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Tonight, while I was on my break, I chatted with two co-workers. They quipped that they'd like to exchange bodies with me. I'm always surprised when someone takes note of my physique. "Oh pshaw," I said. "You don't want this bod. I have a bum foot and I'm blind as anything."
I work hard to maintain my shape. It would be so easy to let it all slide, but the repercussions are overwhelming. I'd have myself a big ol' gut (I'm a natural apple), my knee problems would resurface, my arthritis would worsen, and the resulting weakened muscles paired with my hypermobility would earn me a series of joint dislocations (just like what happens to my sister). So I go to the gym several times each week, I am mindful of what I eat, I bike and walk regularly, and I practice my dance and martial arts.
Last week, I let my caution go and ate a lot of junk. I was offered free fried chicken, and didn't turn it down. Likewise, I had icecream cake, a big-ass cheeseburger, about half a loaf of delicious bakery white bread, a ridiculously rich and cloying chocolate cream German confection, and a few boozy drinks (not all in one sitting!).
I don't want to do that again. I'm not going hungry, mind you. I'm eating plenty of food. It's just good stuff, like whole grains, fresh vegetables/fruits, lots of fibre, and plenty of protein. I think I've finally discovered one of the things which has been causing my stomach cramps for all these years: milk. Cheese and yoghourt seem fine, but any time I have more than a teaspoon or so of milk, I get roilings and cramps. No more chocolate milk for me, I guess!
This morning, I flexed in the mirror, and my lats--the ones which stood out like cables a week ago--were almost submerged beneath a thin but cozy layer of fat. So moderation is the key. I'll continue to eat a little bit of junk food on occasion, but it will be very infrequent. I continue to progress at the gym. I upped four of my weights yesterday, and I added a hundred or so full-on jumping jacks to my cardio routine. I'd rather do jumping jacks, dragons, and kung fu forms for my cardio than hamster out on elliptical trainers. And I think the former does far more for my strength and endurance than the latter.
I tried doing Silk Manning's Khi-Bae DVD today. I'd always been turned off by the cheesy music and the equally cheesy intro sequence, but this time I was willing to give it a shot. I made it most of the way through the intermediate program without any problems, but I found it impossible to exercise proper technique at the speed demonstrated. None of the people in the video looked like they were exactly exercising proper technique, either. The roundhouse kicks followed by one-two punches in the opposite facing look like a good way to wrench your knees out of joint. I'd rather exercise some other sort of technique incorporating a directional change--something with more flow.
I hated the way they flopped their arms down, removing their guard, every time they did roundhouse kicks. That's just begging for a punch to the teeth. Guard your centre line, dudes!
Other than the narcissistic posturing at the beginning of the video, the most disturbing thing is Silk Manning's package. I haven't seen such a careful showcasing of a guy's jubbly bits since David Bowie's showing in Labyrinth. Maybe he's wearing underwire boxers.
So I quit doing the workout and bicycled up York Street against a bracing wind. Now that was a workout.
I work hard to maintain my shape. It would be so easy to let it all slide, but the repercussions are overwhelming. I'd have myself a big ol' gut (I'm a natural apple), my knee problems would resurface, my arthritis would worsen, and the resulting weakened muscles paired with my hypermobility would earn me a series of joint dislocations (just like what happens to my sister). So I go to the gym several times each week, I am mindful of what I eat, I bike and walk regularly, and I practice my dance and martial arts.
Last week, I let my caution go and ate a lot of junk. I was offered free fried chicken, and didn't turn it down. Likewise, I had icecream cake, a big-ass cheeseburger, about half a loaf of delicious bakery white bread, a ridiculously rich and cloying chocolate cream German confection, and a few boozy drinks (not all in one sitting!).
I don't want to do that again. I'm not going hungry, mind you. I'm eating plenty of food. It's just good stuff, like whole grains, fresh vegetables/fruits, lots of fibre, and plenty of protein. I think I've finally discovered one of the things which has been causing my stomach cramps for all these years: milk. Cheese and yoghourt seem fine, but any time I have more than a teaspoon or so of milk, I get roilings and cramps. No more chocolate milk for me, I guess!
This morning, I flexed in the mirror, and my lats--the ones which stood out like cables a week ago--were almost submerged beneath a thin but cozy layer of fat. So moderation is the key. I'll continue to eat a little bit of junk food on occasion, but it will be very infrequent. I continue to progress at the gym. I upped four of my weights yesterday, and I added a hundred or so full-on jumping jacks to my cardio routine. I'd rather do jumping jacks, dragons, and kung fu forms for my cardio than hamster out on elliptical trainers. And I think the former does far more for my strength and endurance than the latter.
I tried doing Silk Manning's Khi-Bae DVD today. I'd always been turned off by the cheesy music and the equally cheesy intro sequence, but this time I was willing to give it a shot. I made it most of the way through the intermediate program without any problems, but I found it impossible to exercise proper technique at the speed demonstrated. None of the people in the video looked like they were exactly exercising proper technique, either. The roundhouse kicks followed by one-two punches in the opposite facing look like a good way to wrench your knees out of joint. I'd rather exercise some other sort of technique incorporating a directional change--something with more flow.
I hated the way they flopped their arms down, removing their guard, every time they did roundhouse kicks. That's just begging for a punch to the teeth. Guard your centre line, dudes!
Other than the narcissistic posturing at the beginning of the video, the most disturbing thing is Silk Manning's package. I haven't seen such a careful showcasing of a guy's jubbly bits since David Bowie's showing in Labyrinth. Maybe he's wearing underwire boxers.
So I quit doing the workout and bicycled up York Street against a bracing wind. Now that was a workout.
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no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 09:17 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 03:35 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 02:04 pm (UTC)From:(Drifted by via tlatoani's fList...)
no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 03:32 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2005-04-14 03:35 pm (UTC)From:I'm not in optimal shape either. I wonder if I ever shall be? There's always something to work on. But I'm certainly in much better shape than I was a decade ago, when I was in my so-called prime.
I know you can get yourself in great shape again. You've done it before, and you can do it again!
no subject
Date: 2005-04-18 05:27 pm (UTC)From: