Saturday, January 23, 2010

Trying to get in the SWIM

I'm feeling very blog-worthy today as I had an excellent day yesterday on the eating and exercise front, and am on track today as well. I'm always nervous when I post about doing poorly, not maintaining my goals or heaven forbid, gaining weight. All 3 of the aforementioned were embodied in yesterday's post, and more significantly, throughout last week. Yet I got support, encouragement, kindness, and even commiseration from others who are also struggling. Makes a gal feel like one of the many, and not some alien who has no business having a weight loss blog when she's not losing weight. I am so appreciative of all my blog buddies who are journeying with me here.

Yesterday my food was good, and I got in a 45 minute walk after work. My knee (to be known as "Lefty" for the rest of this post) felt almost normal during the walk, though it stiffened up later. Totally tolerable, and clearly coming along nicely. I'm aware that walking is definitely more taxing to Lefty than biking, so this morning I finally returned to my gym and did the stationary bike for 22 minutes. I could have gone longer, but am trying to back off from my usual setting of "gangbusters" into a more reasonable and prudent "sensible". It felt great being back there. After the bike, I did some leg lifts ala Physical therapy instruction (from which I've been discharged, btw) also, and will strive to add in more of the PT kinds of moves and stretches gradually.

My next thing that I'm going to be posting about a bit is that I'm trying to get myself psyched to do swimming. I've always loved to swim, and LOVE the water, but for the last 20 years have not submerged more than my toes and below the knee parts because of not wanting to put on a bathing suit. (Note my URL is "willswimagain... related to this missing piece of my life.) Those of you who've been reading me awhile remember when I bought a new swimsuit in October to take on our trip to the Dominican Republic. It was pretty difficult, but I got one from Land's End that by some miracle fit. I didn't like how it looked on me, but it's a fairly cute suit
that I planned to wear if we swam in the DR. Turns out the only time water was involved in our day to day doings was a day that I woke up with no voice and really sick. So...I just wore the top part of the suit under a tee shirt, and escaped from the full body disclosure I was so dreading. (Sorry for those of you who've seen that pic and heard this scintillating drama before.)

Well. The planets are lining up in a manner that is pointing me to the water. The bathing suit is quietly lying in a drawer, calling out to me to give her some consideration. She wants to be part of my life...to have a relationship with me. Several people, including orthopedic professionals and PTs have urged me to swim as the best means of exercise that will not cause ANY impact or damage to Lefty, or her mate, Righto, not to mention any of the joint cousins. It's even been suggested that swimming will actually help with the knee rehab. My gym has an olympic size beautiful pool, and lots of classes for water exercises and stretching. Swimming options abound. And now I've even found a blog by a woman who is swimming her way to fitness and weight loss, and she has put on a swimsuit when she was pretty darn heavy. Check out her blog here. It's really great, and very inspiring. She even sent me an email to encourage me to get over the bathing suit bullshit (my words, not hers) and dive in.

So I'm thinking about committing myself to a date when I show up to swim at my gym. I'm not ready to do it yet (emotionally), but am working on willingness. By starting to talk about it here I'm hoping make this manifest in my life. If not now, when? In the meantime, I'll alternate biking and walking, striving to increase time and resistance.

On another note, I saw Avatar on Thursday night with a friend, and it was freaking amazing. I held out awhile, as it really isn't my kind of movie, but finally succumbed to peer and offspring pressure to see it. I went with a friend to the local IMAX theater and saw it in 3D - a first for me. It was quite remarkable, beautiful, incredibly creative and clearly a work of art. The story is good, but it falls short of the overall visual and sensory experience of the film. My friend Bev and I saw it, and I couldn't resist taking pics of us in our 3D glasses:. Even if you hate action/adventure/sci-fi/fantasy, this is worth seeing.

I hope everyone has a good Saturday, and I'll be back tomorrow, in accordance with my Perfect 10 goals!

14 comments:

  1. Aahhh...the bathing suit is calling...eh? I look forward to the day where you can proudly proclaim that you stared down this fear and won.

    You'll get there...

    Love the 3D glasses :)

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  2. Such a pleasant post! Glad you're feeling hopeful about the swimming suit. I think that is HUGE! If I even begin to consider maybe thinking about it, I start to hypeventilate. chuckle. I did consciously work on my thighs today tho...although I'm not sure crinkly, old lady skin can be toned up. sigh. Still, you give me hope that I can at least hope. :D Deb

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  3. Thanks for the shout out! Like I told you, I had anxiety attacks over starting my first swim class at over 380 lbs and in a size 6x swimsuit. When it came down to it I just waddled my sideshow self out there and got into the pool. That was my first step towards saving myself.

    I think if you sign up for a water exercise class, you may find the goal start date for yourself right there. They are super fun and social and I will bet you will look better in that suit than some of your classmates, but more than that, you are all there to get healthier. Remember GLOW with confidence, or fake it 'til you do girl!

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  4. Avatar IS amazing!

    I have issues with wearing a swimsuit, too. I guess I'm telling you that because I don't think there are many people out there that are completely happy with how they look in their bathing suit. So chances are they're going to be too caught up in their self-image to be judging you. So go for it! Start swimming again!

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  5. I need to add this bathing suit thing to the list of things I hate about the overweight life. i can never find a bathing suit that fits me very well!

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  6. Hi Leslie. Love that photo with the glasses!

    So glad to hear your eating and exercise are going well.

    I understand about the swimming costume thing. But then many days I can't even make it down the street fully clothed ...

    People meet you as you are and take you as you are. When I used to go swimming (as a teen) I remember that there were some very large ladies who were seriously into swimming. They just got on with it and I thought nothing much about it at all. To me they were just older ladies who liked their swimming.

    The good thing is that when you're in the pool no-one can see what's under the water with any clarity. So it's just the walk from the locker room to submersion that is the killer! How many seconds is that? Be a shame to let those few seconds (adding on the few seconds needed for a hasty retreat at the end!) to stop you getting all the benefits and enjoyment of a good swimming session.

    Have a great rest of the day.

    Bearfriend xx

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  7. the suit is so cute. Swim , Swim and Swim. You will love it and you will look great.

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  8. So so glad you saw Avatar and loved it! It instantly became my fav movie of all time!

    So glad you are prepping to get back in the water; yay you!!!

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  9. Just put on the suit and jump on out there.
    The glasses rock!

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  10. I need to get my Dr. to sign a release so I can go swimming at the arthritis foundation- and I am being LAZY about it. I also need a new bathing suit. :P I have yet to see that movie- I gotta go!! :)

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  11. Go for the swim, Leslie! Proud of you for getting back in there--wish I could do the same! :o/
    Bethany

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  12. Hi there - I've just recently got back into swimming, posted about it a few days ago. I chose to have a few 1-1 lessons just to boost my confidence & get over the "first time for ages" fear. Just to let you know in case this suggestion any good for you! Best wishes.

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  13. This is what I tell myself when I worry about how I will look - "I am not the center of everyone's universe. No one pays that much attention to what I am doing or wearing. This is just my stinking thinking. If someone does spend the time and effort to worry about what I look like, then that says more about them than it does about me."

    Put on the suit and enjoy the pool! You'll be glad you did.

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  14. I was the same, Leslie--didn't swim for over 20 years. But I got myself swim shorts (that are to my knees almost. And I love it so. Completely relaxing, and I feel so good afterwards. Plus I can go in the sauna if I want to. Go for it.

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