Tag Archives: biking

shake it out, shake it out.

Posted on by
2

Happy 2012! This year’s first week has gone swimmingly, I’m happy to report. First of, we returned from the east on January 1, just in time to celebrate Jeff and my 5 year anniversary. I had Monday off, and so we spent the day relaxing and I started strong with a New Year’s resolution to be healthier. Step one was to relax more, step two was to exercise, and step three is to spend some more time working out.

And so, Monday I headed to yoga at the nearby yoga studio. It was my first experience with Kundalini Yoga, which I must confess I don’t think it quite my yoga. It’s a bit more meditation than I am used to, which does the opposite of relax me and rather stresses me out.

Nonetheless, I have a Groupon, and the Hatha Yoga classes aren’t at the most convenient times. And so, I have continued to go. Anyways, so I go to yoga on Monday during the day, and again on Tuesday morning. I babysat on Tuesday night, so I skipped Wednesday yoga, and opted for a 3 mile walk with Jeff around West Hollywood, the area we want to move, instead.

Thursday morning I was back at the yoga, and this morning I liked the most of all my yoga days at this new studio. Even though what I am about to say is pretty weird, it was actually fun, freeing, and made me giggle.

For the first ten minutes or so of class, our teacher asked us to wave our hands, torsos, and heads, while sitting cross legged on the floor, to music, as fast and as “crazy” as we could. And all I could think the entire time was of the Florence + the Machine song “Shake it Out.”

2011 was a rough year for a lot of reasons, and I think 2012 is going to be the year of shaking it out. As our yoga teacher yelled, “SHAKE IT OUT! SHAKE OUT YOUR ANGER. WHEN YOU GET TO THE POINT WHEN YOU NEED TO STOP, THAT’S WHEN YOU MUST KEEP GOING.” He sounded one part Wonka, one part Billy Blanks, and strangely, one part my mother. You must keep going. You must finish. You must do this.

And so, this year is about standing the test of time. Of getting healthy. Of shaking it out. Of standing up, and breathing. One day at a time. And, my new motto for the year is to do less, better. I heard it from somewhere (I think Real Simple) and it’s stuck. We get ourselves so busy, so tired, and so run down, we miss out on our actual LIVES. And so, this year, I shall do less. better.

After Thursday morning’s session, I rounded the week off with another long walk on Friday, and a day at the beach on Saturday. Today, Jeff and I biked about 16 miles along the LA River. I still haven’t unpacked, and I’m ok with that. There is sand on the floor from the beach, there are some dishes to be done, and Jeff and I are sitting here plotting an eventual trip to Europe. Life, my friends, is grand.

What are your new year’s resolutions? Or is your resolution not to have one? I’d love to hear from you!

29 days.

Posted on by
2

I had a long post in my mind for yesterday about all I have to do for my sister’s wedding, about how nervous I am, yadda yadda. About the need for a pedicure and my gross nail to fall off and a diet to start and a tan to even.

Alas, I fell ill, instead, and spent the afternoon on the couch wondering why summer colds exist at all.

Now, 29 days to go, I’m back at it. Things to do include get my dress back, make sure it fits, double check the list with my sister (all the lists, that is), write my speech, make sure the shoes I have will work, and generally prep myself for this day.

I am also starting a diet that will help me feel great for the big day. Things to cut? Unnecessary sugars, carbs, and most things I don’t “need.” Like the milk chocolate covered raisins at my desk, or the extra helping of pasta because it’s not enough to save for leftovers, or the handful of lentil curls because that apple wasn’t enough…

I think that a healthy diet and some delving into P90x with Jeff (we got a copy and have to start! We must) or at LEAST getting back to three times a week work outs with yoga, running, biking, and hiking, I should be in good “shape” by the time the wedding rolls around. Pun intended.

Now I’m off to make a massive to do list so by the time Nikki gets back from Montana I have something to show for myself…

Here’s to 29 days until these two tie the knot.

A continued battle: my feet.

Posted on by
3

Now, all of you who are constant readers know that my feet and I don’t always get along. As I type, I am rolling my feet on tennis balls, hoping to loosen my muscles before Yoga tonight. They tend to get tight during Yoga, when I need them to keep me in tree or triangle or warrior 3, and so I am hoping this will help the day.

Last night, I jumped on an elliptical machine, hoping to try something new. I set the time to twenty minutes, after spending five minutes trying to figure out exactly how to WORK the machine. (it kept telling me my target heart rate of 160 was unsafe, what?) Then I just listened to my tunes, trying not to fall off the machine or knock anyone around me. This proved harder than I thought, and around minute 10 I was sure I was going to fall off. I tried to hold onto the longer supports with my hands, but that only made it worse, and I nearly flung myself into the bike machines. So I kept them on the middle supports, heart rate monitor broken.

My feet slowly revolted, saying “no, thanks” and I began to slow down. I eventually got off (at 20 minutes) and went over to the bikes. Ahh, 10 minutes of a hard cardio workout. That’s better. Nikki insists if I walk on an incline or run I’ll be OK, but after my feet hurting that much, I don’t know. I guess I’ll only know if I try, which I intend to do: soon. Real soon. For now, I’ll stick to 11 mile bike rides, yoga, and the occasional kick boxing.

What are all of you doing for exercise these days?