yoga-riffic

So I've been continuing on my daily yoga goal, and it's been working, less pains, and twinges, more standing upright with better posture, in my past life I was a hunchback, and at times I try to return to that posture, as it's so attractive, on my flabby little body.

I have been doing daily rounds of sun salutation .
Now would I just start doing sun salutation on my own without taking a yoga class at all, I don't think so, I think I would be confused, and not get the full benefit. But In saying that, I tend to obsess and worry about things, I'm not sure of, and that gets in my way of just following the directions, and figuring it out on my own.I think the link I posted, is clear and concise, so you could figure it out by yourself, but I recommend if you have the opportunity to try a yoga class, like an Introduction class. Do it!(now!)

So if your couch to 5K plan, isn't doing the things for you that you thought it would, maybe some daily yoga, would fit better.It would support those twingy knees, and sore backs, that sometimes speak very loudly, and won't budge. Yoga will quiet all that, make you stronger, more flexible, get you in tune with your body.

Like the Nike ads say, just Do It!

the bitch is back

some days you just have to bitch.

Today was a good day, though it started out late. I had one of those surreal moments this morning in bed, as I looked at the time, it wasn't registering in my head why my clock read 8:15am, not 7:30. My brain briefly asked "why is the time, wrong on your clock?" Then quickly recognition came to me, " damn, I'm running late, there is nothing wrong with my clock!!"
Uggh thud, out of bed I slow motion moved, to get showered, fed, and off to the studio, my plan to get there earlier wasn't happening today.Why I thought I would somehow wake up with out an alarm,is beyond me.
What else is beyond me , is my inability to commit to exercise. It's annoying to me how I can find reasons not to do it, yet dislike the squishy over 40 belly I have become.
You know what I'm talking about , that belly that showed up one year, in the forty somethings, like some uninvited relative that just won't leave. It just hangs around like a life preserver, for just in case, I drown on the couch!?!
I mean honestly , what is my issue? When I begin regular exercise my body loves it, I get that endorphin buzz, I get more energy, more flexible, less concerned about my less than perfect body, I begin to accept it, because I'm more in tune with it.I actually feel , dare I say empowered.
I unfortunately am really good, at falling off that wagon, over indulging on sweets, becoming more sedentary, more achy. Man, what a whiner I can be about this.
I started the Ass project '08 in august, I was doing well, until I pulled some back muscles, I may want to hang with Mr. Bowflex, but I ended up overdoing it to the point of back spasms...which frankly sucked. It stopped me dead in my tracks, did it stop me from returning to a jiggling goddess? No!
What saved my back muscles, and the soon to be developing hole in my stomach, from all the Motrin I was taking, was yoga.
Yoga, that four lettered word, that frankly I should be wanting to hear, was my lifesaver, it stretched out my very tender muscles, it decreased my pain, and cripes, it even kept my arms firm.Without endless rep of bicep curls or tricep extensions.I made me use my own inflating weight, as the weight I would lift to keep my muscles strong, firm , and flexible.
What a concept! This is the ultimate in no frills exercise equipment, I guess it's true, that all you ever need to succeed is yourself.So this may be the day to vent my flabby little spleen, but it's the first day, of my commitment to daily yoga.
In 39 days will be our Print Fair North, at our studio, I'm using that as a small reasonable goal to aim for, daily yoga for the next 39 days, if it doesn't change my body, in strength, and flexibility, then I can stop. Become a couch potato, grow that third chin to accent the developing second chin, I've been growing, and wallow in self pity (waaah!)

But I believe, I will discover, the exact opposite.(fingers crossed)(see, more exercise)

'08 AP-week four

My commitment to this project grows, as my ass is hopefully shrinking.
I think I may have seen some results this week, no wait let me rephrase that I did see some results.

The other day as I got dressed , I put on my favorite turquoise colored t-shirt and my most comfy pair of denim shorts. It wasn't until I walked by the mirror, that I caught a glimpse of my shrinking belly roll . My body was more gravity defying. No, wait that's too strong a word, it was less jiggly. there was less jiggling going on.When I flexed my arm, I had a firmer muscle under there, a bicep and triceps, for cripes sake.

My brain has an Oprah moment, right then and realized simply that, exercise is good for my body!!! That exercise, that's right I'm using the E word again,helps build muscle tone.
I am shocked and pleased at how frickin' simple this whole concept is, and why I let it allude me. I'm actually using moderation when eating. Moderation, not dieting. I eat two oreos instead of 6. I'm eating more fruit and veg. I'm still having my ice cream. And stop the presses!! I'm drinking more water, even.

I look forward to my visits to Mr. Bowflex,I no longer mock them,I'm getting more flexible, and strong doing a a few sets of yoga. Who knew endorphins could feel so good.So so so good.

I'm four weeks in, and I feel great. Yay! me.

the wednesday project

As I don't want a lot of unwanted ass attention, I decided to post my proclamation on Thursday, beside the fact I just read the post over at Mrs.G's, today.
But from here out I'll be posting on Wednesdays, about the disappearance of my double twin, I mean my chin.
Over at Derfward Manor, a gauntlet was thrown, okay not really thrown, but it makes for some dramatic blog entry, if I say that.

It's all about the '08 Ass Project. A motivational tool to get off mine and get moving, A suggestion is to use the couch to 5k running plan. But I know myself, and sometimes repetition gives me a reason to rationalize to stop. So I'll be doing a mixture of that, and walking, and swimming, or something.

Other committed people(bloggers) will posts pictures of their body parts, as they firm up and get into better shape. Because I like to do things a little different I will post a little video , as I'm in the midst of a video Self Portrait over at Ipernity called 365 minutes.

So this the part where I roll the video, of my rolls.

endorphins

Tonight our usual Mr. Bowflex session, was such that we weren't able to do it together, we all had separate sessions,which really was fine, I plugged into my iPod,and followed the exercises, there was hardly any down time, except when I was being less than coordinated, that damn bench seat, it's like an exercise all on it's own removing it and replacing it.

And then it happened, the endorphins kicked in, I felt great, I was smiling,that minor bitch rag I was wearing tonight, was gone, like a cyber exit, poof!
it was a brief memory, and a big sigh of relief.But now I am thinking , was that the reasons for my doldrums yesterday, am i going to be , crabby on the days that I don't work out?!
Will there be nonexistent pissing and moaning on the days that I do trip the light fantastic with Mr. Bowflex?

I'd like to think so, that would be great. On the days I'm being a bitch and I want to trade my family in , I can go visit Mr Bowflex, and let my imagined troubles melt away, and get a hard body too, okay I'm still a little high on the endorphins, get a less flabby body , that would be more realistic, and attainable., and feel good.

and that's a good thing, just like Martha says.

Mr. Bowflex.

Since I wrote about Louise,my dishwasher, yesterday, I figure it's only fair to go on about Mr. Bowflex.He moved in with us this Sunday, he kind of wrecked havoc, with my studio. What we didn't throw away on Monday,from his room,moved into my studio, and it will be dealt with soon.(real soon!)

The 3 of us, me, my husband, and my son, we're all getting together , and using Mr. Bowflex.
It's kind of fun, except the Hub, likes it quiet, and I process with my mouth, so I've gotten the shush look, which make me want to talk more(well it does).
My son is pretty cool with it, it's kind of fun to be spotted, or handed the handle, we figure moving the bench off, where you have to for some of the exercises, should be an exercise, because it so damn heavy, good body mechanics, will keep you from hurting your back, maybe that why they have those seated lower back extensions, so your able to assemble, Mr Bowflex, with out killing your back.
We're doing the every other day plan, it'll give us a day to be really sore, before having to answer to Mr Bowflex again. I'm finding him to be a quiet taskmaster, it's figuring out the right weight,if it's too light well that won't accomplish anything, but if it's too much you might injure yourself, or be too damn sore.
Though I think the injury factor in this is pretty minimal, it's fairly smooth functioning, the only way I figure I'll hurt myself I figure is being graceful and sit down with the seat is in row, and miss the seat entirely, because it slid away.

Do i feel some muscle cells, getting jazzed up and firmed. Well yeah I kind of do, does that freak me out? Not really freaked, but surreal.
Here I am blowing my sedentary lifestyle. Oh my gosh, maybe I'll tame the pre-menopausal gut, that has be settling around my middle. it's bad enough that the facial hairs are running amok, I didn't realize my belly would too.Here's to fortifying the temple, yeah I'm talking about my body.

Here's to Mr. Bowflex,if things go well,maybe I'll fix him up with Louise.