(not necessarily in that order)
There’s a bit of a competition happening.
I’ve been prioritizing getting up early to walk, which is working really well for me.
And most nights I’m still getting between 7-8 hours of sleep, but when I don’t…boy, do I feel it!
For now, I’d have to say that walking is winning, but I’m hopeful that sleep will insist on its rights as well! 😄
I’ve decided that walking every day is my gift to myself for my birthday month.
I had been skipping my walk for too many days in the first half of this current challenge. But I’m back on track now, having gotten in my morning walk two days in a row (ooh, a streak)!
The key for me is walking in the morning. So I’ve decided that — if I have to choose between a full 7-8 hours of sleep OR getting up early enough to walk before the day gets too hot –I’m choosing to get up early. For now at least.
Earlier today I made myself a “walking accountability calendar” where I can keep track visually (I’ll use gold stars, of course!). And this is the photo I chose for motivation, because next time we go to Switzerland I fully intend to be able to go walking in the mountains with Silvio and Graziella!
Ramesha and I are agreed that this was one of our best vacations ever. So, it seems wise to make note of what worked, in order to remember it for next time.
Being near the main drag of Carmel allowed us to park at the hotel and then not touch the car again until the morning we left. We walked to restaurants; we walked to pick up groceries; we walked to parks; and we walked to the beach. I had slacked off on walking during my last challenge, but these three days more than made up for it!
On our first full day we arrived back at our room pooped out from lots of walking and ready for a nap…only to realize that some new hotel guests had arrived in the room directly above us and they were really noisy! Heavy footsteps, loud laughter, banging doors type noisy.
It was bad enough in the afternoon but our intuition told us they were there to party and we weren’t eager to be woken up in the wee hours of the morning. So, we asked to move to a different room! It was a little annoying having to pack everything up and then unpack it again, but we were soooo glad we did! And we realized that in future we should always ask for an upstairs room.
We loved having very little on our agenda. We did virtually no sightseeing and oriented our “schedule” around eating delicious meals whenever we were good and ready.
We got plenty of rest, getting to bed early and not being in a rush to get up and go.
Adding to all that was the natural charm and beauty of Carmel — uniquely quaint buildings; flowers blooming everywhere; stunning artwork in every other shop; the beautiful white sand beach; and some of the nicest, most genuinely friendly restaurant people we’ve ever encountered.
All in all, it was a perfect vacation!
Everything was sooooo beautiful at the beginning of my walk today, I just had to try and capture a teeny bit of the magic in a video.
Our neighbors have amazing gardens filled with happy birds. I hope you can hear the birdsong — talk about making a joyful noise unto the Lord! They are singing their little hearts out!
Well, o-kay! I am well and truly back into high gear with my healthy new regime.
I’ve almost finished the first week of another Challenge, which means I’m wrapping up my once-a-week day of fasting.
Our power was out (PG&E was replacing a pole) so I worked from the office all day instead of at home, which I think made it a little easier. It also helped that I had time sensitive projects to complete; there’s nothing like a deadline to make time fly by!
I’m also enjoying getting back into my walking routine. I have to confess that I hardly walked at all during the two weeks between Challenges. The “daily tracker” simply works for me, big time!
Come the end of this current Challenge, I’m going to have make my own “in-between” tracker so that I can stay…well, on track. 🏃♀️
I ran across some journaling notes, written about six years ago, evidently in a period of frustration at my lack of activity. I don’t recall the exact moment or what exactly I was feeling when making this list, but it certainly packs a wallop for me as I read it now. Especially considering the title I gave it:
ACTIVITIES I LOVED
tether ball
monkey bars
archery
basketball
gymnastics
track
dancing
cheerleading
hiking
rebounding
aerobics
weight training
bicycling
swimming
skipping
yoga
150 sit-ups a day
running on the beach
walking, walking, walking
It wasn’t that I “loved” exercise; I didn’t even call it “exercise” — it was just having fun doing things…
Like…
Challenging big, intimidating Tony to a tetherball showdown in 6th grade.
Organizing my high school buddies to hike up into the foothills above Milpitas for a cookout.
Riding my bicycle all over Sunnyvale (where I lived), to classes at DeAnza College, and (just once!) all the way to my boyfriend’s house in Los Altos.
Spending two hours every day in the gym: aerobics; weight training; treadmill; loving to sweat!
It was just doing fun active things with my friends. Dancing at clubs til all hours of the night. Cranking up my stereo and dancing in my living room to Al Jarreau, Gino Vannelli, George Benson, Earth Wind & Fire. I felt GOOD in my body and enjoyed using it. Of course, I never ever thought I looked good enough, but — hey! — at least I felt strong and powerful and capable.
Things started to shift when I got “serious” about finishing my degree and becoming a flutist — spending hours in class, in the library, in the practice room, in rehearsals, in carpools traveling to gigs. Getting busier and busier, more and more out of balance, more and more stressed.
Eventually I started feeling the pressure to “exercise” in order to lose the weight that was creeping on. What did I know about metabolic syndrome and stress hormones and circadian rhythms and lack of sleep leading to weight gain, etc etc.?!? Bit by bit the fun and spontaneity went away and moving my body became a chore, a “should.” Yuck.
Sigh.
It’s hard to look back and realize that I pretty much had it all, but squandered it, largely due to ignorance and iffy self-esteem (all part of my karma, of course).