Sick, Again? Wow.

I think that the gods are against me.  They see that I start getting into my exercise groove and they say, "Wham!  Let's hit her with some sort of plague or pestilence.  We can't have her getting healthy on us and stop worshiping the gods of gluttony, laziness and obesity."

So, because of the plague of a head cold that I have had for the past week, I have taken some time off from exercise.  I am still sick, but today I reached the realization that I should at least be doing SOMETHING physically challenging, other than walking up the stairs.

I was reminded of the time, while I lived in Greensboro, NC and traveled by bike, that I had a severe cold that had gone into my lungs.  I was out of luck, though.  I didn't have any other choice than to ride my bike to get to the places that I needed to go.  It killed me.  OK, not literally, hence the fact that I am still here to tell the story, but I got through it.  And you know what they say...what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.  And this time, I do mean that literally.

So, while swimming is out of the question, due to nasal congestion, sit-ups, push-ups and walking/jogging are not.  Hopefully they won't kill me.

The Test Begins...

The FBI physical test reqs, that is,  AND the verdict is that I would never get in.  I am too out of shape.  I haven't even started the running part of the reqs, but as far as push-ups go, I had to do girly style and I am not very quick at the sit-ups.  Yes, that's right.  I would already be at -4 points.  I was only able to do 27 sit-ups in the one minute time and I did 15 girly push-ups before giving up.

I have A LOT of work to do.  I'll keep you updated.

The Next Level

I've been swimming three times a week for about a month, now.  It's time to take it to the next level.  I recently read the physical requirements necessary to apply for the FBI.  I know that I am not applying to be an agent, although that would be awesome, but I thought that it was a pretty good measurement of my health.

FBI Physical Reqs

So, to begin with, I will start timing myself once a day to see how many sit-ups I can do in a minute, as well as push-ups.  There is not a time limit, but you do have to be able to do a certain number consecutively.  So, I will do as many push-ups in a row as I can.  Hopefully this will help me to build up my strength and get ready for the last 90 days prior to my birthday.  That's right...I'll be doing P90X during those final three months.  I definitely need to start gearing up now.

Building Stamina

I have now been swimming laps 3 times a week for 4 weeks now.  I have slowly been building up my stamina, which is very difficult for me, especially when swimming front crawl, or freestyle.  It basically sucks.  I find myself wheezing and struggling to make it to the end of each lap.

Recently, however, I made some friends at the pool who gave me excellent advice to help me in my plight.  Now, I swim as many laps as I can handle swimming in a row and then I swim a lap backstroke.  That way, I don't stop moving, but I allow myself to catch my breath.  This has helped me, so instead of swimming one lap up and back, I can now swim 2 in a row, and then I swim a lap backstroke so that I don't die. 

Today, however, I took a break from front crawl and swam breaststroke the entire time.  Breaststroke is one of the easier strokes for me, but it still gives me a good workout.  I did enjoy the fact that I could swim the entire time without breaking my laps up with a length of backstroke.  I actually swam about a mile, though I can't be sure.  I always forget to keep track of exactly how many laps I swim.  Is there some cool device that counts laps for you?

Cool Toys

As with any activity there is a plethora of cool tools and toys to help; everything from audio to fashion.  It is no different with swimming.  There are many different types of swimsuits, even when you buy the racing suits that are best for swimming laps, swim caps, different types of goggles, etc., and those are just the basics.  The toy that I am currently coveting is a waterproof case and headphones for my iPod. 

With as much as I tout the serenity associated with being under water, you would think that I could care less about having something to entertain me as I work out.  There are those times, however, that I would love the distraction from the fact that I am still working on gaining stamina and that I often get so out of breath that I have to take a break for a few breathing seconds.  ALSO, it would help prevent my ears from popping as I move my head in and out of the water. 

Here is the swimsuit that I want, as well:

It is basic, black and stays on well while swimming.  All of the above are good for me.  Unfortunately, I have never found a suit that gives me enough support in the chest area.  My solution to this is to wear a sports bra underneath my suit.  It's not the most attractive, although I keep looking for better options or better looking sports bras, but it is effective.  My dream is to one day get down to the point where I don't need one.  As for now, as soon as I get down a size, I'm going to buy this suit...well, and when I have some money to spare.

Strength of Body and Soul

While gliding along weightlessly through the calm, cool water, the sound muffled into silence as I pulled myself stroke after stroke across the pool, I realized exactly how calming it is and how much I enjoy swimming laps.

Finding a way to enjoy working out has made a huge difference in my desire to exercise regularly. I always have a hard time getting started, but now after a few weeks of going to the pool 3 or so times a week, I have started looking forward to that time where I can block everything else out and just enjoy the release of swimming lap after lap.

I have often heard runners talk of this calm and having the ability to just block everything out, but running is painful for me due to chronic shin splints and I have never been able to get to that point. That is why I am so glad that I was introduced and taught the proper way to swim laps a few years ago. It has become my "go to" exercise that always helps me to get started with exercising regularly.

Everyone needs a "go to" exercise; a physical activity that they can truly enjoy but is still a challenge. This is one of the best motivators of regular exercise. We have to enjoy it and want to continue. If we hate doing it, it stands to reason that we won't.

Also, we shouldn't be afraid to try different activities. Sticking with it long enough to decide if it is truly enjoyable is important. However, if you decide you hate it, oh well, se la vie. There is always something new to try. The most important thing is just to stay active.

...and Again...and a New Year

Yup, that's right, it's the New Year with all that implies. New goals to replace the unfulfilled goals of last year and new motivation. I will sadly admit that none of my goals from last year were reached. Honestly, it makes me feel pathetic, like I've become less of a person. It wasn't as if I were even close to achieving them, which is the worst part. This year I HAVE to be better.

I have been getting back to swimming laps at the pool after my recovery from the Swine Flu. It took me a while to get back, but during the end of December I started swimming laps. Mornings are difficult for me, so I have started going to the pool at night. So far, this has worked. I don't always have the desire to go, but the promise of sitting in the hottub has added allure for me.

AND NOW for the big goal reveal. This year I will turn 30. That's right, the big three-oh that begins the downslide of our youth and bodies. Sadly, I look better now than I did in my youth, but I still don't look great. Great by 30 is my goal. The countdown has begun, as you can see from my countdown calendar addition, and I am up for the challenge.