"Health is the greatest gift,
contentment the greatest wealth,
faithfulness the best relationship."
~Buddha
I've been thinking about my health a lot lately. Not that I have any specific health problems that are particularly troubling right at the moment. I have high blood pressure, I am hypothyroid, I have arthritis and I'm overweight. I am treating the blood pressure and the thyroid with medication and will be dealing with the arthritis as it becomes more of a problem. That leaves the weight.
I'm not hung up on the numbers. I know that how much I weigh is not an indication of my overall health. I don't think I look grossly obese but according to the BMI charts, I am. I am concerned with the state of my heart and my body's ability to function. Thus, the health club.
I am now a member of LA Fitness. I think I would have shied away from a large place if it weren't for its location. I don't like crowds of people and would prefer a smaller evironment. But, that wasn't happening and so on Monday, I will meet with a trainer who will assess my fitness (I have a vision of him saying something like "Good God woman! How did you make it up that curb outside?" I know my fitness levels leave A LOT to be desired) and help me set some fitness goals.
This has brought up thoughts of my own mortality. It's a peculiar thought that I've probably already lived over half of my life. I don't often think that way but as I have watched relatives die, that reality has grown on me. I am determined to have a healthier life and I'm glad Pk is coming along too. We stopped at Target to get some new sweat clothes last night and laughed to discover we both chose grey pants and white shirts. Soon, we'll be dressed like stereotypical old people in Miami in our matching pastel warm up suits.
In the spirit of Gaak (thanks Rosered, that is such a perfect phrase), I ordered the beads for my shawl. I just tried to find the photo on the website but I bought the last bit of them and there's no photo! They're pearlized antique ivory colored and I think will add just a bit of shimmer to the shawl. I'm really looking forward to this. I also bought the impossibly tiny crochet hook for adding the beads to the knitting.
I'm working away on the alpaca sweater. I'm going to take it bowling tomorrow since it's an easy pattern, I figure I can work on it and not mess it up while still being social. I was feeling sore and tired last night after the Handle with Care class but today I feel fine. I still won't bowl tomorrow, though. I've pulled something in my right arm and the thought of hefting a bowling ball just hurts.
Bells said something in a comment on my last post about how it seemed like a "letter to friends" and I realized that very often this feels that way. I used to write letters frequently. When I was in college, way before the advent of email, letters were lifeblood. When Pk was in the Navy, we lived for those pieces of paper that carried our love and longing (we were sooo young) across the miles. Now, everyone has a phone and with email, communication is often instantaneous. But the blog often feels like I'm sitting down and writing a letter telling you what's going on in my life. I can picture you sitting there with a cup of coffee/tea and thinking, "I'll have to write back and tell her...". It fills a need that I didn't realize I had. So, thank you all.
And now it's almost 9 o'clock already. I'm off to shower and start the laundry and have some breakfast and then read some online letters from friends......
Well, hello friend. It’s almost Hallowe’en and I am looking forward to it. this year we have a new addition to our family. Well, actually...
-
Happy 2010! (That's said 'twenty-ten'.) We finally got out of the '0's' and now can move on. Pk and I had our u... -
I didn't mention in my last post (probably because I'm not always comfortable with my own sexuality), but having Pk look at me in th... -
Today I got my wrist slapped at work. Yep. For doing something I thought would make everyone smile on a gray and dreary Monday morning. I ge...
14 comments:
I'm sitting here on Saturday morning drinking my coffee and reading your blog. It does feel like a letter from a friend. You are so good at sharing what is happening in your day to day life and I look forward to hearing what you are thinking and doing.
My mother was a great letter writer and her friends and family appreciated that about her. She could write about the cardinal feeding outside the window and make it interesting. That has never been one of my strengths, which is probably why it is a struggle to post a blog weekly. It is also why I so appreciate that gift in others :-)
You write about the parts of life I find most fascinating - the day to day grace under fire. I think those of us who have clustered as friends in the blogverse have sort of sorted ourseoves out. Someone who wants sex in the city and exciting adventures would find us all pretty boring, but, like a Delderfield novel, we go to the essence of life - relationships and adaptations to a changing world.
Glad you're not suffering too much from the training. Take a couple asprin tonight just to make sure. I always hurt worse the day after the day after I work out.
And hooray for the gym!!
Ha! I'm reading you while I have a bowl of soup for lunch. Saturday mornings are hectic.
I think about my own mortality all the time. Probably more than is healthy, actually. It really got to me while my mother was dying. I don't wake up in the middle of the night anymore (much) worrying about leaving my children when they're young, but if I live as long as my mother and her mother before her, I've already lived half my life, too. Like I said, I probably worry about this more than is healthy.
i think you're taking some really good steps. It's the kind of stuff I've been doing. We went for an almost 90 minute bike ride this morning and as well as our walks, feel like we're doing better. Good for you and PK!
It IS a letter from a friend, and much appreciated - I am so sorry you are dead from Sock Wars - but glad you are not a zombie!
Truly, one of the best decisions I made for myself was joining a gym more than 18 months ago, I felt so much stronger and fitter. Then joining Weight-watchers and walking and jogging - It is amazing how being healthy and strong makes you fell so much better emotionally, and mentally, as well as physically! And you would know how much it helps with alleviating depression and improving mental health and so on - good on you both!
Maybe my philosophy will change about gyms eventually, but right now I just can't sign on. There are all these free stairs to climb and free miles to walk outside...why would I pay to have a machine replicate that for me? Plus I think it would get boring.
It also makes you work harder if you've got the promise of a nice warm car/office to return to afterwards! Ha ha!
Maybe you can have them turn up the A/C at the club? ;-)
Congrats on making the decision to start at the health club - I think the first step is the hardest! I know when I do things like this I mentally feel so much better - that I'm just taking a positive step to change things.
Good luck with your healthy journey (and can't wait to see the beaded shawl!)
I've been focusing on my health -- specifically my weight -- since early September. I've lost about 20 lbs and still have 40 to go before I reach my goal It's slow, but if you follow the program the personal trainer gives you, that will help. You can do it! It just takes persistence :-)
Oh, and it's totally worth it when you realize that things that used to make you tired/wiped out are now done without a second thought or a bead of sweat. Totally worth it!
Letters to friends is the perfect way to describe your blog!! I always wished I was a better letter-writer - I think it is a real skill to describe your activities and thoughts and make them interesting, and you do that every day!
I think the beads you've bought sound just perfect, look forward to seeing your progress on the shawl, I am sure you can do it.
I'm so glad you're doing the beads - don't think I left a comment in the end but I think I was on the 'go for it!' side. Not that I've tried it... yet!
I hope you get a nice sensitive fitness instructor. And I hope you find fitness activities you enjoy and feel good doing, rather than it always being a chore - getting fitter for bike riding is a great idea.
I wrote Mate a letter every day I was in San Francisco and he was here--like you said, long before instantaneous communication, and so very very warm. (And most fitness trainers are VERY very kind to those of us who are fitness impaired.No worries-- your lovely personality will charm them into not being sadistic bastards, I just know it.)
i must write back and tell her, that really, gyms are very hard because they seem made for the people who need them the least, but i go anyway and feel better everytime i do. an ipod with my favourite 80s tunes helps a lot. it does feel weird sometimes walking on a machine but its over quicker, cos you can go harder and faster. the virtuous feeling afterwards is all i focus on, the rest takes care of itself. and i too am glad you went with the beads. GAAK also leads to much virtous feeling :) xx
Like you, I've been looking at my health as well - losing weight would be great for my hip, and anything I can do to avoid/delay further surgery is a plus!
The reading I've done on the subject really does show that FITNESS is the crucial factor, not FATNESS. So even if you don't lose weight, being more active and fitter will make a vast difference to those problems like high blood pressure and so on.
I can highly recommend "If Not Dieting, Then What" - a focus on fitness, and positive self-esteem and body image stuff. Dr Rick is my hero :)
Good luck!
I've been trying to get back on the blogging horse and trying to figure out how I fell off in the first place.
I used to write a lot of letters, too. Maybe that will help me climb back up there, thanks!
Post a Comment