Stiletto Diaries

On Swimming, And A Month Without Coffee

Posted on January 11th, 2009 in Are You Gonna Eat That?, Bucket List, Budge That Pudge

After a somewhat disappointing weigh-in on Tuesday, we’ve thrown ourselves into eating better and working out with renewed fervour.  I did lose some over the 6 weeks since our initial weigh-in, but the holiday season took it’s toll, and the numbers were not what I hoped.  I skipped the gym for two weeks in a row, so I wasn’t exactly shocked by the scale, but it certainly reminded me that I needed to get back on the horse as it were.

V and I have taken up swimming, in addition to our land training.  I’ve worked out 7 times this week, sometimes swimming and hitting the gym in the same day.  We took Friday off and I felt sluggish and lethargic, which only reinforces my belief that at least some exercise every day is my best bet for success.  No, I don’t mean running myself into the ground without ever taking a break, but even taking a stroll for 30 minutes improves my mood and increases my energy.

Yesterday I was kicked out of the slow lane at lap swim, and you have no idea how pleased I was.

I used to swim often, taking lessons right through my younger years.  Our summers were always spent at the lake.  My mother was an avid swimmer, and instilled in us a love of the water.  It’s been wonderful getting back to the pool, donning our swim caps and goggles, despite the fact that neither of us feels completely comfortable frolicking about in a bathing suit.  We’re not there to pick up men or win a beauty contest, we just want to swim.

We’re gearing up for a month or raw foods in February.  The rules appear pretty simple at first.  Nothing cooked, nothing processed, just whole, natural, living foods.  I’ve rounded up a food dehydrator, so that we can make raw ‘breads’ and other fare.  I plan to go for sashimi at least a couple of times, since technically it’s allowed, and I quite love the taste and texture of raw fish.  No coffee of course, nor alcohol.  The coffee will likely be the hardest part of all, but I am sure I can manage for a month.  We will live primarily on fruits and vegetables, supplementing those with legumes and sprouts.  It’s going to be a fantastic detoxification process.  I’m really quite excited.

I’m also using the first of February to kick off 6 months of avoiding fast food, as per my list, and because I know it’s bad for me.  I’m defining fast food as anything that can be picked up at a drive-thru window, OR prepared and served in less than 20 minutes.  All of the obvious offenders of course, but I’m also including places like Subway, Quiznos, pizza joints, and Chinese takeout.  While most people wouldn’t consider those ‘fast food’ they aren’t classified as a place you go to sit down and really enjoy a meal, and thus, they are out of bounds.

This isn’t about getting down to some magic number on a scale.  Our weigh-ins include an analysis which covers body fat percentiles and BMI.  I’m not aiming for a goal weight, but for a specific body fat percentage within the acceptable range for my age.  Whatever I weigh when I get there will be the right weight for me, period.  I’m more concerned about feeling good and living longer than I am about how I look.  I’ve already made peace with my body, I just want to take better care of it, so that I  am physically capable of achieving all of my goals.