content note: exercise & fitness
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Ellie wasn’t awake yet, but Aryabhata says good day. It should be a good one here — I woke up and did some writing (the new blocking software I installed to keep me off Facebook until after 9 a.m. definitely helped), talked to a friend, worked on some politics stuff, have a Serendib Press meeting shortly, and I’m expecting to have birthday lunch with a writer friend.
This afternoon will involve some exercise — I’m taking the last few weeks of summer to try to instill some better habits for my newly 50-year-old self.
I signed Kavi and me up with a trainer at the Y for a few sessions, and also signed myself up for a private swim lesson. The trainer has kicked our butts for two sessions so far; it’s good, pushing me harder than I’d push myself. I do the sessions with Kavi, which also is good for helping to make sure he’s not pushing her *too* hard.
She’s not assertive enough to push back against an adult in authority, and with some trainers, you really need to be able to say when you need a break, especially early on, when they don’t know your body and capabilities that well.
For me, I used to push myself so hard that I’d pass out, or come close to it — now, I know myself well enough that I can feel the light-headedness coming on (oh, those squats! working those big muscle groups!), and sit down and breathe until it passes. (That should get better as my body gets used to this kind of workout again — it’s been a while…)
Swim lesson today; I *can* do a front crawl, but still not that well. I’d like to swim like a fish, please. I’m a lot better than I was a year ago, thanks in part to Amanda giving me some lessons in exchange for curry, and I’m hoping a few more lessons will help get me to actually competent swimmer.
If I can get a routine where I’m doing yoga, swimming, and cardio/weights, with something (or maybe two somethings) every day, I’m hopeful that’ll keep me in decent shape as I head into my 50s and beyond. Ruth Bader Ginsburg is my inspiration — still workout out with a trainer into her 80s!
