Exercise and Crafting (but not at the same time)

Because I know you're waiting on bated breath...

I've been exercising on a daily basis for 4 straight days.  Two of those days I even had two workout sessions, adding yoga and walking/jogging at the indoor track.  The kettlebell swing/burpee combination is definitely a cardiovascular workout, and I follow it up with some Pilates.  It feels good to sweat out some toxins, and it definitely brings the mood up as well.  Only 17 more days til I've built the habit, if you prescribe to the view that says it takes 3 weeks to form a habit.

Things have come together nicely for me this month: writing daily, organizing space in the home, maintaining the organized and clean environment, exercising, waking up earlier (thanks to Daylight Savings Time returning the lost hour)...  Wonder what else I should add, as long as I'm on a roll?

Maybe I'll let the girls take the ball now.  Tonight we stopped at the craft store because Clara mentioned she would like to sew more.  We found all sorts of goodies that caught our eye, but settled on a hoop, some fabric and thread and a beginners cross stitch book.  Elli chose a beginner's knitting kit and a skein of yarn, though she was also sorely tempted by a quilting book.  I like the thought of us picking up our projects in the winter months and listening to a program on the TV or radio.  Makes me think of Mom, and all the many beautiful things she made over the years...  Afghans, sweaters, socks, hats, mittens, slippers...  I suppose it will partially be keeping her memory alive whenever we work with our hands as she did.  If we listen to the Waltons while we do, dear reader, I may have to have a box of tissues handy.

Exercise: that lovely, dreaded, impossible needed thing...

Exercise.  I enjoy certain forms of it, especially the kind where I'm having so much fun I barely notice the exercise at all.  Like any form of dance, yoga, volleyball, swimming...  I like walking, but walking the same route repetitively is no help in the motivation department, (BORING).  I really love hiking and being out in nature, but driving somewhere for exercise seems to take it out of the regular category.

I have lots of reasons to exercise, over age 40 and still possessive as I am of most of the weight I gained growing my four babies, the youngest of whom will turn 5 in the winter.  I was at my most fit at the time I got pregnant with my firstborn.  I've periodically worked on fitness in the 15 intervening years, when I wasn't breastfeeding (which represents more than 5 out of those 15 years) or just too tired to find the energy for it.  It's a vicious cycle, since I'm fully aware that a regular fitness regimen gives energy back.  But a lot of good that does a person when they feel too exhausted even to do the dishes.

My last baby particularly, born when I was 37, really seemed to do me in energy-wise.  I felt depleted for far longer and have really had trouble even caring about exercise.  Getting the family to go on an evening walk has been a huge accomplishment.  I've enjoyed a little yoga, a bike ride annually or so, dancing when I get the chance, and hikes on the occasional beautiful weekend.  But, except for brief and unsatisfactory attempt at Curves membership about 6 months after Emmett was born, I haven't built a regular, enjoyable habit of it.  And have been of the attitude that it might be impossible for me to do such a thing.

Now, it is time!  I've been building momentum to make myself a priority in this way.  Some could observe this as procrastination, but at this point I will just accept it as what I needed to get myself going.  A few weeks ago I saw an article on the web somewhere (maybe this one?), that told me for a total body workout that will give me great results and aid in weight loss you need to do only two exercises:  the kettlebell swing and burpees.  (Elli does the latter in gym class, and she was pretty sure they were called "herpes", but we disabused her of that notion pretty quickly, once we could stop laughing.) I don't have a kettlebell, so of course I couldn't start.  But I found a video on how to make your own here.  So yesterday I bought the parts at Lowes.  But I didn't realize that you are supposed to already own weighted plates.  So today I will go and get those!

In November, I've created space and done yoga followed by meditation twice now, and it feels great.  I've danced with my son, done a few Pilates moves, and enjoyed several gentle walks.  I'm going to pick up the pace and put a personal emphasis on fitness and activity.  It's time to nurture myself in this way.  Watch this space for a report on how I do with the kettebell swing/burpee personal challenge.  I'll be ripped in no time, right dear reader? :)  That's OK, don't answer, I'll be very happy with a little more energy and less of me altogether.

The reason I normally exercise when Emmett is at Grandpa and Grandma's

I'm on a health kick. I found sparkpeople.com and am using it to return to exercise and a fitness focus. I have been meaning to since Emmett was born, and had a really great phase there for a while when he was about 5 months old until I got very sick and achy for months with Fifth's disease and decided to back off. It is now time again, and it's feeling great to have an organized approach.

I am blessed to have my retired parents living 7.5 miles away from me, and they are very generous with babysitting favors. It's great for everyone: the grandchildren get doted on, the grandparents get delighted by their progeny and I get a break from the 24/7 Mom/homemaker duties. I do various things with my "me time"; run errands, do yoga, take a walk, write, read...

I missed a babysitting date yesterday bringing Dakota to the vet (she is evacuated and feels and smells much better, btw) and so I decided to risk it and do my prescribed strength training followed by yoga this morning while Emmett was with me, and awake even! I know--what was I thinking?! It felt so good! Emmett sat on me if I was in a prone position doing ab work, and copied me if I stood up for wall push ups or resistance pulls. When I started doing yoga to stretch it all out he wandered off after a while. I heard him but couldn't see him over in his toy corner, and decided to go for a body scan to finish it all off and get centered. I was so thrilled that I got all the way through it and in the zone before the Mommy instinct kicked in and I realized it was... (say it with me) TOO QUIET.

Somehow while I was in the zone Emmett got in my baking drawer--his reach has really increased lately!--and found a delightful set of colorful, capped objects and brought them into the living room for closer inspection--squeeze bottles of food coloring! Thankfully, instinct kicked in before the coffee table got permanently stained. I'm afraid the birthday candles I had socked away for the next celebration are toast, though.