Where to start?

Oh my, so much has happened, and I don't even know where to start.

Have you ever felt really tired and overwhelmed? You know when your are just doing your thing, and it's smooth sailing, and all of a sudden things start happening and next thing you know, nothing is where it's supposed to be anymore?

Then for a while you're just scrambling to keep up, no time to think. After a while everything calms down, and you're still overwhelmed. There's no reason to be anymore, but you just can't land. Like you're stuck in high speed mode.

I was like that this week, just couldn't relax, couldn't think straight, felt like I HAD TO DO SOMETHING, but there wasn't really anything that pressing to do. Finally last night, I decided that enough is enough. Time to get my shit together!

I planned the meals for next week, mostly out of my new cookbook (Sizzle It, from Weight Watchers... everything looks good in there!) and planned my work outs.

Food isn't an issue really, we ate out so many times last week, I'm just too happy to eat at home. Restaurant food isn't my thing anymore, bleh!

Activity is another issue. I've had joints pains for most of my life, but lately it has gotten worse pretty steadily. Finally I had to ask, and apparently, lifting heavy weights (well, heavy for me! Stop laughing!) is hard on your joints.

Everybody in my Dad's family has arthritis, to a greater or lesser degree. So, I'm the lucky one who got it early rather than late. I've known for a long time now that lifting was making it worse, but being who I am, I didn't want to give it up (I love to lift weights!). Oh well...

So, anyway, all this to say that last week, I sat down to put together a plan. I need to keep working my muscles, without putting a strain on my joints.

DUH! I used to swim everyday, I loved it, I was a lifeguard, I taught swimming. I'll go back to the pool!

So last night I decided that this morning I would go to the gym and swim. This morning I woke up at 5:30, and did 20 minutes moderate/high intensity on the elliptical, and then dove in the pool. I swam for about 25 minutes, alternating full style, legs only and arms only (with my feet crossed, you try it!). I pushed as much as I could the whole time I was in there.

Can I say that I love swimming? Why I keep thinking it's too much of a hassle is beyond me. There is nothing in this world that compares to just pushing your body as far as you can, without your knees and ankle hurting. You are limited by your own power, not by pain. Feeling the water slide by, the resistance of the water on your hands and lower arms. Just awesome!

I can stop thinking in the pool, there's no calorie meeter to look at, there's no "am I doing this right"? to worry about, there's no "am I looking ok"? to worry about. It's just you, the water, and the raw power of your muscles. I'm a good enough swimmer that I don't have to "think" about swimming, I just do it... and I love it!

See you in the pool guys!

Be good n stuff!