A typical morning for me goes like this:7 AM my alarm goes off. I hit snooze.
7:05 AM my alarm goes off. I hit snooze.
7:10 AM my alarm goes off, and if I’m feeling especially ambitious, do not hit snooze.
I go pee pee. I get dressed. I then feed my cats and pet Hairy before she has a freak out for not being touched in the past few hours. Then I do my hair. Then my makeup. I then grab a granola bar and a soda and put it in my purse to take to work for breakfast. Then I begin the long and arduous process of getting Cade up and dressed. It is a good morning if I am not kicked in the pubic bone while changing his diaper.
I then haul him and my purse (it’s all quite heavy) out to the car, maneuver around the sprinklers, buckle him in his car seat, turn on AM radio, and drive him to the sitter’s. Then I promptly drive to work, open up my can of Diet Coke, and try to stay awake.
An atypical morning for me goes like this (which occurred this morning, and I hope, happens more and more often):
5 AM my alarm goes off. I hit snooze.
5:05 AM my alarm goes off. I DO NOT hit snooze, I do not pass go, I do not collect $200.
I get up. Feel pretty, like, fresh.
Brush my teeth.
Talk to Whit for a bit while she's getting ready for work and laugh at the high benzo texts I sent her last night.
Put on my gym clothes, grab my iPod.
Head to the gym.
Jog on the treadmill for 30 minutes.
Sweat.
Use the elliptical for another 30 minutes.
Sweat a lot.
Stretch my bum bum, cuz its sore.
Sweat some more.
Head home.
Shower.
Dress.
DO MY HAIR. (As, in curl it. Even venture so far as to put on eye shadow.)
Sit down and take the time YES ACTUALLY SIT DOWN at the table and eat breakfast. (2 pieces of pumpkin chocolate chip bread (holy yummy of fury!) with a glass of milk.)
Poke Brandon to wake up.
Make him get C ready because hey, I’ve been busy while he’s been sleeping.
Have boundless energy.
Wonder why.
Take C to the sitter’s.
Make my way to work.
Sit at my desk and type this.
Okay, I need somebody smart now. Cammy? Anybody else whose intellect might be offended if I don’t mention you?
Why am I still in shape after nearly four years of never working out? Why can I run 5 miles like it’s nothing? I remember back in the day, when I first started training for marathons, even 15 minutes on the treadmill was AAAAHHHHGONY. After awhile I could run a good 15 miles no prob, but that definitely took time and training. And now, I can jog and keep up a good pace and never need to stop or slow down like it ain’t no thang. Why? Please oh please explain this to me! Because I really don't think that's normal.And also, me so happy my lungys are, not, like trying to bail on me. They are very happy during the summer. I’m still of course taking all my lung meds, but am faring faaaar better than expected. I can do all this exercise and need my albuterol inhaler, but can still easily function. Weirdness?
Also, this boost in exercise has substantially boosted my appetite, as well. And though my body image has some qualms about it, I am honoring those hunger cues and eat eat eating, so no need to worry about weight loss, my little kittens.
But you know what? I’m so not going to question it. This is the better than any Xanax or Zyprexa I could ever take for anxiety. Blasting my iPod, sweating out all my anger and anxiety…oh damners it feels good.
Anyone wanna head to the gym with me? I'll be there tomorrow morning...5 AM sharp.
13 comments:
No. Sorry. That is too early for me.
But wait a moment here...
CADE SLEEP PAST 7AM??????????
ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?????????????????
Laura, haha. The bloody kid will sleep till 10 if we let him! He is NOT an early bird. Or a night owl. Or, generally, a nice kid at all, haha. ;)
Ha if I were within a thousand miles I would undoubtedly be up for a gym visit with you, you can count on Cammy for that. ;p
FYI being asked questions is my #1 most favorite and validating thing in the world! My day just got much better.
The post-workout energy question is almost certainly endorphins plus increased bloodflow. Better living through (bio)chemistry! Endorphins are great, just make sure to use them responsibly. ;)
Unfortunately I don't have a definite answer for the part about your instant fitness, except that you most likely have genes most people would murder for. Also, possibly since your body has been fighting for itself with the lung problems lately, your heart/muscles/adrenal system are used to revving up and putting out when you need it to.
Just remember to give your body time to recover, especially when you are first starting back, sometimes the ache takes 12-24 hours to set in. In order to build muscles, you literally have to tear the fibers and let them reattach stronger. So if you don't give them time to repair, you never build strength/endurance. Plus it keeps you from ritualizing the workouts.
I'm happy that you're happy and that the lungs are cooperating with you, finally! Have a great day!
I was always told to wait a day between muscle-building exercises. I do wonder if the fact that I ignored that advice was one of the factors in injuring my leg ten months ago (it has not gotten better).
Hey Cammy, thanks. :)
Your comment honestly really helped. And don't you worry your cute lil self; I'm not going every day, so my muscles can get BIG (eek! ;) and strong. :)
Too bad you don't live in SLC, we could be gym rats together. ;)
Brie, I'm glad that you are honoring your body by eating more food because you are exercising more. Please continue to do that. You're a champ!
PS - I've been having thoughts lately of training for a marathon (more likely just a half-marathon). I want to do some running (healthfully of course) and get my endorphins up. Yay for endorphin highs!
I was contemplating this some more, and it is possible that besides having an awesome bod and muscles wired for super-stamina(if you were doing 15 mile runs I would say you have lots of slow-twitch fibers, gives you endurance), you could also just have a brain that gets excited about endorphins. Some people just have more receptors than others. Some people just truly can't get a runner's high, and some people get awesome Cloud-9ness from working out. Also, if you are on any meds right now that affect that brain chemistry, it's possible they enhance the effect. The endorphins also act like internal painkiller (the term comes from a mash-up of "endogenous morphine"), which makes your muscles blind to the fact that they should be hurting after 5 or 10 or 15 miles.
I just read a report about a woman with Parkinson's that became this pathological gambling addict because her medication elevated her dopamine levels, making her much more sensitive to the biochemical high from risk-taking. I hadn't thought about a similar synergism between meds and exercise, interesting...I'll do some digging on that.
I didn't realize anyone woke up before 10??? Ugh, when I decide to grow up life's gonna suck.
Yikes, I am not going to question your feel goodness or excercise high. For me, sometimes, just doing something that i could not do previously, gives me a high. I am happy for you and glad that you feel so much "higher"!!
Very lovely hair in today's pic!
Oh, I only wish. I come from the side of the wheel where I HATE exercise. I WISH I liked it though. Even as an anorexic I hated it and wouldn't do it....just lost weight in other ways. BUT........maybe you're feeling soooooo good b/c your body is happy with how you're treating it!!! Perhaps it's "her" way of thanking you for keeping her safe from the wicked ED.
MMMMM.....I just finished a raspberry bar from Tully's and it is EXCELLENTO!
I've been lurking for awhile, but I decided to comment on this post since it is a topic close to my own heart.
Eating disorders and exercise always seem a tricky combination. On the one hand our bodies need exercise to be healthy (and exercise can definitely improve lung function). On the otherhand there is always the risk it will go too far. I hope you can maintain the balance you are striving for and use exercise to improve your health without causing damage.
You can run 5 miles in 30 minutes? That's fast!
Post a Comment