Friday, April 23, 2010

three weeks down.. four to go



Week three of building my new habit to slice, dice and steam my veggies the day they come home from the grocery store. I did this on Wednesday and I have already gobbled up one of my containers of broccoli.

And now for some fabulous news. I recently found out that the school gets a special discount at the Gold's Gym at North Hills. This meant little to me, seeing as I have never stepped food on a treadmill and much prefer to do my exercising out of doors. THEN I FOUND OUT THEY HAVE AN INDOOR POOL. Not just any pool.. it's a SALT WATER POOL. Holy Lord. Suddenly the monthly fee of $29.99 didn't seem so frivolous. Swimming and yoga are the only two forms of exercise that my sore joints can do on a regular basis. I don't know why my joints get sore.. I know I am young and all that. I do know I have "sensitive knee caps" so after running I have hard time walking for a few days and I used to have to wear knee braces when I rode back in the day.. as well as during my very short stint on the cross country team in HS.. but I digress. THEY HAVE AN INDOOR SALT WATER POOL. Joyce and I went to tour the facility as fast as we could throw the babies in their car seats yesterday. The place is beautiful, wonderfully maintained, and has every fitness option you can imagine including but not limited too "Cinema Cardio" - a huge dark auditorium filled with cardio equipment in which a huge movie screen plays a different movie each day.. you can strengthen your heart and watch a movie at the same time. This might actually get my tail on a treadmill, if it's raining outside or something that day I mean. The rep told me the pool is hardly ever full, there are 3 lap lanes and if the doors to the gym are open, the pool is open. I went last night to check it out and swam just over half a mile.. I haven't swam laps since college.. I can't believe my old lap swimming suit still fit me! I - was - in - heaven. I didn't want to overdo it on my first visit so I forced myself to cool down and leave after about 20 laps (and by laps I mean real laps.. as in two lengths of the pool = one lap)... what a feeling. Afterward I considered a steam in the sauna but decided on a hot shower instead and, feeling like I had just had a full body massage, sauntered out to my car and leisurely drove back home. I have been trying to join a pool since Stephen and I got married but we could never afford it or there were none close enough to be practical in any way... this is the perfect storm. Affordable, and in the same complex where I do my weekly shop.. just down the street from the school.

So in short, soon I will be able to swim whenever I want, and take as many yoga classes as I want (classes are included in the monthly membership fee).. whenever I want. Color me the happiest girl in the neighborhood today.

4 comments:

Ellen said...

Ok, now why is a salt water pool so cool again? How much salt is in it, anyway?

Helene said...

My dad just bought a house in FL that has a salt-water pool and he mentioned it every single time we talk as if it's the coolest thing since sliced bread. Now after reading your post, I can see why it's such a good thing!!

Sounds like you're doing really well...cutting up and cooking the veggies right away sounds like a great way to stick to the plan!

Thank you for your comments today on my post! I'm hanging in here..much better than I anticipated!

SMS said...

Ellen: they are easier to take care of if it's your own pool but better than that, they are far less toxic than a regular chlorinated pool. I am not hard core anti-chlorine but if given the choice I would choose salt water any day. It's just mildly salty.. not sure the exact amount but it makes your skin feel so good afterward. Not all dry and itchy like a chlorinated pool.

Helene: I am so jealous that your dad has one at his own home! Glad to hear you are doing well :) Keep up the good work!

Ellen said...

Oh, and I'm proud of you for cutting everything up right away. I'm bad about that, too. But I'm making strides, and I have cut up celery and hummus in my fridge right now. We can do it!!! Oh, and if you set a time to do it soon after you get it home, and you stick to that, that can work better than doing it when you're already tired from grocery shopping. That works for me anyway...