate (though it has…it’s been 90s for a few days now!), but I can ACT like it’s summer, right?

So, with that, I’ve decided that summer starts this week.  I’m reseting my habits and recommiting to my goals.  I’ve let good things slip and let bad habits in, so I’m working on reversing that.  I’m working on these things because they’re for my good.  When I let them slip, I become self-indulgent which is a horrible way for a Christian to live.  How can I put Christ and others before myself if I’m constantly serving myself?

And because I know you’ll ask, here’s what I’m working on:

1.  Not eating out unless my schedule absolutely dictates it.  I’ve slipped up in this area a lot recently, and it begets a pattern of laziness and self-indulgence.

2.  Getting back into my nightly reading.  I still have been reading, but it’s just been fun stuff.

3.  Putting in serious time in the Word and prayer.  Hate to say that this has been neglected lately.

4.  Watching TV less.  A friend recently fixed our Internet, and I’ve been overloading on watching TV online.  Of course, this directly leads to #2.

5.  Exercise.  I still haven’t made it back to the pool (if you look closely, my legs resemble a forest right now), but I want to at least get in a walk around our neighborhood in the evenings.

Reaching for the Goal(s)

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I about forgot to do my quarterly update on this year’s goals, but then I read Debra‘s post to the same affect.  So how have I done?

Goal #1: Read 60 books.

A quarter of this goal would be 15, and as of midnight of March 31st I had finished 22.  As of 12:15 AM on April 1st, I had finished 23, as I stayed up late to finish reading Life of Pi.  I did really great at this goal in January and February, but I slowed down in March primarily because of basketball.  (Check out the Books Read in 2009 page for updates.)

2.  Complete my novel.

I did great in January, writing 3 chapters, but then taxes hit big time and I found I couldn’t devote the mental energy to it in the evenings like I had previously.  Now that things are lightening up, I hope to rectify this.  I might not get done this year (just depends on how ambitious I get), but I really want to.  (Check out the Historian’s Writing page for updates on this.)

3.  Exercise 3 times a week.

I’ve been so-so on this goal.   It seems like it’s more like 2 times a week, and then the last couple of weeks 1 time a week.  I’m really going to push myself to go to the pool 2 or 3 times a week, and probably start taking walks in the evenings many other days.

4.  Write a letter once a week.

There’s probably a week or two where I didn’t, but this goal definitely has been kept.

5.  Memorize 4 chapters of the Bible.

I’ve struggled with how/when to implement this.  Really, I just need to get down to it and start.  I’ve decided that I want to memorize Romans (but obviously not all this year).

So, I’ve definitely had progress, but there’s more work to be done.

Random Should Be a Noun

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A few randoms on this Monday morning:

1.  The more I hang out with preteen girls, the more I realize that they’re not all that much different than me and my friends.  We all love to sit around, laugh, talk about boys, watch movies, and eat junk food.

2.  It’s amazing how much one little conversation can throw you off emotionally.  And just when the pendulum about hit equilibrium…I guess I learned nothing from physics.

3.  Stretching and working out definitely has taken away my back pain.  If only I had known that earlier.

4.  As far as I have come in my walk with God (and only that by His grace), I have so much farther to go.

5.  I crave ice cream when it’s cold, but it’s more enjoyable when it’s warmer.

6.  There’s so much suffering in this world, and I’ve seen almost none of it.

Routines Make Me Happy

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One of the main things I’ve been working on since I’ve graduated (it’s been a fast 7 weeks!) is creating a new schedule for myself.  I’m incredibly schedule-oriented and thrive on a routine, so I know the key is to get in the right routines.

My evening routine is where I’ve really been working.  After dinner, I want to make my lunch and my breakfast for the next day so that they are ready for me to grab as I’m flying out the door.  When I wait to make my lunch in the morning, I often don’t include a vegetable because it takes too much work.  After preparing the meals, I then spend 5 minutes straightening up my room and get myself ready for bed.

Once I’ve gotten the chores out of the way, I can focus on the fun stuff.  I would like to spend at least 30 minutes each night writing, but this is always the first to go if I don’t have enough time.  I then read my Bible and a little from each of the 5 books I’m reading at the time.

Another routine I’ve been working on is stretching morning and night.  This has improved my flexibility and this and swimming has greatly improved the stiffness and pain my lower back.  As far as swimming goes, I’m trying to go any available evening as this is by far my exercise of choice. (no sweat and no strain!)

Of course, with a routine I have to be careful that I’m not a slave to it.  Routines are good, but if I won’t break them to love someone else, what good are they?

What routines work for you?

Welcome 2009, I’m Ready for Ya

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Happy New Year!  I’m traveling back to North Carolina today, but I’ve done some thinking about my resolutions for this year.  I don’t usually do such a thing, but I want the accountability they’ll (hopefully) provide me.  I’ll review them at the end of each quarter and allow myself a chance to get back on track.

This year’s goals (I prefer that term as “resolutions” has a bad rap):

1.  Read 60 books.  This is 5 a month, and in keeping with my current reading plan.  I read 67 in 2007, so it doesn’t seem like a stretch, but that includes text books.  No text books this year!

2.  Complete my novel.  This isn’t an impossible task by any means, but I know at some point I’ll get tired of writing, or at least hit rough patches.  I want to persevere, but at a reasonable pace for a first-time, non-professional novelist.

3.  Exercise 3 times a week.  I hate to put this on my list, because I just don’t want to do it.  I am overweight, but honestly, I don’t really care.  But I’ll keep on gaining weight if I don’t exercise, and besides, it’s good for your health.  That’s the real reason why I’m doing this.  Hopefully I’ll get back in the habit of going to the pool, because I do really enjoy that type of exercise.

4.  Write a letter once a week.  I’d love to do it more than once a week, but this is a more reachable goal.

5.  Memorize 4 chapters of the Bible.  I wish this goal was higher, but I want to keep it doable at 1 chapter/quarter.  I haven’t decided yet where I’m going to be memorizing from, but I’ll get to that soon.

Are you making any resolutions or goals?

Reunited and It Feels So Good

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I’m not a very active person. I’m not athletic or agile, and I prefer to sit on the couch with a good movie or book than to go out for a jog.

In high school, I played tennis for a whole year. I was one of the worst players on the team, but I enjoyed the sport. I still enjoy to play when I get the chance, but it’s hard to find anyone who knows how to play that’s not much better than me!

Two summers ago I got serious about exercise and eating right. April and I would go to the gym (early!) several days a week and jog (and walk) on treadmills. It was torturous. Waking up at 5 AM to go out into the cold, dark morning simply to attach myself to a taskmaster of a machine for 30 minutes is not something that works for me.

Last year, April introduced me to swimming. Not that I never swam before, I took lessons when I was young and have always enjoyed going to the pool. But last year was the first time I had been introduced to swimming laps.

At first, it was very hard. I enjoyed it, but it’s difficult to get the breathing right (who likes to breath water?). Even in the early days I found it more enjoyable than running on a treadmill. After a few trips, I started to get a little better. I could take shorter breaks in between laps and was able to the crawl more often, rather than switching to different strokes.

Last summer I gave up the treadmill life. It’s not for me. Maybe at some point in the future I’ll do it because it’s convenient (my new apartment complex has a workout room), but I don’t plan on it. The entire summer I went to the pool 3-5 times a week and LOVED it. Not only did I workout at a time that was better for me (after work), it was an activity that I really looked forward to. By the end of the summer, I was swimming a mile (it takes me about 45 minutes) each time, pausing quickly only after every 5 laps or so.

What I’ve found about swimming (and it might apply to other people for other activities), is I just have to get past the initial 4 laps. Those are bad. But when I finally get into the groove, I could swim forever. I only stop at 45 minutes because I know that’s enough of a workout, not because I’m tired.

Unfortunately, I left my love for swimming behind when things got crazy going into this school year. Once things settled down, I had planned on going back, but then I found out that my pool was closed for renovations and they hadn’t open the other yet. Then things got busy again with finals, my January class, and starting a new semester.

Monday I finally made it back to the pool, and it felt so good (hence the title). I felt like I was going to die at first, but then I was good to go. I had to take more breaks than I had been accustomed to and I wasn’t even able to swim for half a mile, but I know that I can work back up to it just like I did originally. Yep, I’m glad to be back.

I’m telling this story not to bore you (though I’m sure it could), but to encourage you. If you struggle to be active and workout, you need to keep looking for an activity you enjoy. For me, it’s swimming. For you, it might be jogging, or aerobic videos (I did that for awhile too), or basketball, or ballet. Whatever you choose, set reasonable goals for yourself and be persistant! This is something I need to hear myself, as it’s still easier to simply go home after work rather than take the time to go to the pool.

Happy exercising!

Top 8 Effects of the Lack of Sleep

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8. My mind wanders, connecting things that ought not to be connected like work, my brother, and carnivals.

7. I forget to listen to those with whom I’m talking.

6. I somehow still remember not to end a sentence with a preposition, though it’s not a grammar rule I’m particularly fond of. =)

5. My body feels like it is falling apart while exercising (and very well may be).

4. I can’t think of more than 8 ways being low on sleep affects me.

3. I drop words speech and writing.

2. The professors talk too fast for me to take notes.

1. Diet Dr. Pepper tastes like water.