Monday, September 13, 2010

Re-Learning Lessons

After 31 years of living my life, you'd think I would stop re-learning the same lessons over and over again.  Yet, often that is what I seem to do.  Especially when it involves what I need in my life to have balance.  Take for instance...Exercise.  As I've written before, I figured out a year after college that I need some kind of athletic pursuit or exercise to feel in sync with my life.  But in the past few months, exercise has become a serious burden for me.  At least, what I thought I considered exercise...

Training for a triathlon, buying a house, and planning a wedding are not my recommendations for maintaining balance.  At least when you are me.  After my apathetic triathlon, I decided I was not going to force myself to do any exercise I didn't want to.  The bad news about that resolution?  In less than 3 months, I have to wear an ivory wedding gown that shows my figure and exposes my arms.  A gown that was purchased less than a month after I trained for and ran 40 miles in one weekend.  Not really conducive to my no mandatory exercise plan.

So of course, being the all or nothing person I am, I decided to tackle one of the items on my to do list on the right.  Work out every day for a month.  Makes sense, right?  From no exercise, to no days off.  Here is the caveat though...it just has to be exercise.  Not necessarily my definition of exercise which usually means I have to be exhausted afterwards.  My goal for September has been to make it to the gym at least 3 times a week for a "hard" workout, but then doing "something" every day.  I have done a lot of 30 minute walks in the morning before work, church, etc.  Especially when I've been busy with rehearsal, etc.  It's hard because I don't feel like I am "doing" anything, but I started noticing last week that I am feeling considerably less stressed about the wedding, our house, and money.  And even though I'm not working out to my definition of "exercise", as I've been hopping on the Elliptical machine at the gym, I've noticed that it is more and more difficult to get my heart rate up.  It was easier to raise it during triathlon training (working out 3 days a week), than it is now when I am walking or pushup-ing, etc. every day.

I've even lost 4 pounds.  Granted, 3 of them were pounds I gained towards the end of triathlon training, but I'll take it!  On the vain side of things...my first official dress fitting is next Thursday, and I'd like to be down 2 more pounds before then.  Whatever I am body shape/weight-wise at that fitting is where I should stay.  But, if it doesn't happen, I'll still be happy since my dress fits wonderfully as it is and is quite flattering.  Just gotta work on those arms...

So to recap, I've re-learned that exercise in any form is good for me, even if I am not training for something specific!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

26/365 Shanah Tovah



A self-taken photo with my Blackberry...pre-Rosh Hashanah Evening service.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

25/365 Shanah Tovah!



The architecture at Temple Beth Shalom where we sing High Holy Days services is rather lovely.  This is supposed to represent the scroll of the Torah.

24/365 Navy vs. Maryland



Mids on the field during March On.  Notice all the red from the Maryland fans in the background.  Boo. This was a depressing loss for Navy.

A few bonus pics:


Some Jumbo-Tron Action


I love it when my J gets to come to football games with me