Lesson: prepare

After the last post wast posted, I jumped out of bed got dressed and went straight to the gym. That was Tuesday. Today is Friday and I just got back from the gym and feel great. In between, not so much. This month was extra rough with the hormones. I've started thinking that the act of going to the gym and sweating out the hormones (like sweating out toxins). It doesn't work like that but that's what it feels like.  Wednesday I skipped because my period started. I made it Thursday and Friday but skipped Wednesday for the very reason I said I wouldn't. Looks like I need a better plan than just saying, "don't do that again".  

Here's what went down, my period finally arrived at 3 am, and by the time the gym opened, I was cramping and used that as an excuse. In reality, it was part the cramps but also, the hormones were raging and I was feeling really down. I figured I'd wait until the afternoon when the cramps should have lessened. Good in theory but by then my mental mood was in a rut and I just wanted to cuddle up and not leave the house. So I need to figure out a toolbox of things to have on hand when I'm heading into a slump. So far I've found the following are always small steps that help maintain or step me up:

1. Exercise.  I need to figure out if increasing the length or intensity have an impact.  It gives me a hit of happy.  The problem is how long it lasts.

2.  Finish a project. I stumbled on this one. Something switched inside of me and all these projects I've had for years I'm knocking out or calling it quits and getting rid of. I was surprised the other day that when I finished wrapping my books I felt really good. My living room gets a ton of sun and the books get bleached otherwise. Be careful of projects I can get stuck on or projects that take too long. It's the act of finishing not just working on the project. The joy of accomplishment. 

3. Reset Body.  This is obvious but often gets neglected. I've learned to go through my checklist.  Drink more water, eat more healthy food (I'll forget/not realize I'm hungry), take a shower, brush and floss teeth.  

4. Reset Rooms. I've realized that usually I'm ok with clutter but become more sensitive to clutter during down times. It adds to the negativity. The simple act of surrounding myself with a positive energy room instead of a negative energy room makes a difference. Weird. This time I found that resetting rooms that I inhabit the most made a difference. I started with my kitchen, doing the dishes putting stuff away and deal with the stuff that had been sitting around for awhile to be dealt with or bring down to the basement. The next time I entered the kitchen I got a little jolt of joy seeng a nice and tidy room. The surfaces were empty and clear other than my carefully curated vignettes.  It looked pretty and made me feel happy I had such a nice place/things. I did the same with my bedroom, and back sunroom.  Folding throw blankets, putting away unfinished projects. All surfaces were cleared. 

5. Go outside. I always feel good after gardening outside. I've been putting it off some days since I'm conscious to limit my time outside between 10 and 2 to reduce sun exposure. As a result I haven't been outside for awhile. I need to remember it's good to get out and since it's getting darker earlier these days, I need to try getting out in the morning after the gym. Maybe I'll try a different sequence. Instead of gym-breakfast-projects now I'll try breakfast-gym-gardening so I just garden when I get home. 

6. Have a cup of tea. I set out last year to enjoy tea, never being a big tea drinker but wishing I was. I never explored why I wanted to like tea other than being an Anglophile.  Now I realize, in the UK, anytime something goes wrong, you have a cup of tea. The act of making a cup and enjoying the drink basically helps you smooth yourself I think. Luckily I've been associating tea with comfort and coziness which carries through times I'm not. Plus it adds fluids to the body which is good. 

Avoid:

1. Refined Sugar. I knew this but still wanted something sweet and ended up making cookies. Ironically this was a mini boost for accomplishing a project (finishing up almond meal that I wanted to use up).  But latter felt icky after eating the cookies (I always end up eating a few more than I should). 

Modification:  my urge for something sweet is hard to ignore. Next time instead of using only will power, make some energy bites instead. They are sweetened with honey but overall give an energy boost and otherwise are healthy. 

2. Getting stuck on a project. I'm at the end of my very first sweater I designed myself. Except the button band isn't simple and I keep finding I do something and it's not quite right. This fine normally as I'm exploring the best techniques. But when I'm down, this is just discouraging and saps my limited positivity storage. 

Modification:  prepare projects by testing out making part of it or one of a thing when times are good and then package in a bag or box all the supplies to continue or make other items. Basically do the prep, exploration, creating and figuring out when things are good. 

Well, that's my list of things so far. I'll have to think and see if I can come up with more before next month hits. I'm resolved to figure this out - nothing like trial and error. I need to run - off to bingo!  I've wanted to go to bingo for five years now and am joining my friend and her mother. Hopefully it's not too expensive. 

Hitting the Wall

I noticed that in my early weeks, starting my exercise habit, I was going strong, getting to the gym every day... That is until I hit that time of the month where my hormones sometimes spike right before my period. I skipped a day and used my period as an excuse.  But then when I was looking back at my progress a few weeks later, I called myself out. It was a weak excuse and if anything, that's the time to get into the gym to produce the other types of chemicals in the brain to balance things out. 

I was determined to see if I could do better next cycle. And here we are.  Some months the hormones aren't that bad, but this month it seems extra strong. Which I find just amplifies what ever I'm feeling. And unfortunately I have a quiet anxiousness with the job situation/finances. In my good days I know everything is manageable and my life is nothing like what others face on a daily basis, I'm quite privileged and lucky to have the life I do. 

Yesterday I made it into the gym at 5:30.  One motivator was that we have a new class schedule at the gym. After a few months, they'll see what classes were popular and edit them down. So I was motivated to try things now in case they don't make the cut. I got in and found I was the only one there for the early class and they need three people to have the class. So I did the treadmill instead.I wasn't really in the mind frame for it, expecting to do something else that morning. I usually do two miles - combo walking, running and hills. But I let myself compromise and do 1.5 miles since I would be back in the evening for my balance/bones class. I sometimes get there early to get free parking before it fills up which then I spend the treadmill before the class starts.

I got home, had good energy and got stuff done.  But as the day progressed, my energy dwindled and I found myself needing an afternoon nap. By 4 pm I was up but still not great energy. But I was resolved to make it to the evening class.  I really just wanted to snuggle in bed and enjoy a good book. Did I mention it was a dreary, rainy day yesterday?  All I wanted was cozy but instead I put the gym clothes on and off I went. 

I was cutting it close so had to up my speed on the treadmill to get in the half mile before class. And I was so happy to see that I could run for a half mile solid (well almost, I did walk for a minute first to warm up). It's so rewarding to see progress, isn't it?  I wasn't getting winded and even had my workout jacket on while running - I wasn't getting to hot. 

Anyways, I was glad I got to the gym, had my cardio and my class. And in the evening went home and had a good meal. I'm really learning to be good about always having some healthy leftover already made in the fridge, ready to go. I know it's obvious, but sometimes when you've reached the tipping point on your energy you can't make dinner when it's just for you. And putting good food in the body makes you feel good and vice versa. I really wanted some chocolate chips when I got home for the gym (I stocked up on a sale of ghiradelli chips - only $1.50 - usually they are $4). I've learned this was because, one I was thirsty.  When I'm thirsty I crave sweet. And two, I was hungry. When I'm hungry I crave sweet and usually by this point I need to eat something before I cook - I don't have enough energy to push through. No thyself. I've gotten rid of almost all my "fast food" snacks, since they have no nutrional value. The one I exception is I now have jars of nuts in the fridge. My go to is raw almonds. I used to look sideways at friends and family who ate nuts, even the salty ones. Not high on my list of foods. But now, I can't imagine not having them stocked. Sometimes (most of the times) I'll throw in a dried fruit or two like prunes. 

I digress though.  It's 6 am and I'm trying to get going and go to the gym. Again, I wish my period would just come so the hormones would reduce but that's why I need to go instead of rolling back to sleep. Ok, this post has helped remind me why I can't not go. I have to go and get my dose of energy for the day. I'm going to see how long I can run for. It's crazy that I'm not getting indeed after two minutes. That was where I was at the beginning, only six weeks ago. I'm off, wish me well. 

Overlapping Passion with Habit

Last weekend, I went orienteering.  And unlike the weekend before, when there was drizzle and a chance of rain, so I wore rain pants, jacket and brought a change of clothing and foot ware, this weekend, I ignored the rain forecast. Why?  Because the week before it never rained, it threatened to, but not a drop when I was out there and I was overheating from all the gear I was wearing. I figured, it's just water and the tree canopy would help dissipate most of it. And frankly, I don't look at the forecast much these days so didn't realize the drizzle was going to turn into pouring down rain. 

The point of this long winded ramble is that last weekend, I went out to do something I love, orienteering in the woods, and because of the pouring down rain the whole time I was out there, I was super incentivized to go quickly. Like, instead of mostly hiking through the woods, finding the control points, I ran. I ran mostly the whole course. And you know what is crazy rewarding? I could run!  

I'm not a runner, never have been, even when I ran track in high school to add to my credentials for getting into college (I had the academics, clubs and extracurriculars but no sports). I can run for a bit and then walk and then run a bit more (like a minute). And this is where my habit of going to the gym, working out and building up endurance is nicely paying off in my orienteering world. 

As rain was dripping down my nose, and I was cursing I didn't bring a hat and wore cotton clothing instead of the quick dry stuff I have, I was pleasantly surprised I could keep just jogging along. I'd pound up hills and watch my footing on slippery roots on the way down hills. I actually had to slow down to a walk sometimes to read my map since I'm not skilled enough to run, read a map and not run into trees or trip. 

I ended up coming in a close second in my group level (I'm orange). And in under an hour too. Some times it will take me up to two hours when I'm just enjoying being out in nature, walking the course and getting lost here and there. 

When I was running through the woods feeling like a top athletic performer I was getting a hit of dopamine or whatever internal reward for really doing well. The working out was paying off in ways other than what I mainly focused on - energy boost and mood stabilizer. It felt great. And I really didn't mind the rain.  As someone pointed out before I started, it was a warm rain - mid-70s.  And as another person I met along the course pointed out, wearing eyeglasses was torture - they fog up constantly so you can't see where you are going nor read your map. I was happy I was wearing my contacts. And don't ask me why, probably out of a well established habit, I had lotioned up with sunscreen on my face and neck before I headed out, even though it was overcast - you never can be too careful. I quickly figured out I better rub it all off with my sleeve, while I was out in the woods, before it ran into my eye and burned. I had an incident a few weekends before on a hot sunny day where the sweat carried it to an eye and it hurt. A lot. Lessened learned, and preempted.

Another interesting thing is that I didn't need any water. At one of the control points there were jugs of water and I decided to skip it, wasn't thirsty. I've never skipped drinking water. Maybe because it want so hot or maybe all the water reduced my sweating. Frankly I really couldn't tell if I sweated at all. My clothes were soaked through to my underwear. Usually I'm very focused on the course but my mind did wander a bit planning what I'd do when I got back to the car. Interestingly I was just reassessing the stuff I store in my trunk, specifically a nice black fleece blanket.  It can be used as a picnic blanket (but when's the last time I had an impromptu picnic), more often I end up wrapping my Christmas tree in the blanket to reduce needles and sap getting all over my car when I put the tree in my back seat. But now, as I was wet through and through, I was so happy I had such a nicely outfitted car. I ended up stripping off the wet shoes and socks, pants and shirt and wore the blanket as a long skirt.  I had a workout jacket I had left in the car (I.e. It was dry) and opted to drive barefoot. I put all my wet stuff on a plastic sheet I kept from last Christmas tree haul and felt pretty smug about it all. When I got home I tip toed across my driveway, shoeless, carrying my stuff in, took a hot shower and then caught up on my laundry. The only thing that took forever was for my shoes to dry. They are still not dried out, three days later. 

Today I went back through all my orienteering results over the last two years to see how I placed overall.  I found that I did consistently about the same for the last year and a half - bottom third. I'm a walker and still honing my orienteering skills. Plus, I didn't really care about my placement, I just loved being out enjoying nature and finding the control points, eventually.  But the last three events I placed in the top three for my group!  I think I'm getting better at orienteering and not getting lost, but these all are events occurring since I've started my P66D challenge. So I'm guessing it's a combination of my skills improving but all my physical ability to go faster.  I'm curious if there is a correlation. I know I'm running a bit more but other than last weekend, I still mainly walk most of the course, I think. Maybe I'm running more than I realize. 

I can't wait to test whether I'm actually doing better or its just a fluke based on other factors, like who my competition is, etc.  I'll have to wait two weeks before the next event but now I'm reenergized to train more at the gym. I have a deadline to keep my improvement going. I think I'm going to do more of the dreaded Jacobs ladder. Imagine something like a stair master, but on an incline and it's a moving ladder where you climb the rungs with both hands and feet. It should be easy but man, I get super winded after 3 minutes. I don't know how people do it for 30 minutes. But I think it's building up my endurance more than other pieces of equipment. Back story on the ladder, all the fire stations across the state got one as part of a grant a few years back. Except it turns out the last thing firefighters want to workout on is the ladder so it got donated to my gym. 

Well, I'll hopefully report back on how future orienteering events go. There aren't that many left this fall which is a bummer and a few got canceled.  I think there are 4 or 5 left before winter.

I just popped over to the Internet and did some quick research. Earlier this year, I was out at my moms in Ohio for the month of May and was able to catch the one orienteering event near her town.  I've done a few events up in NH and of course a bunch in MA. All quite different due to different terrain and forest types. NH is the most challenging - super dense and tons of mosquitos. Well, thinking about who reads my blog, I just searched, and both northern Texas and the Phoenix area have robust orienteering clubs. Florida is a bit more sporadically spread across the state. And you know what?  No winters so the clubs don't shut down over the winter months, actually, I'm guessing that's when they are in full swing since they probably shut down in the summers too. So now I've put orienteering in AZ, TX and maybe FL on my bucket list - specifically in the winter months when my club is shut down - I can travel to get my orienteering fix. 

At first I was super excited but we'll see what I think once I've slept on it. I mean, here in New England there are nice furry animals, the snakes are mostly always harmless, spiders are your friends (they eat the bugs - I name mine George and have three living in my house at the moment) and the worst bugs we have are mosquitos and ticks which frankly aren't scary, just dangerous because of what they might be carrying. But out west, I mean, my uncle fred last summer said they shot a half dozen rattle snakes when clearing out the brush in their back yard, and that's just their suburban backyard. And their spiders are furry, but not in a good way. And scorpions and those are just the popular stuff, what about all the B-list celebrity wildlife that are probably just as dangerous, if not as scary looking. I think you'd be hard pressed to find a snake that isn't dangerous out west. Maybe I need to do some homework first and figure out how an out of towner would fare at one of these orienteering events. Hopefully I can talk a family member into joining me for an orienteering excursion - no running necessary unless it's for your life!

P66D Findings

Ok, having been about a third of the way into my experiment (I think), I'm staring to notice some things and have a few hypothesizes (is that the plural form?). Here's what I've got so far in stream of consciousness form:

1. Hypothesis 1: it might have helped that I dabbled in the habit I wanted to form before jumping into the deep end. All my gym visits throughout the year were a warm up for this marathon. Or it could be me just wanting to feel ok with my earlier poor performance.  Next step: for a future P66D project, pick a habit I've never really tried before (so flossing is out since I keep trying to be better). And see if it is harder to start up. 

2. You have to sweat for it to count. This one I might refine later, but basically I'm finding that the days I come in and work up a sweat, I get more energy for the day.  It got me questioning if earlier months, where I would go in and walk on the treadmill while reading a book really did much. Maybe, but the best bang for the buck is to sweat. I'm still trying to figure out what my minimum time that counts. So far I try to do at least 20 minutes. Take-away: Define your minimum requirement to qualify. Otherwise you can talk yourself into 'I did enough' but you really didn't for it to stick. 

3. Have two levels of go-to work outs. Some days you just aren't up to doing a full intense work out. The idea of it is just daunting. It can be good ammunition for daisy in her fight to keep you from going to the gym. The other day I was finishing my period and feeling sluggish. I told myself, bring your book and do the recumbent bike. Except, instead of doing the super easy course from previous months, I upped my level. It took some experimentation, but now I know what level pushes me, with rolling hills, that lets me read and sweat. Take-away: have a fall-back level in case of emergencies (day of weaknesses). 

4. Name your nemesis. Mine is daisy. Lazy Daisy. Words are powerful and I've been learning to be mindful of what I say. Not just to others, but especially to myself. That internal critic, and perfectionist and excuse maker has been too loud and bossy over the years. Prepare arguments against Daisy ahead of time, in your times of strength, so that in your times of weakness you are still on point. Mine right now is that 'I want to know my number'. It seems so insignificant but I have this belief that the number exists and because of that I really really want to know it. It's like that wrapped gift in the corner. You're just itching to find out what is inside. 

5. Practice parenting practices. This is crazy but sometimes I'm finding that techniques I've learned to manage kids are working on me. I'm dipping into my toolbox and using anything I can find. One practice I was doing was giving options to myself before bed. With kids, they don't want to go to bed and you can spend hours in the fight head on.  Or instead, you offer two options which both end in bed, but now they feel in control of the situation. For me, I was saying after I brushed my teeth (which is usually where I ended my nighttime routine) that I could either floss or wash my face. I'd end up doing one each night for about a week (mostly flossing). So strange that it worked since I knew what I was doing but it helped.  For the gym, Thursday morning I had woken up super early, like 3 am early and ended up getting up and working on projects. By the time my gym opened at 5:30, Daisy was working her magic - 'I'll just finish what I'm working on since I've been really focusing on finishing projects instead of leaving a lot of open projects'. By 6 am I had finished the project and Daisy was trying to talk me into other stuff to do instead of the gym, 'I had the afternoon class I was going to go to anyways, so might as well just go a little early before the class and do some cardio then and then you only have one trip and then.... ENOUGH' I interrupted. I knew I'd be even weaker in the afternoon since I didn't get a full nights sleep and less likely to go (which I ended up not going since I was taking a nap). I ended the bargaining, shut it down and marched myself into my bedroom to get changed and said to myself, 'that's it, you're going to the gym right now'. I felt like I was reprimanding an argumentative kid that you just can't reason with. You sometimes just have to shut it down and be firm. Just thinking in terms of parent/child helped me be strong. And you know what, I got an energy boost from my workout that got me through most of the day. 

6. Use the same routine - same time every day if possible

7. Reward yourself - new shirt - felt great wearing it for the first four times - careful of retail therapy habit. 

8. Stack your habit. Built on my routine of getting up, making bed, going to the bathroom, drinking a glass of water, giving the cats water, feeding the cats, insert new bit here: dress and gym. 

9. Prep the night before. I don't know why but setting out my workout clothes really seems to help. One less decision to stump you and exhaust you. 

10. Variety - same morning routine, different workout routines.  Depends on mood and energy level.  I have the treadmill, side elliptical, bike, rowing machine. 

11. Bonus days - getting better so do more. Morning visit and afternoon class. Class doesn't count since not much sweating - mostly weight strengthening and stretching/balancing. Or the ladder for three minutes - super winded. 

12. Name your immediate benefit. I go to the gym because it's good for me. I think of it as preventive maintenance but it's so hard to think of the delayed reward that is 10, 20, plus years out. Instead I've been focusing on the other more immediate rewards, mainly my energy boost and mood stabilizer. Last week, I was chatting with Larry, the owner, while working out, and stumbled upon an analogy. The workout is like my morning coffee, my caffeine boost. I don't do coffee or caffeine but am surrounded by people and society who can't function without their morning hit. Now I could be like everyone else and have my morning pick-up too. Saturday morning I was sluggish but I told myself, 'you just need your morning coffee' and off I went to the gym class. Daisy was like, 'but...' And didn't even get an argument in. 

First two weeks: ok if not exactly same routine. Get in the door and do your minimum and it counts. Let's you refine your optimal routine to be most successful. 

Second two weeks: build on momentum and add bonus. Extra workout - the ladder or a class (two visits). Stick to the routine you zeroed into your first two weeks 

P66D Progress

P66D = Project 66 Days. I'm on day 23, or should I say day 20, or maybe I'm just at day 6. Here's the thing, does it count if I make it to the gym, regardless of what time? Is the habit going to the gym and working out each day, or is the habit going to the gym every morning at the same time (or around the same time)? Can I skip a day? How big a gap can I have and still maintain the habit forming activity?

I found an instructor at my gym that I like. She teaches at my level (well, a bit beyond, but it's good to reach and push yourself) and has a nice attitude/way about her. I've tried to make it to her Monday and Thursday afternoon classes and her Saturday basics step class. But I'm really trying to go first thing in the morning. Wake up, get dressed and out the door. As I've been experimenting, sometimes my inner voice in the morning says, "we're tired, and it's Monday, so just go at 5 pm for the class, it will count". Does it?  Luckily, my experiment has fought against the voice when, later in the afternoon, it starts coming up with excuses not to go to the class. I want to know my number which has been pretty good motivation. Especially since I want to apply my number to other things. 

I figured I'd focus on one habit at a time with this technique. I've been trying out other habit techniques with other habits I want to create (like flossing every night and washing my face every night).  So far P66D has yielded the best results. I had one day that I skipped so far, Sunday 9/17. I find the weekend the hardest since my gym doesn't open until after I've been up for awhile. So it's a different morning routine.  I was trying to remember the reason for the skip - it was my period and it had just started the day before so my flow was at its peak and I still had a few cramps. But really, if I'm honest, I think that inner voice got to me and won that fight. I've made it out the door and done stuff, with much worse conditions. I was just weak and lost the internal argument. 

Still, overall, I'm pretty chuffed with my progress so far. It's my best chunk of exercise to date, and I'm feeling an improvement, which I think in turn yields more progress since I'm stronger to fight that internal voice. I really need to come up with a name for that voice. I think I'll try calling her Daisy for now. Lazy Daisy wants me to be lazy so she doesn't feel bad being lazy on her own. 

Finding My Habit Number

I was just rereading my last post which I had forgotten was about the gym and was from January, almost ten months ago. Well, as I ended that post, it does help to tell people about whatever you are working on. Plus I want to remember this journey for future reference. I'm working on my Project 66 Days. For me, it's a bit like the Whole30, except, I'm inventing the rules as I go, through trial and error. 

Here's the back story.  I joined the gym, as I mentioned, in January and found myself sometimes getting the energy benefits but not all the time and waning in my attendance sometimes, and then picking it back up. Basically I was all over the map. As a way to help me, I started recording when I worked out on this small calendar.

As you can see, I didn't start recording until March.  I think I was doing pretty well in January and into mid-February, making it into the gym three times a week which I thought was a good amount, especially coming from zero times a week practically. By March, I was forcing myself to go, just to not be giving away money, and trying to get a little of my money's worth. On a side note, another thing I love about my gym is that they have a reverse promotion. Instead of the other gyms, that offer $1 membership for the first three months and then bump up to $100 afterwards, my gym starts high and after three months drops - there is a payout instead of a financial penalty to keep with it. This has helped me a bunch, as you can see, some months weren't great and I started thinking I should cancel for now and then re-up later just to not waste money, but the extra up front cost kept me in check. 

By April, I reinvigorated myself to go.  I wish I remembered what I did to change things so I could record it as part of my journey. The square box on some of the weekends is me going orienteering and not going to the gym. Still a good workout as I'm outside and running/hiking.   I'm guessing this might have been my trigger as April is when orienteering started up for the year. 

May, I had a legitimate excuse, I was in Ohio busy helping my mom.  I did try to get out for a morning run the first week or so, but I'm still not much of a runner, and I was running around from dawn to dusk so much anyways, I used this as an excuse to put my exercise on hold. Although, i did manage to go to the one orienteering event they had that year in my moms town. How fun is that?  I've been orienteering in three states now (MA, NH, OH). 

By July, I was slipping again and didn't even want to record my poor performance for the next 8 weeks.  I did manage to go to the gym some and was doing outside activities like canoeing and hiking over the summer but nothing consistent or intentional. 

Around the end of August, in my perusal of life improvement stuff on blogs and YouTube videos, someone mentioned in passing the term 66 days. I looked it up and there wasn't much out there - so no new program that was storming the Internet. I did find this article though (link here) that explains that the old 21 days to form a habit was never based on any scientific study. It was just an observation of a surgeons from decades ago that got blown up and latched onto. Fast forward and there is a more recent study that quantified the number of days to form a habit from a large study group of subjects. It showed that the habit number varies from person to person and other factors, but that the average number is more like 66 days. Well, as this new info percolated, I went to my first orienteering event on a bicycle on Labor Day weekend, Saturday, September 2.

I had missed it last year and was looking forward to going this year.  It was in Lexington, so after packing a lunch, I hopped on my bike and biked to the starting meet up. Near the end of my ride, I was questioning if I would actually do the bike orienteering (there would be a smaller foot course too). I'm not wild about biking on streets, being spoiled by so many great bike paths in my area, and not really trusting drivers. Also, my ride to the event was slightly up hill the whole way and I really should have put a bit more air in my tires (and worked out more/trained). But luckily, when I got there, the excitement of the event overpowered that voice inside that is so good at finding excuses. It was structured as a three hour event, where you try to get as many points as possible and get back within three hours without being penalized for being late. 

We had five minutes to study our maps and I picked a general route that hit the controls mainly around Lexington, while simultaneously avoiding steep hills (as much as possible) and busy streets. After the first ten minutes (which had a bit of a hill), I was in lala land. It was marvelous. A beautiful day, minimal traffic (I think everyone was out of town over the long weekend), and I was getting hits of dopamine or whatever, whenever I found a control, and tons of vitamin D, even though I had lathered up with sunscreen. I ended up finding myself ahead of schedule and adding a few extra controls to pick up. I was going at my own pace and just enjoying the journey and exploring the back roads of Lexington and great weather. As I was biking I would grab handfuls of my new go-to snack: a bag of raw almonds and dried fruit. It was prunes at the moment so kept an eye on my consumption as I wasn't near any bathroom facilities and I had learned in my twenties the hard way what happens when you consume a bag of prunes. 

I got back with ten minutes to spare and compared notes with another competition, picking up some tips.  On my bike ride back home, I stopped and finished off my lunch that I had been too busy to eat most of it. And had a leisurely afternoon. It was almost five hours of bicycling all said, with a bunch of hills, even though I tried to avoid the worst of them. The thing was that I didn't feel anything as I was biking.  Maybe winded here and there climbing up a hill but no muscle aches. And then like certain alcohols, much later, it hits, rather crashes over me. That night I woke up an pain. Luckily this had happened once before on another long bike ride with my dad, so I knew it didn't warrant a ride to the ER. But man, for someone who has never been a big sports person, this whole lactic acid build up is a b!*&+. I had a brunch get together up in Maine with old friends, two of which are doctors, and they said it was normal and looked at me like I should have experienced this earlier in life by now. Basically you just flush the acid out with water and time. And by Monday I was feeling better and went to the gym. 

And this is when the 66 days, percolating in the back of mind clicked. I need to find my number. No listening to that one inner voice that says you are doing good making it to the gym a few times a week and then comes up with other excuses that build and build. I'm doing my own experiment and going for 66 days, or longer. This post, about my beginning of my project is long enough. Next post is progress so far. 

Gym Girl

I started a part two post for Christmas decorations and when I returned it was gone - no draft. Ugh. But in the meantime, I've slowly been taking down the decorations in the new year. I held onto the two little trees an extra week and brought them to my town public works Saturday. They had their chipper out and people were dropping off their trees. It felt a little like going to the farm and seeing where they process the animals. Felt bad they were getting chopped up. 

The big news is that I joined a gym, for the first time ever as an adult. I always argued I only liked exercise as a biproduct from stuff like hiking or biking. And definitely, I was not a gym person. But, as I've been making my way through the healthy improvement stuff, I found that I still had periods of low energy.  And the more I read the more there was one thing everything was writing about that I hadn't really gotten into - exercise. I know it's obvious, but I was hoping I could just eat right and do a few other things and be good. 

I started walking in the fall and that was pretty good, even when my neighbors dog didn't like the longer walks. But then it got cold and rainy and it just wasn't happening. I dabbled with the idea of swimming but after talking with folks realize it might not be the best fit for me due to the boredom.  You can't read or listen to podcasts. 

So that left gyms.  I finally decided on the one that was closest to me, only four blocks away. I kept meaning to pop in and join in December.  Mainly because I didn't want to be that person that joined a gym at the beginning of the new year. 

Ok and this is where it gets fun. My gym is not your typical gym you see on tv.  My first visit I went at 8 am and the guy behind the desk was my dads age I think, but seemed older. And he mumbled. And was not a sales person. I told him I was interested in joining and I wanted to learn more. He handed me a one page flier and upon a little nudging from me he went on to explain the membership options. Which, after explaining it to me twice, still sounded like the same. 

After putting my stuff away I was ready to go and asked him if he could show me what to do or a tour. He mumbles what I'm interested in, like what piece of equipment.  He then proceeds to punch the start button and says I'm all set. I spent the next 45 minutes on a semi-recumbent bike and familirazing myself with the gym and watching the people.  I initially I was disappointed the guy wasn't that helpful but then I warmed up to it.  I rather him than a hovering guy. I learned about the gym etiquette of wiping down the equipment after use. And I loved seeing all the socializing. I was by far the youngest person. I was facing the nautilus weights and the ellipiticals. There would be a lady, maybe in her 70s or older working on the weights and another lady of similar age would come in the back door all bundled up and they would chat for awhile. Two middle age people caught up while on the ellipiticals. A little later on there were two older gentleman working on the weights. I was so surprised seeing so many older people at the gym. Talk about blowing my preconceived conceptions. 

Afterwards, I decided to stay for a 9 am cardio class. At first I thought I'd get my own personal class, but turns out everyone was just late. Full of mostly soccer moms. There was a step included in the workout, and omg, I was horribly uncoordinated. I had a hard enough time getting my arms and legs going in the right away let alone managing the step. It was a great workout but man did I feel like odd man out. Clearly my brain is not yet wired like that. It will take some practice clearly. 

When I got home that first day, nick was visiting and I filled him in.  He got as much of a kick as I did from this atypical gym. More later, but to cut to the end, I started going at 6 am and found Larry, who owns the gym I think, and gave me the whole intro, tour and what feels like my own personal training. Just what I was looking for that first day. His approach is to ramp up slowly to encourage wins versus frustrations. Just my style. After the second early morning workout, I'm finding my energy and mood so much better. I was trying to go in every morning.  Friday I slept in and told myself I'd go in in the afternoon. That never happened. Saturday they didn't open until 8 am and by then I was into other things and never went in even though I thought I'd try to go later in the day. Finally Sunday I was finding my energy level waning and by midmorning I made myself go in and felt so much better after. It's Monday now, and I went in at 6 am. I think I learned that I need to go first thing in the morning otherwise I fall back into old routines. I'm on week two now.  Fingers crossed this works out. It helps telling people.