I just did a 44 minute walk around my neighborhood and I know that might not sound like a big deal but trust me, it is a big deal because it is the first official 'exercise' (of a structured nature i.e. I am walking for no other purpose than to get exercise) I have done in at least six months.
Have definitely let the exercise hole in my life get bigger and bigger and … yeah… haven't been doing any basically.
So today was a BIG day .. I got the boys off to school and then I parked my car by the library and got my iPhone out and opened up the new 'Map My Walk' app I downloaded on the weekend, and set it to start and then I put my iPhone in a little bag I was wearing over my shoulder and put my headphones on (connected to the phone of course) and hit play on my cheesy pop music playlist and then I WENT WALKING!!!!!
Honestly, you would have thought I'd run a marathon the elation I felt when I got back to my car 44 minutes later. It was AWESOME!!!!! I got super-hot halfway through because I was wearing a dress (!) with thick black tights underneath (!!) and it's coming into summer here and today is a scorcher.. so I had to stop at a bus-stop halfway and quickly take my tights off and tuck them in my little bag so that I wouldn't be so hot.
I think next time I'll dress a little more appropriately.
But I'd forgotten how true it is that exercise makes you feel soooo much better!!! More 'in your body' and alive and fresh and functional (as opposed to dysfunctional, my biggest hate as it reminds me of when I was boozing and feeling so dreadfully dysfunctional). I have known for a good few weeks now that I needed to get back on the exercise horse, I cancelled my gym membership before my book came out and haven't been doing anything since then other than the general running-around-the-neighbourhood that I do.
I have also started recording a show on the Living Channel called 'Yoga TV' every morning and have actually got on the floor in my living room and followed along with the 25-minute class a few times. Am going to try and do that regularly as well as keep up with the walks.
And I've decided I'm going to stop weighing myself. I'm eating well, very little sugar & wheat, and am sick of the scales dictating how I feel every day. So they can piss off.
That is all for now.
Love, Mrs D xxx
Go Mrs D! Exercise is so good for us. It gets those endorphins going and it's a natural high with no hangover at the end! You're doing so well. It will motivate others I'm sure. You're a true wahine toa.
ReplyDeleteI threw the scales away about a year ago-I too was sick of them dictating how I feel. clothes tell the story well enough
ReplyDeleteThis is fabulous news. Good for you, and yay - way to go Mrs D. I've been making more of a determined effort on my bike too - indoor jobbie and short road walks - we live on a metal road though. I have one word of caution for you though Mrs D, please, please, be extra careful. We know of someone that was walking with earplugs in and she got knocked down by a vehicle she didn't see or hear coming. Maybe you should just try listening for whatever is going on around you while you walk? The birds. Traffic. Kids playing. Whatever. I'm probably just being a granny-fuss-pot. But please be real careful and vigilant, okay? You're our shining star! Enjoy the walking. Yoga is great too. And is on tele each morning at 6-30 am. Or there are utube clips you can choose as well. Hundreds of them. There is nothing life fresh air and walking, I do know this, too. So just saying be careful out there...
ReplyDeleteI panicked when I started reading your post...... and didn't finish it! Duh! Cool. You already do Yoga TV. Yip have had a few goes at that too. And I totally agree the scales can piss off!
ReplyDeleteGlad you weren't in your onsie. That would have made the cool off strip a little risque
ReplyDeleteMrs D, I love you. I am a lapsed member of OA (Overeaters Anonymous) and reading your column always inspires me and I'm feeling so much better in myself since I started reading them. So please keep it up. I love you. No, I LOVE YOU! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat plan Mrs D - kick the scales to the curb ;) xx
ReplyDeleteI am seriously impressed. There is hope for me yet. xo
ReplyDeleteGood on you. And I am jealous! New Zealand is such a nice place for walking. I have lived there a part of my life and later did a holiday with tracks. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love the simplicity of your posts: the day to day happenings of an ex-boozer who lives a life like ours. There's the dishes to do, children to shepherd about, relationships to maintain, exercise to get back to and lots of drinking TO NOT DO. Thank you for being YOU with every single post.
ReplyDeleteNow THIS sounds like a plan!!! Awesome my friend...simple awesome. I especially like the part about the scale.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me...it makes such a difference in your day.
Sherry
Yay! Walking is the best. Yoga is good too, but there is something beautiful about being outside.
ReplyDeleteOh, I messed up my blog! I'll try again!!!
ReplyDeleteWalking is STILL the best!!!
LOVE this Mrs D! Exercise makes such a huge difference in how I feel! Good job :)
ReplyDeleteIt takes a lot gumption to get out there and exercise, so hats off to you Mrs D (or should that be tights?!!!). I've been jogging ever since I got sober. I've found it a useful tool in the battle against booze. If I'm going through a phase of thinking about having a drink and I go for a jog I find it helps. When I'm physically exhausted my mental chatter quietens down and the urge to drink lessens. I did feel very self conscious at first though and much preferred jogging when the sun was down. I'm getting better at that now though and can even jog through Mission Bay on a sunny day when it's packed with people. No one's looking at me; they're all busy leading their own bloody lives!!!
ReplyDeleteHey there I love map my walk, I got upto walking over five miles a day with it. I also used 'runtastic' which I syned with my fitness pal so my walking calories were taken away from my eating calories. Not sure that was a good thing though as I ate to compensate for my walking or walked enough to drink a bottle of wine.
ReplyDeleteSo I'll be quiet now. Goodluck with the walking, and the yoga. I actually googled local yoga classes last night, that's as far as I got.
Hope you're well and thank you for adding my new to this all blog.
You really do make such a difference in my life and I'm so glad I found you all.
Thanks!!
I am quite sure I wouldn't be able to stay sober without exercise. My biggest trigger is stress, and nothing beats stress like a good workout. My biggest challenge is making myself do it, especially when I'm really stressed. My instinct is to hunker down and self-soothe, not to make myself sweaty and uncomfortable when I am really stressed. But if I make myself go, I always feel better.
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