For those of you who are even dorkier than me (and I mean that as a sincere compliment since I dig dorks), I erroneously attributed a beautiful quote to Henry David Thoreau that was actually written by Ralph Waldo Emerson [photo, right] a while back. I know- heresy! Carelessness! So, in the interest of accuracy, here's the amended post.
In the interest of entertainment, on the other hand, a running [and writer] pal of mine crafted his own witty remarks recently, when I couldn't accompany him on a jog. The following day, I jovially inquired, "How was your run?" This was his curt response via email:
"I'm a fat slug. I got a pizza instead. I blame you."
I told you he was witty . . . I share this with you because I find it thoroughly entertaining and thought you might too. For all the helpful wellness insight I try to provide people, I apparently also (unwittingly) influence them to skip healthful activities and opt for junk food instead. Feel free to blame your own health-related shortcomings on Om Gal as well;-) It's the least I can do.
All kidding aside, if you have a wellness gripe to share, post a comment, here! What impedes your workout, yoga practice, or nutrition plan (real, imagined, or hyperbole)? Who knows- perhaps the process of writing it down will help you turn the corner and adjust the behavior.
Posts
9 comments:
This is such a great question. Interestingly enough, I tend to skip workouts when I need them the most. I think we're all aware of the endorphin boost that a great workout provides, and when I skip a run or a yoga class, it's usually because I feel bad about myself to begin with. And if you belong to a posh gym, it tends to exacerbate the problem (think size zero meets lululemon self-slimming yoga pants). Your friend's comment is hilarious and SO TRUE. So, for me, it's a mental game. But when I opt for a run/yoga class over a drink or a personal pity party, I ALWAYS feel better. Reminding myself of the calm and strengthI feel after a great run or yoga class helps me shed insecure thoughts, tie up the running shoes, and head out the door.
There have been so many mornings that I have peeled myself off my bed and on to the floor like a sticker just to get myself awake enough to get dressed for yoga, have my car, Ruby, get me to the studio and somehow sleepwalk my way to a space on the floor with my mat. And those mornings have been some of the best yoga classes I've ever had! I'm too tired to think and the rhythm of the flow and my breath together allows me to move meditatively and my body is too tired to push or twist into some pose I am not ready for. I feel so refreshed, I don't need coffee and my day definitely would have started differently if i had stayed in bed. And on the days that I do stay in bed to sleep and there are those days that sleep is definitely more important, I try to think of it as an appointment that I need to reschedule so that I make it up somewhere along the week. This way I'm listening to my body to know the difference between me being lazy and me needing rest. AND there are some days that I know I'm being lazy and I stay in bed anyway :)
I have to say my toddler tends to get keep me from working out at times. Then from my toddler I blame single motherhood and then I blame her m.i.a. dad, which then makes me want to work out even more and I come full circle and throw on some running sneakers. These days, I try not to allow much to 'get in the way' of my working out, I have just decided to accept the smaller pockets of opportunity I have to work out and realize how fortunate I am to even have those pockets of time. So, my daily 6 mile run has shifted to a 20-30 minute run 3 or 4 times a week. My daily 90 minute Power Yoga class has shifted to outdoor practices, warm Vinyasa classes, Pilates and whatever I can make fit into my work/mom schedule. When the weather is good - I walk, everywhere! with my daughter...On days that I want to work out, but just can't fit it in - I try to do something else that makes me happy - it can be as simple as drinking a delicious beer, sitting in the sun - hitting up a farmer's market...anything wholesome...<3
Workout enemy #1 would be: time. Is there enough time in the day to do everything you need to do? Recently, I looked at my "To Do" list and realized that the mile long list resembled more of a novel than a group of directives. Multi-tasking seems to be expected in our sound bite world. So who has time to do one thing for yourself? After all, the laundry needs to be done while I'm teaching my 8 month old how to say "dirty socks" in Vietnamese after having thrown said sock so the dog could fetch it during which I am on hold to be connected to my conference call from Kobe, Japan. What I have learned, from a very good and wise friend, is I want to add myself to that list. So maybe I don't have enough time to do everything I need to do but I certainly have enough time to do what I want to do.
I agree with your witty friend...it's all your fault Om Gal. It's healthy people like you that make chubby slobs like me feel bad about working out. If everyone stayed home and ate cake and watched marathon's of Flava of Love then I wouldn't feel so bad about skipping the gym every day.
I have no idea how to transfer my routine at the gym to everyday working out at home. I do fine when I am at the gym with all of the machines and the teachers to help you but the second I go home and want to work out I am lost. I tried a couple of ondemand yoga sessions but I didnt feel like I was getting a good stretch without the guidance of my yogi. :(
Oh thigh! (Literally.) Somewhere between the girl that I wish I could be and the girl I actually could be is the me that I am now. I sometimes spend so much time thinking about the short comings that I find it nearly impossible to focus on the joy of simply doing. Panicked about what to eat for dinner, the calories, the finale of the bachelorette, the friend who is getting a divorce, the jog I should take, the work I should get done, the time I should spend with my husband, I find myself convinced that there is no time for anything but thinking about all the things I need to do. A counter productive cycle, no doubt, but I cannot seem to stop thinking about what isn't happening long enough to just breathe. Sometimes during meditation (at the end of a good yoga class) I find myself relieved that I have 15 quiet minutes to think about a personal problem or work issue-- uh oh.
But in the end, it's always the same. The girl I am now just wants to throw her hands in the air and admit that maybe, just maybe, it isn't so bad to be somewhere in between the girl I could be and the girl I wish I was. It is, after all, a perfect balance, right?
I have to agree that time is the greatest challenge. Once I get to the office at 9, I lose control of my schedule for the day. I've learned to do what I can during the week without beating myself up and try to carve out time for myself on the weekends. I also try to sign up for races or take classes friends so I don't have to choose between a workout and a visit.
I drank too much at the Bon Jovi concert last night and stuffed my face with chocolate chip cookies. I blame you.
Post a Comment