Simple Basics

So, I have more time on my hands right now, and at first that was freaking me out a little. What am I going to do? Well, I did start with a major clean up of my apartment, and that felt GREAT! now, I realize that I need to set myself straight also!

Funny thing is, my work out routine has been on the fritz for a while, and I was blaming the lack of time. Well, lately I've had plenty of time and still I couldn't find the time to get to the gym. Here's my problem, I have come to the point where going to the gym means researching and planning my work out, getting to the gym, finding the needed equipment, doing a full work out, putting everything away, shower, clothes make up... That's like 2+ hours. Even with a lot of free time, who wants to spend that much time on working out?

This week I had plans on doing a class every day, well that didn't happen either. The classes I do like were at inconvenient times and well... I started well, I did a fabulous Yoga class at the Richmond District Y Monday morning. I did push a little though, and Tuesday I was too sore to work out.

Wednesday I had a meeting at noon, and one at 5, so I decided to head to the Stonestown Y in between. Now, I was surprised by the level of testosterone I found in the weight room. Grunting loudly, dropping the weights loudly with every set, Dude, you're at the Y, deflate a little bit.

Finally, after 20 minutes of intense weight work, I couldn't take it anymore, and went upstairs thinking that my decent work out was blown. Not so! I decided to hit the elliptical for some cardio. I hadn't done that in ages, choosing to take my cardio outdoors, and wouldn't you know it, I had a blast! 30 minutes of pushing as much as I could. I got out of there all noodle-y and hyper. My poor members! Like I'm not hyper enough already!

This morning, somebody got up late and didn't have time to walk the dog. Mind you, it was raining. I admit I was the one who campaigned to get a dog, promising I would take care of it, but it was RAINING! So, I got dressed and walked the dog.

As we were walking, it stopped raining, and quite frankly, it was beautiful out there, so I extended the walk and went to the produce market a few blocks away. I didn't do anything major, but got a bunch of basics thinking I would make a vegetable soup in the crockpot to eat and freeze and you know... it's been a while, so I did!

It looks like it's only cabbage (Napa cabbage that is) but actually there is zucchini, yellow squash, onion, shallot, broccoli.. whatever I could find! :o)

So, i made my soup, and then I realized it was lunch time and I had nothing to grab. Ooops! So I took my cutting board back out, dug in the cabinet, and made a Lobster Desperation Soup!

It was tasty, satisfying, and very much "my" kind of food. My husband isn't really a seafood lover, he will eat fish, but shellfish is beyond this Missouri boy's comfort zone. Every time I make myself such food, I feel like it's very exclusively mine for some reason.

Ok, so I know you are thinking, there is nothing outstanding in all this. Why are you blogging about it? Because it's been quite a long time since I've felt so in control and effortlessly "on plan". I'm eating right, I'm moving, I am satisfied with my meals, and not in the least worried about my next weigh in. I can be "on plan" any time. I know how to do it, and I can always make it work somehow, but I was missing that feeling of "this is just what I do" as opposed to "I have to do this". Does that even make sense?

I think it's not so much about having time, but rather about keeping it simple and uncomplicated. You don't have to cook gourmet food to have lunch, you don't have to have a pro training to hit the gym. I tend to forget that sometimes.

Be good n stuff!