I had one day last week where I actually made the effort to work out. Sure, I’ve walked, hiked and even run a little, but to lift hand weights and do pushups – no. I really miss going to the gym but the one I had been going to was too expensive

A walk along the Willamette River

and far enough away that it was taking me 4 hours round trip. Granted, I selected that gym because it would be a “destination”, give me a chance not only to workout for an hour, but to meet new people, ride my bike when possible, get in some extra steps and enjoy the morning. After 3 years, it was the extra expense and time spent that caused me to leave. That, and the fact that I am gone so often from town it didn’t make sense to come and go. I wouldn’t call myself competitive, but my last workout before a trip, whatever weight I was using, it made sense to use that same weight again after my return, even after a two week absence. What I should have known and eventually learned about myself, is its really ok to ease back into a workout routine. Lift a little lighter, go a little slower and within a week I would be back where I left off.  I can’t tell you how many times I limped away from that return workout and it greatly affected my next week or two until the injury was no longer felt.

Now my goal will be to find a workout that won’t take too long but give me results. I love cardio so I will incorporate that into my strength training.  What I am missing is a group of people/friends that I can enjoy activities with. Relationships will be one of my happiness goals and I am looking forward to that month. Maybe I can find a friend from my past who can join me on a regular basis for something fun and active.  It could even turn out to be my husband but that’s another long story. He’s working out of town and has been for the past year and when he’s home, he’s working. Its been difficult to get him involved in my fun activities, because my idea of fun is not necessarily his, but I’m occasionally successful. He’s looking forward to retirement again, and this time around, I do believe he will take advantage of his free time and have some of that fun.

Day 17 on W30 today. Yahoo I say! Other than the absence of dairy and maybe alcohol, I could eat like this indefinitely.  I really don’t miss grain because there are substitutes for pasta (spaghetti squash and spiralized zucchini), rice (cauliflower). Bread I can honestly do without. I would like a corn tortilla now and then but for the most part, I can get along just fine.  I’m enjoying extra veggies which really should become my standard. The thing is, if you just add in good healthy foods you won’t need foods that are perhaps not the best for you – or me.  Meal planning is more about taking the time to do just that – plan your meals, do the shopping, and then cook!   Unpredictable things come up and make it feel like we are off track and couldn’t possibly keep to a routine, but we can.  The easiest, and most difficult thing to do is to persevere with our intention, whatever it may be. The bottom line for this W30 is that I can visibly see a difference in my mid-section and it feels great.

I do need to up my exercise, but this morning as I checked out my side profile, it occurred to me that this visible change for the better has happened despite NOT working out. While I do not think this is a sustainable direction (the not working out part), it confirms what I have long known and ignored – food is just as, or more important than activity level.  I’ll think about for a while…

#whole30, #myhappinessproject, #retirement