The Plan....

This back thing is getting old real quick. I went to work today until noon...just couldn't take the pain and sitting was killing me. I won't be working out this week, so I thought I should take this opportunity to relax, take a break and devise a new plan. Once I feel confident all is o.k. to get back to business, I'll start again with spin class (easy though) and I'll be joining Triad Yoga. It's close to home, plenty of classes and should do just fine. My gym offers yoga classes, but they all seem to be in the middle of the day. One of my benefits at work is a yearly Wellness Wallet. This is basically $125 we can spend anyway we want towards our well being. Classes, memberships, equipment. Very cool! That should buy me a few One-Legged King Pigeon Poses!


Everything else is peachy. My older son Rob checks in, and hangs up with an "I love you mom". That's worth a million! Chuck is studying for that elusive Drivers Permit Test. Pllleeeeeease send some passing test score vibes his way! Mike is great (but too far away) and work is really good. I am blessed.

Here's a little shout out to ask for support. For no one in particular...just anyone you choose. Support those who aren't as fortunate; with your time, financially, or your thoughts and prayers. Somebody, at sometime has done it for you in your life.....pass it on! Giving is the icing on the cake.

Sinking into it....

Well, apparently I've pinched my sciatic nerve, causing the muscles in my lower back to fire up and and put my pelvic/hip area all out of wack. Lovely.... This has been one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. I found myself doing Lamaze breathing just trying to get out of bed! Last night I had a one hour massage and an 'attempt' to adjust it, but it'll just take time. Today I look much less like an 'S' when I'm standing and feeling better. I think of my late husband, and how we take for granted the pain free existence we enjoy.

I also visited my Natureopathy Dr. and got the skinny there. She recommended some supplements and ordered blood and saliva tests. I'll have a better idea of the big picture when that comes back. She gave me a comprehensive eating plan that will 'rest my pancreas'. Pretty interesting and I'm reading as much as possible about it. Funny how we sometimes think this is all new or 'out there' stuff, but many cultures, (especially Asian) have been all over it for thousands of years.

Still haven't landed on the vacation plan but feel much better now that I've decided to get one in now. I've got some traveling coming up which is always fun, but not really considered 'vacation'. Maybe I'll look into a 'yoga vacation'... ;)

Hobbling off to lunch with some friends then home to relax.

Live passionately!

Om..........

I love this picture. She's not broken, but resting in her thoughts...connecting to what she knows will bring her balance. Of course I'm relating this to myself, and I am out of balance. I've been exhausted for some time....I mean really exhausted. Can't put my finger on it. I found a Naturopathy Dr. and saw her last Monday. She spent 1 1/2 hours talking to me about where I'm at in life: diet, exercise, work, relationships, home. I strongly believe the approach of treating the whole body...finding and treating the source of imbalances, not treating the symptoms. She suspects I have adrenal fatigue, but will do some testing and treat me from there. I see her again tomorrow when she'll schedule tests and make her recommendations. The one thing she told me to stop was coffee! This is day 3 and it's been painful. Other than that little news, this was such a positive experience and I'm hoping I can turn things around with diet and supplements. I firmly believe in the body's ability to heal naturally and I'm eager to hear what she says and move forward.

I need a vacation. I just need to decide on something and make it happen. I'm thinking warm weather, a pool and lots of R&R. Ever feel like that?? Yep....I need to do this... make some 'deposits' to this well-being of mine, versus what has seemed like an endless string of 'withdrawals'.

I've been working out as usual, but this morning as I lift the first weight ...*$&#, my back!?! I'm ticked. A friend gave me some Advil and now I'm sitting here blogging, heating pad on my back waiting for my Chiropractor to call me back. I must have just lifted wrong. It's pretty painful so I'm thinking I'll drive to her office and wait for her to show up.

The beautiful thing about maintaining balance is you have all the tools to make it happen and you are in control. It is completely available all the time. As long as we remember to feed our personal passions in a healthy way, and make more 'deposits' than 'withdrawals', it's all good!


Live passionately!

Working like a dog....

This is how I feel lately. All week I've been hammered. Get up, work out. Come home, pass out. Before anyone says "take time off from working out", let me make it clear...that is the thing that saves me! Monday we had a photo shoot at work for some print adds and marketing material. Yes.... I had to smile for the camera. Tues. and Wed were blurs. Yesterday I was in L.A. and wasn't able to leave until 3. BIG mistake. It took me a record time of 3 hours 40 min to get home (about 52 miles). Today was hellish and I am ready for a long weekend. Tomorrow I'll workout, meet my women's small group for breakfast & get the taxes done. Pretty exciting, huh?

Monday:
Spin 1 hour/ 147 avg HR
stretch 20 min

Tues:
Weights- upper body
stretch & core

Wed:
Spin 40 min

Thurs:
Spin 58 min/ avg HR 142
weights-lower body
stretch & core

Fri:
Spin 59 min/avg HR 147
stretch & core

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Live passionately!

Do your homework!

This week has been pretty uneventful. A little lonely since Mike left, work is busy, and the world keeps spinning. I did take Friday off to handle some errands, most importantly taking Chuck to DMV for his drivers permit test. He failed...I was angry. Not so much that he didn't pass, but why he didn't pass. You've got to study! He kept telling me how all of his friends said it was 'common sense' (so much for his) and he assured me he studied his handbook every night. I offered to help him several times but he was sure he had it down. After looking at the test it was pretty obvious he didn't. I made an appointment to go back in one week and this time I'll be quizzing him several times before we go. After that, we spent some 'quality time' together finishing up the errands. Next time will be the charm.

My workouts have been going great. I'm really focused on my New Years Resolution to relax a little more. If I miss a day, no worries. The next time I work even harder. I've been doing my homework and mixing up my weight training. Every time is a little different...just enough to feel it, and still provide my A type personality with the 'repetitive fix' I need.

Monday:
Spin - 1:04, 147 Avg HR, 56 min in Zone 2

Tuesday:
Weights - 45 min upper body
Core & stretching - 45 min

Wednesday:
Spin - 1:00, 143 Ave HR, 50 min in Zone 2

Thursday:
Weights - 1 hour lower body
Core and stretching - 30 min

Friday: Spin - 1:10, 140 Avg HR, 55 min zone 2

Saturday:
Spin - 20 min
Weights - 1 hour upper body
Core and stretching - 40 min

Time to cozy up with a little vino and a new book My Life in France by Julia Child (a Christmas present from Mike). Enjoy the rest of your weekends (there's no homework!) ;)

Live passionately!

Amazing......

Poor Mike. His flight was delayed 1 hour, then 2 hours, then back to 1 hour again. That's just the kind of little stuff that get's you crazy before a race. He landed in Orange County on Friday night and left Sunday afternoon after running The Pacific Shoreline Marathon with a PR time of 3:07 ....he's amazing.

Saturday morning we went to breakfast in Laguna Beach, then to Huntington Beach to pick up his race packet, grab lunch then settle in for a relaxing night before the race. Sunday I had no problem shooting out of bed at 4:40, while Mike was holding the alarm clock in his hands saying "I've got 4 more minutes". It was a pretty nippy (for us So Ca folks) 48 degrees as we drove to the beach. Mike got to the start line and the rest is history. I waited at mile 7 to do a 'bottle exchange' and take pics, but since he was running in a pack a picture was not going to happen. I had breakfast with his sister (her man ran it as well) then we both walked to our cars to move them closer to the finish. I walked to the finish line just as the voice came over the speaker saying "Another stellar Masters performance...welcome home Mike"! We found each other, waited for results then headed home.


In 3 hours he showered, iced up and was back on a plane to Portland. I'm so proud of him. The dicipline and passion he puts into his training is what gets him where he is. No magic formula, no special edge...just a lot of hard work. He inspires me.


Live passionately!